Can I get partial ESD unemployment if my hours were cut from 40+ to 30 hours weekly?

Thanks for explaining! So I need to file right away even though the hours reduction hasn't happened yet? Or should I wait until my hours actually get cut next month? And do I need to tell my employer I'm doing this, or does ESD notify them automatically?

You still have to meet the job search requirements even for partial unemployment. It's 3 job search activities per week, regardless of whether you're working part-time or not at all. That's the law in Washington state. The only exception would be if you got approved for standby status, but that's usually for temporary layoffs where your employer expects to bring you back to full hours within a specific timeframe.

Wait seriously? I have to apply for other jobs even though I like my current job and just want to stay there until they hopefully restore my hours? That seems really counterproductive... I was hoping I could just get a small payment to help cover the gap until things pick up again.

I hadn't heard of the Shared Work program - that sounds perfect! I'll definitely bring this up with my boss and HR. Really hoping they'd be open to this since they said the hours reduction is just temporary until business picks back up. Thanks for the suggestion!

good point about the new $25 supplement! i forgot about that change this year. definitely makes it more worthwhile to apply even for small partial benefits

I was having the same issue with my partial claim last month. After getting disconnected literally 16 times over three days, I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an ESD agent in under 25 minutes. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 - it's basically a system that navigates the phone tree and waits on hold for you, then calls you when an agent is available. Their website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out. Totally worth it to avoid the endless redial nightmare, especially for partial claims that often have weird issues.

Thanks for mentioning that waiting week - I had no idea! And good tip about filing weekly claims right away. Did you have any issues with the job search requirements others mentioned?

WorkSource is USELESS!!!! Went there twice and all they did was tell me to look at their website. complete waste of time!!!!

This is super helpful! I didn't realize there were so many different ways to satisfy the job search requirement. I think I'll go ahead and file my initial claim now even though the reduction doesn't start until next month. Better to have everything set up in advance. Thanks to everyone for all the advice!

This is really comprehensive advice, thank you! The $180/week example at $18/hour is super helpful - I make about $16/hour so this gives me a good ballpark of what to expect. I'm definitely going to start documenting everything now before my hours actually get reduced. Your point about the callback services is interesting - I saw @Sophia Russo mention something similar earlier about Claimyr. Good to know there are alternatives to sitting on hold for hours if issues come up. I m'hoping my case will be straightforward since it s'a clear employer-initiated hours reduction, but it s'good to know about backup options. One quick follow-up question: When you were doing the online workshops for job search requirements, did you find them through WorkSource specifically, or were there other sources that ESD accepted? I want to make sure I m'doing activities that definitely count toward the requirement.

For the online workshops, I primarily used WorkSource's website - they have a ton of free virtual workshops that definitely count. Things like "Resume Writing Basics," "Interview Skills," "LinkedIn for Job Seekers," etc. I also found that some community college continuing education workshops counted, and even some free webinars from professional organizations in my field. The key is just making sure you can document what you attended and when. I kept a simple spreadsheet with the date, activity type, and a brief description for each job search activity. Made the weekly reporting much easier. WorkSource also has a job search log template you can download that works well for tracking everything. The $16/hour should still put you in a decent range for benefits, especially with that $25 supplement! Just make sure to file as soon as you can so you don't lose any potential benefit weeks.

For the online workshops, I primarily used WorkSource's website - they have tons of free virtual workshops that definitely count. Things like "Resume Writing Basics," "Interview Skills," "LinkedIn for Job Seekers," etc. You just register, attend the session, and they email you a certificate of completion that you can reference when filing your weekly claim. I also found that some community colleges offer free career development webinars that ESD accepts. The key is making sure you can document the activity - either through certificates, confirmation emails, or detailed notes about what you attended and when. One thing I learned the hard way: be specific when reporting your job search activities on the weekly claim. Don't just write "attended workshop" - put something like "Attended WorkSource virtual workshop 'Networking Strategies' on [date] from 2-3pm." The more detail you provide upfront, the less likely they are to question it later. Also, updating your LinkedIn profile counts as one activity, but you can't use that same activity every week. You need to vary what you're doing - maybe one week it's a workshop, next week it's updating your resume, then maybe researching local employers or doing an informational interview with someone in your field. Hope this helps! The job search stuff seems intimidating at first but once you get into a routine it's pretty manageable.

For the job search activities, I mainly used WorkSource workshops since those are guaranteed to count. They have tons of free online options - resume writing, interview skills, networking, LinkedIn optimization, etc. You can find them at worksourcewa.com under their workshops section. I also did some career exploration activities on their website and attended a few virtual job fairs. Outside of WorkSource, I found that professional development webinars from legitimate sources (like industry associations) also counted, as long as they were related to improving job prospects. The key is just documenting everything properly when you file your weekly claims - date, duration, what you did, how it relates to job searching. I kept a simple spreadsheet tracking all my activities which made the weekly filing much easier. ESD has been pretty reasonable about accepting different types of professional development as long as you can show it's genuinely aimed at improving your employability. Just avoid anything that might seem like you're trying to game the system - stick to legitimate career-related activities.

