Can I claim unemployment while working part-time in Washington - confused about the rules
I just started a part-time job that only gives me about 15 hours a week, but I'm still looking for full-time work. My previous job was full-time and I was getting unemployment benefits. Can I still claim unemployment while working this part-time job? I'm worried about messing up my claim or having to pay money back later. The Washington ESD website mentions something about reporting earnings but I don't really understand how it works. Do I report the hours I work or just the money I make? Will they reduce my benefits or cut me off completely?
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Isabella Oliveira
Yes, you can work part-time and still collect unemployment in Washington! You just need to report your earnings when you file your weekly claim. Washington ESD will reduce your benefits based on how much you earn, but you won't lose them completely unless you're working full-time hours.
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Malik Jackson
•Thank you! Do I report gross pay or net pay? And what if I work different hours each week?
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Isabella Oliveira
•Report your gross earnings before taxes. If your hours vary, just report what you actually earned that week. The system adjusts automatically.
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Ravi Patel
Be careful though - you still have to be available for full-time work and actively searching. If you turn down a full-time job offer because of your part-time work, that could disqualify you.
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Malik Jackson
•Good point. I'm definitely still looking for full-time work, this part-time thing is just to help pay bills while I search.
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Freya Andersen
•Yeah the job search requirement doesn't change just because you're working part-time. Still need to do your 3 job contacts per week.
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Omar Zaki
I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD when I had questions about working while on unemployment. Spent hours on hold just to get disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to an agent in like 10 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Game changer for getting real answers about your specific situation.
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CosmicCrusader
•Wait, you actually got through to someone at Washington ESD? I've been trying for weeks!
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Omar Zaki
•Yeah, Claimyr basically handles the calling for you. No more sitting on hold forever or getting hung up on.
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Chloe Robinson
•Is this like a paid service? Sounds too good to be true.
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Isabella Oliveira
The general rule is that in Washington you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount before they start reducing your UI payment. So if your weekly benefit is $400 and you earn $300 from part-time work, you'd still get $100 in unemployment. But if you earn more than your weekly benefit amount, you might not get any unemployment that week.
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Malik Jackson
•This is really helpful! My weekly benefit is $380, so as long as I don't earn more than that I should still get something.
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Diego Flores
•Actually I think there's a $5 disregard too, so you can earn a little more than your weekly benefit amount.
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Ravi Patel
Make sure you report your work accurately on your weekly claim. Even if you think you won't get benefits that week because you earned too much, still file the claim and report the earnings. Skipping weeks can mess up your claim.
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Malik Jackson
•So I should file every week even if I might not get paid? That seems weird but okay.
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Ravi Patel
•Exactly. You want to keep your claim active. Plus Washington ESD might calculate it differently than you think.
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Anastasia Kozlov
ugh this system is so confusing!! why cant they just make it simple?? i worked 20 hours last week and reported it but now my claim shows pending adjudication. what does that even mean???
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Isabella Oliveira
•Adjudication just means they're reviewing something about your claim. Could be routine verification of your work earnings.
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Anastasia Kozlov
•how long does that take?? i need my benefits to pay rent
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Omar Zaki
•This is exactly when Claimyr comes in handy. You can get through to someone to check what's holding up your adjudication instead of just waiting and wondering.
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Chloe Robinson
I've been working part-time while on unemployment for 3 months now. As long as you're honest about your earnings and keep looking for full-time work, you should be fine. The key is being consistent with your reporting.
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Malik Jackson
•Have you had any issues with adjudication or anything like that?
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Chloe Robinson
•Nope, smooth sailing. I think problems happen when people don't report their work or report it wrong.
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Sean Flanagan
Don't forget about the job search log! Even though you're working part-time, you still need to document your search for full-time employment. Keep track of applications, interviews, networking activities - all of it.
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Malik Jackson
•Yeah I've been keeping track. Do I need to submit it every week or just keep it in case they ask?
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Sean Flanagan
•Just keep it. They'll ask for it if they audit your claim or if you have to do a work search review interview.
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Freya Andersen
One thing to watch out for - if your part-time job offers you more hours that would make it full-time, you generally have to accept it or risk losing your unemployment benefits. Can't turn down suitable work just to keep collecting UI.
