Can I go on unemployment in Washington - not sure if I qualify

Yes, you can potentially qualify for partial unemployment benefits in Washington if your hours were reduced through no fault of your own. You'd need to file a claim through the Washington ESD website and report your reduced earnings each week. The key is that your hours had to be cut by your employer - you can't just request fewer hours and then claim UI.

To qualify for unemployment in Washington you need to have earned enough wages in your base period and be able and available for work. The base period is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters. You also need to be actively looking for work.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to file your claim or ask questions, I'd recommend checking out Claimyr at claimyr.com. They helped me get connected to an actual person at the unemployment office when I couldn't get through on my own. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Make sure you understand the work search requirements too. You'll need to do at least 3 job search activities per week and keep a log of everything you do. This includes applying for jobs, networking, going to job fairs, etc.

Filing your initial claim is pretty straightforward on the Washington ESD website. Just make sure you have all your employment information ready - employer names, addresses, dates of employment, and reason for separation. For you it would be 'lack of work' since your hours were cut.

just wanted to say i went through the same thing last year when my restaurant job cut my hours. the partial unemployment really helped me get by until business picked up again. definitely file asap because there's usually a waiting period

One thing to remember is that you'll need to report your work and earnings every week when you file your weekly claim. Be honest about what you earned - don't try to hide income because they'll find out anyway and it could disqualify you from benefits.

The Washington ESD phone lines are absolutely terrible. I spent literally HOURS trying to get through when I had questions about my claim. That Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier actually worked for me too - got connected to someone in like 10 minutes instead of waiting on hold all day.

Make sure you're actually available for work when you file. If you have restrictions on when you can work (like only certain days or hours), that could affect your eligibility. Since you're still employed part-time, this might not be an issue for you.

I hate to be negative but the whole system is such a mess. It took me 6 weeks to get my first payment because they kept asking for more documentation. Make sure you have EVERYTHING ready before you file or you'll be stuck in adjudication hell.

Don't forget about the taxes! Unemployment benefits are taxable income, so you'll owe taxes on whatever you receive. You can choose to have taxes withheld from your weekly payments or pay them when you file your tax return.

If your hours get cut back to normal levels, make sure you report that change right away. You don't want to keep collecting unemployment if you're back to full-time hours - that would be considered an overpayment.

Just file online at esd.wa.gov as soon as possible. The sooner you file, the sooner you can start receiving benefits. Don't wait thinking your hours might get restored - you can always stop claiming if they do.

I went through a similar situation a few years ago when my retail hours got slashed. The partial unemployment benefits were a lifesaver during that tough period. One tip that really helped me - when you're doing your weekly claims, keep track of all your earnings in a simple spreadsheet or notebook. It makes reporting so much easier and you'll have records if they ever ask questions. Also, don't stress too much about the job search requirements - looking for positions with more hours at other retail stores totally counts toward your weekly activities. The whole process seems overwhelming at first but once you get into the routine of weekly claims it becomes pretty straightforward.