Are part time employees eligible for unemployment benefits Washington ESD?

Yes, part-time employees can definitely qualify for unemployment benefits in Washington! You don't have to be completely unemployed to file a claim. Since your hours are being reduced significantly, you might be eligible for partial unemployment benefits. The key is that you need to have earned enough wages during your base period to establish a claim.

I was in almost the exact same situation last year! My restaurant cut my hours from 35 to about 12 per week and I was able to get partial unemployment through Washington ESD. You'll need to report your weekly earnings when you file your weekly claims, and they'll reduce your benefit amount accordingly. It's definitely worth applying.

Definitely file! I had to deal with Washington ESD phone lines for weeks trying to get through to someone about my partial claim. If you need to talk to an agent, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

wait so you can get unemployment even if you still have a job??? i thought you had to be completely unemployed

Make sure you understand the job search requirements though. Even for partial claims, you might need to be actively looking for additional work and log your job search activities. The requirements changed a bit in the last couple years.

I hate dealing with the Washington ESD system. It's so confusing and their website crashes all the time. But yeah, partial unemployment is definitely a thing. Just be prepared for potential delays if they need to verify anything with your employer.

Just a heads up - if you're still working part-time, you'll need to report your earnings accurately every week when you file your weekly claim. Any wages you earn will be deducted from your unemployment benefit, but there's usually a small amount you can earn without it affecting your benefits at all.

The whole unemployment system is designed to help people who are underemployed, not just unemployed. Your situation is exactly what partial benefits are for. Don't let anyone tell you that you don't deserve help just because you're still working some hours.

One thing to watch out for is if your employer disputes your claim. Some employers don't understand partial unemployment and might think you're trying to scam the system. Make sure you have documentation of your hour reduction.

I tried calling Washington ESD so many times about my partial claim and could never get through. The hold times are insane. That Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier actually sounds useful - might have to check that out next time I need to reach them.

Don't forget that you need to file your weekly claims every week, even if you worked. Skip a week and you might lose benefits for that week entirely. Set a reminder on your phone or something.

My sister went through this exact situation at her clothing store job. She was getting partial benefits for about 6 months while her hours were reduced. The extra money really helped her get by until business picked up again and she got her full hours back.

Just want to add that even if you're working part-time, you still need to be available for additional work. So don't schedule yourself as unavailable during normal business hours if you can help it. That could affect your eligibility.

The benefit amount for partial unemployment is usually pretty decent. I think it's something like your weekly benefit amount minus 75% of what you earned that week. So if your benefit would be $400 and you earned $100, you'd get $325 in benefits.

Filing online through the Washington ESD website is usually pretty straightforward. Just have your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment history ready. The whole application took me maybe 30 minutes.

One more thing - make sure you understand what counts as 'suitable work' for your job search requirements. Since you're already working part-time, you might need to look for jobs that would increase your total weekly earnings, not just any job.

I had to use that Claimyr service too when I couldn't get through to ask about my job search requirements. The Washington ESD phone system is just impossible sometimes. The service worked exactly like they show in their demo video - got me through to an agent who answered all my questions.

Bottom line is yes, you can definitely get unemployment benefits as a part-time employee if your hours are significantly reduced. The system is designed to help people in exactly your situation. Don't hesitate to apply - you've earned these benefits through your work.