For the online workshops, I used both WorkSource and some other approved sources. WorkSource has tons of free workshops - resume writing, interview skills, LinkedIn optimization, etc. You can find them on their event calendar and most are virtual now which is convenient. I also did some workshops through the local community college's continuing education program and those counted too. The key is that they need to be legitimate employment-related activities - ESD has a pretty detailed list of what qualifies on their website. I'd recommend mixing it up between different types of activities (workshops, networking events, resume updates) rather than just doing the same thing every week. Makes it less monotonous and shows you're making a genuine effort to stay engaged in the job market even though you're hoping to keep your current position.

For the online workshops, I used a mix of sources that all counted toward my job search requirements. WorkSource has free workshops that are automatically accepted - things like "Resume Writing," "Interview Skills," and "Using LinkedIn for Job Search." You can find these on their website under the training section. I also attended some webinars through the state's career development resources and even some LinkedIn Learning courses related to professional development. The key is keeping good documentation - I always saved screenshots of completion certificates or attendance confirmations. One tip: ESD's job search log system lets you categorize activities, so workshops fall under "Training/Education Activities" rather than "Job Applications." This made it clear I was meeting requirements without actually applying to jobs I didn't want. The WorkSource workshops were probably the easiest option since they're specifically designed to meet ESD requirements, but having variety in your activities looks good too. I'd recommend starting with a WorkSource workshop to get familiar with what they expect, then branching out to other professional development activities that interest you.

For the job search activities, I primarily used WorkSource's online workshop catalog - they have tons of free sessions on resume writing, interview skills, LinkedIn optimization, etc. All of these count as valid job search activities when you document them properly in your weekly claims. I also did some workshops through the local library system and a few through community colleges that were free. The key is that they need to be related to employment/career development. I kept screenshots of completion certificates and detailed notes about what I attended each week. Another thing that worked well for me was "informational interviews" - I reached out to people in my industry on LinkedIn just to learn about their career paths. Even 15-minute coffee chats count as networking activities. Way more useful than applying for jobs I didn't actually want! The ESD website has a pretty detailed list of acceptable activities in their job search requirements section. I'd recommend checking that out to get the full picture of what counts. The main thing is documenting everything thoroughly when you file your weekly claims.

For the job search activities, I primarily used WorkSource workshops since those are guaranteed to count and they have tons of free online options. Their website has everything from "Resume Writing Basics" to "Interview Skills" and "LinkedIn Optimization" - I could usually knock out 2-3 activities per week just from their offerings. I also did some workshops through the local community college's career center and a few through professional associations in my field. The key is to make sure you can document it properly - save confirmation emails, certificates of completion, take screenshots, etc. ESD wants proof that you actually participated. One thing I learned the hard way: career fairs count as job search activities too, even if you don't apply anywhere. There are virtual career fairs happening all the time that you can attend for like 30 minutes and it counts. Way easier than actually applying to jobs you don't want! The most important thing is keeping detailed records of what you did, when you did it, and how it relates to job searching. I kept a simple spreadsheet with dates, activity type, and brief description. Made the weekly reporting much smoother.

For the workshop requirements, I mainly used WorkSource's online offerings - they have a pretty good selection of career workshops, resume building sessions, and job search strategy courses that all count toward your weekly activities. The nice thing is they're all documented in their system so ESD can verify them easily. I also did a few workshops through the local community college's continuing education program and those counted too. Just make sure whatever you do, you keep records of it - screenshots of completion certificates, notes about what you learned, dates and times. ESD wants to see 3 distinct job search activities per week and they're pretty specific about documentation. LinkedIn Learning courses related to professional development also counted for me, though I'd recommend checking with ESD directly about that since policies might have changed. The key is making sure each activity is genuinely related to improving your job prospects, even if you're not actively seeking new employment. WorkSource also has virtual job fairs and networking events that count, and those were actually kind of interesting even though I wasn't job hunting. Sometimes it's good to know what's out there in your field just for general awareness.

For the online workshops, I primarily used WorkSource's free virtual workshops - they have a pretty good selection and they definitely count toward your job search requirements. You can find them on the WorkSource website under "Events & Workshops." I did things like "Resume Writing in the Digital Age" and "LinkedIn for Job Seekers" which were actually useful even though I wasn't actively job hunting. I also found that some community colleges offer free career development webinars that ESD accepts. The key is just to make sure you get some kind of documentation or certificate of completion that you can reference in your weekly claim filing. WorkSource workshops automatically generate a completion record in their system which makes it easy to track. Another thing I did was informational interviews with people in my field - even just 15-20 minute phone calls with LinkedIn connections count as networking activities. Way less stressful than formal job applications when you're hoping to stay at your current job! The most important thing is to keep good records of what you did, when you did it, and how it relates to your job search. ESD can ask for details during random audits, so having everything documented makes the whole process much smoother.