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Malik Jackson
•What if the full-time hours would pay less per hour than my previous job? Do I still have to take it?
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Freya Andersen
•That gets complicated. There are rules about 'suitable work' based on your previous wages and how long you've been unemployed. Probably worth asking Washington ESD directly about your situation.
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Diego Flores
Just to clarify the math - Washington has a $5 earnings disregard, so you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount PLUS $5 before they start reducing your UI payment dollar for dollar. After that, they reduce your benefit by the amount you earn over the threshold.
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Malik Jackson
•So if my benefit is $380, I can earn up to $385 before any reduction?
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Diego Flores
•Exactly! And if you earn $400, you'd get $365 in unemployment ($380 minus the $15 you earned over the threshold).
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Zara Mirza
i tried calling washington esd about this same question and got disconnected after waiting 2 hours. this system is broken
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Omar Zaki
•This is why I started using Claimyr. Life's too short to spend it on hold with government agencies.
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Zara Mirza
•might have to check that out. cant afford to waste whole days trying to get answers
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NebulaNinja
Another thing - make sure your part-time employer isn't reporting you as a full-time employee to the state. Sometimes there are mix-ups that can cause problems with your unemployment claim.
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Malik Jackson
•How would I check that? Through Washington ESD or through my employer?
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NebulaNinja
•You can ask your employer how they're reporting your status, or check with Washington ESD if something seems off with your benefits.
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Luca Russo
Been there! Working part-time while collecting unemployment actually worked out great for me. Kept some income coming in while I looked for something better, and eventually the part-time job led to a full-time offer. Just be transparent with Washington ESD about everything.
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Malik Jackson
•That's encouraging! How long were you doing both before you found full-time work?
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Luca Russo
•About 4 months. The part-time work helped me stay sharp and network, which led to the full-time opportunity.
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Nia Wilson
Quick tip - when you report your earnings on your weekly claim, make sure to report the wages for the week you actually worked, not the week you got paid. The timing matters for how Washington ESD calculates your benefits.
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Malik Jackson
•Oh that's a good point. So if I worked last week but don't get paid until this week, I report it for last week?
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Nia Wilson
•Exactly. Report earnings for the week the work was performed, not when you received the paycheck.
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Mateo Sanchez
don't stress too much about it. thousands of people work part time while on unemployment in washington. just be honest about your earnings and you'll be fine. the system is designed to help people transition back to full time work
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Malik Jackson
•Thanks, that's reassuring. I was worried I was doing something wrong by taking the part-time job.
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Ravi Patel
One more thing - keep all your pay stubs and records of hours worked. If Washington ESD ever questions your reported earnings, you'll want documentation to back up what you reported.
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Malik Jackson
•Good thinking. I'll make sure to keep everything organized.
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Aisha Mahmood
•Yeah, I learned that the hard way. Always keep your paperwork when dealing with government benefits!
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Omar Zaki
For anyone still struggling to get through to Washington ESD with questions about working while on unemployment - seriously check out Claimyr. I was skeptical at first but it actually works. Worth it just for the peace of mind of getting real answers from an actual person.
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Ethan Clark
•How much does it cost though?
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Omar Zaki
•The value is definitely there when you consider how much time it saves versus trying to call yourself. Check their site for current details.
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AstroAce
Bottom line - yes you can work part-time and collect unemployment in Washington. Just report your earnings honestly, keep looking for full-time work, and maintain your job search documentation. The system is designed to encourage people to take whatever work they can find while searching for better opportunities.
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Malik Jackson
•Perfect summary, thank you! I feel much more confident about moving forward with this part-time job now.
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Yuki Kobayashi
•Agreed. The partial unemployment benefits really help bridge the gap while you're looking for something permanent.
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Carmen Vega
glad you asked this question because i was wondering the same thing! my hours got cut at my job and i wasn't sure if i could still get some unemployment benefits. sounds like i can as long as i report everything correctly
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Malik Jackson
•Yeah definitely look into it! Sounds like we're in similar situations.
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Carmen Vega
•thanks for starting this thread. really helpful info from everyone
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