Can I still receive Washington ESD unemployment while working part-time?

So with my $487 weekly benefit and maybe $350 in earnings, I'd still get some unemployment money? That would be a huge help since the part-time job doesn't have benefits.

Exactly! You'd keep $5 plus 25% of $345 (which is $86.25), so they'd only reduce your benefits by $258.75. You'd still get around $228 in unemployment benefits plus your $350 wages.

Good point about reporting when I work vs when I get paid. The job is only 20 hours max so I should be under the full-time threshold.

What's considered full-time hours for Washington ESD purposes? I thought it was 40 hours but wasn't sure.

It's based on what's considered full-time in your industry/occupation, but generally 40 hours is the standard. Some industries might be different though.

Thanks for the tip about Claimyr! I've been dreading having to call Washington ESD if I have questions about reporting my earnings.

Never heard of Claimyr before. Does it actually work or is it just another service that takes your money?

It works great for me. I was spending hours trying to get through to Washington ESD and getting nowhere. With Claimyr I can actually talk to someone when I need help with my claim.

That's reassuring. I was worried they'd cut me off completely if I took any work.

Nah they want you to work! It's better for everyone if you're earning something instead of just collecting full benefits.

Yeah the formula someone explained above actually sounds reasonable. I was expecting them to just cut my benefits by whatever I earned.

The $5 disregard plus 25% thing is actually really helpful. Gives you an incentive to work instead of just sitting around collecting benefits.

Oh I didn't think about that. I assumed if I was working I wouldn't need to keep looking for other jobs.

You definitely still need to keep doing job searches. The part-time work doesn't count as meeting your work search requirement unless it's like a work-share situation.

Exactly. You're still considered partially unemployed so you still need to be actively seeking full-time work.

How much longer does it take to file when you have earnings to report?

Just a few extra minutes. You have to enter your gross earnings, hours worked, and employer info. Not a big deal once you get used to it.

Good to know. This job is definitely staying part-time for now but I'll keep that in mind if anything changes.

How do you know when a job is considered 'permanent' for unemployment purposes?

Generally if you're working full-time hours (35+ hours per week) on a regular basis, or if the employer offers you a permanent position, you're no longer eligible for benefits.

That's a good point about keeping work history going. I was worried about the gap getting longer.

Absolutely. Employers like to see you stayed active even during unemployment. Shows initiative.

I'm definitely going to check out Claimyr if I run into any issues. The phone system at Washington ESD is impossible.

I've been trying to call them for weeks about my claim. Maybe I should try this Claimyr thing too.

Smart idea. I'll start keeping records from day one if I take this job.

Yes! Documentation is everything with unemployment. I learned that the hard way when they questioned some of my earnings reports.

That would be ideal! This job is in my field so there might be opportunities to grow.

Same thing happened to me. Part-time job turned into the best full-time job I've ever had.

The schedule is flexible so I should be able to make time for interviews if they come up.

Flexibility is key. Don't let the part-time job become an excuse to stop looking for full-time work.