Can I decline a lower-paying job offer and keep ESD benefits while waiting for better offer?

This is a common situation. According to ESD rules, you can decline a job offer without losing benefits if the position pays "substantially less" than your previous employment (generally considered 20% or more below your previous wage). Since you mentioned the first job might pay 15-20% less, that's in a gray area. If the job truly requires skills you don't possess or is substantially different from your usual occupation, that's another valid reason to decline while maintaining benefits. Document everything - exactly how the new job differs from your previous position and precisely what was discussed about compensation.

DONT TAKE THE FIRST JOB!! ESD is strict about this stuff, but in my experience they understand when you turn down a job that pays less. But you NEED to report everything clearly on your weekly claim when they ask if you refused work. Be honest about the pay difference. I turned down a job that was 18% less than my previous salary and still got my benefits, but they did call me to verify.

According to RCW 50.20.080 and WAC 192-150-142, suitable work must be reasonably equal to wages/benefits of your previous job in your usual occupation. The 20% threshold mentioned above is generally correct. However, the definition of "suitable work" changes the longer you're on unemployment. In your first 10 weeks, you have more flexibility to decline work outside your field or below your typical wages. After that, ESD expects you to be more flexible. If you decline the offer, you MUST report it on your weekly claim and be prepared to explain why you consider it unsuitable work. ESD will make a determination, possibly with a fact-finding interview.

When I was in a similar situation, I couldn't get through to ESD to ask about this. After 30+ calls and being hung up on repeatedly, I found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The agent explained that I could decline the lower-paying job, but I needed to document EXACTLY why it wasn't suitable - the pay comparison, skill mismatch, etc. Having that conversation before declining the offer gave me confidence in my decision.

my cosin had this exact problem!!! he took the lower job and regretted it cause the better one offered him the position like 3 days later. but he was scared of loosing his unemployment so just took the first one. wish he'd seen this thread lol

One strategy to consider: If Company A makes an offer, you could ask for a few days to consider it, which gives Company B a chance to speed up their process. You could also be transparent with Company B that you have another offer but prefer their position, which might motivate them to expedite things. As for unemployment, remember that if you do decline and ESD later determines it was suitable work, you might have to pay back benefits received after the decline date. So document everything meticulously and be prepared to demonstrate why the position wasn't suitable.

Different perspective here - have you considered taking the first job while continuing to interview with the second company? You'd stop collecting unemployment, but if the second job comes through in a few weeks, you could give notice at the first job. Not ideal for Company A, but sometimes you have to look out for yourself first in this economy.

wait i'm confused - doesn't the "suitable work" thing only apply if ESD refers you to the job? if you found these jobs on your own through your job search, can't you just... not tell ESD about the offer you declined? or am i totally misunderstanding how this works?

Update: I talked to Company B and let them know I had another offer pending but was more interested in their position. They were really responsive and moved up my second interview to tomorrow! Fingers crossed this works out. If not, I'm leaning toward declining Company A if they can't meet at least 90% of my previous salary. Thanks everyone for the advice!

That's awesome that Company B was so responsive! It really shows they're interested in you. Just wanted to add one more thing to keep in mind - if Company A does make an offer and you need to decline it, make sure you document not just the salary difference but also the specific job duties that don't match your background. From your original post, the fact that it involves "tasks outside your expertise" could be just as important as the pay cut when ESD evaluates whether it was suitable work. The combination of both factors (lower pay AND different skill requirements) makes a much stronger case for declining. Good luck with the interview tomorrow!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through something very similar about 6 months ago. I was in tech and got two offers - one that was about 22% less than my previous role and required me to relocate, and another that was actually a slight bump but took forever to finalize. I ended up declining the first offer and documented everything meticulously: screenshots of the salary discussion emails, notes from the interview about job duties that were completely different from my background, even the relocation requirement. When ESD did their fact-finding interview (which happened about 2 weeks after I reported declining the offer), having all that documentation ready made the process so much smoother. They approved my continued benefits within a few days. The key thing I learned is that ESD really does look at the whole picture - it's not just about one factor like salary, but the combination of pay, location, required skills, etc. In your case, having both the potential pay cut AND the skill mismatch gives you solid ground to stand on. Just make sure you're 100% honest and thorough in your documentation. Best of luck with Company B tomorrow!

I'm in a somewhat similar situation right now - got laid off about 6 weeks ago and have been dealing with the stress of navigating job offers while on ESD benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so helpful! One thing I wanted to add based on what I learned from talking to an ESD representative recently: they also consider whether accepting the lower-paying job would actually hurt your long-term earning potential in your field. In your case, since you're in data analytics and this other role is client management, taking a step sideways into a completely different area could potentially set back your career progression. That's another angle to document if you do decide to decline Company A's offer. Also, the timing aspect is so real - I've been in that exact position where you know one company is moving faster but isn't the right fit, while the better opportunity is taking their sweet time. The advice about being transparent with Company B about having another pending offer is spot on. I did that with a company I was interested in and they actually expedited their final interview by almost a week because they didn't want to lose me to the other opportunity. Wishing you the best with Company B's interview tomorrow! Really hoping it works out so you don't have to stress about the ESD decision at all.

Really appreciate seeing all the detailed experiences shared here! As someone who's been through the ESD system twice (once in 2019 and again during the pandemic), I wanted to add a few practical tips: 1. When you document the salary discussions, try to get something in writing if possible - even a follow-up email summarizing what was discussed verbally can be helpful evidence. 2. The "substantially less" threshold isn't just about percentage - ESD also looks at whether the new salary would meet your basic living expenses. If your previous job allowed you to cover rent/mortgage and this one wouldn't, that's relevant. 3. Don't forget to continue your job search activities even while navigating these offers. ESD still expects you to be actively seeking work, so keep applying to other positions and documenting those efforts. The fact that you're only 4 weeks into unemployment and have already generated multiple interviews shows you're conducting a genuine job search, which works in your favor. Company B moving up your interview is a great sign - sometimes the best opportunities are worth the extra stress of navigating the timing carefully. Keep us posted on how tomorrow goes!

As someone who works in HR and deals with unemployment claims regularly, I wanted to add some insights from the employer side that might be helpful. When companies make offers, they typically don't report declined offers to ESD immediately - usually only if specifically asked during an investigation. However, you're absolutely right to be transparent about it on your weekly claims. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is that you can also negotiate with Company A if they do make an offer. Since you mentioned they only "hinted" at lower pay, there might be room to discuss salary, especially if you can demonstrate your value. Sometimes companies start with a lower number to see if you'll accept it, but have flexibility to go higher. Also, regarding the skill mismatch - document specific examples of how the client management duties differ from your data analytics background. For instance, if your previous role was focused on SQL queries, data visualization, and statistical analysis, but this new role requires sales presentations, customer relationship management, and conflict resolution, those are distinctly different skill sets that ESD would likely recognize as unsuitable work. The 4-week mark works in your favor since you're still in that initial period where ESD expects you to find work similar to your previous role. Good luck with Company B tomorrow!