Can I work part-time and still get Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

Yes, you can work part-time and still receive partial unemployment benefits in Washington. You need to report ALL work and earnings on your weekly claim, even if you haven't been paid yet. Washington ESD will deduct a portion of your earnings from your weekly benefit amount, but you can still receive partial benefits as long as you earn less than your weekly benefit amount plus $5.

Yes, you can work part-time and still receive partial unemployment benefits in Washington. You need to report ALL earnings on your weekly claim, even if it's just $50. Washington ESD will reduce your weekly benefit amount by a percentage of what you earn, but you won't lose benefits completely unless you earn more than your weekly benefit amount plus $5.

just make sure ur reporting everything correctly because Washington ESD will find out eventually and then u have to pay it all back with penalties

I had so much trouble getting through to Washington ESD when I had questions about working part-time. Spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual agent in like 10 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration!

Be super careful about reporting everything correctly. I made the mistake of not reporting some cash work I did and Washington ESD found out months later. They hit me with an overpayment notice for $2,800 and I had to pay it all back with penalties.

I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks to ask about this exact same thing but can never get through. The phone lines are always busy and when I do get in the queue, I get disconnected after waiting 2+ hours. It's so frustrating when you just need a simple answer about part-time work rules.

THE SYSTEM IS SET UP TO TRAP YOU!!! They make it confusing on purpose so you mess up and then they can claw back money. I worked 3 days one week and reported it honestly and they STILL audited my claim months later. Took forever to resolve.

Here's exactly what you need to do: On your weekly claim, answer YES to 'Did you work?' and then report the total hours worked and gross earnings. If you worked Monday-Wednesday but won't get paid until Friday, still report those hours and earnings on your weekly claim. Washington ESD wants to know about the work week, not the pay week.

The part-time work rule is pretty straightforward in Washington. You can earn up to your weekly benefit amount plus $5 before they cut you off completely. Anything less than that and you'll get partial benefits. Just make sure you're actively looking for full-time work and meeting your job search requirements.

I work part-time at a grocery store and collect partial unemployment. Been doing it for 3 months now with no issues. The key is being 100% honest on your weekly claims. When they ask about earnings, report the gross amount before taxes. Don't try to hide anything or you'll get in trouble later.

wait what if the part time job turns into full time? do i have to close my claim?

I'm in a similar situation but my part-time job is gig work through an app. Do I still report that the same way?

This is so stressful. I feel like I'm going to accidentally mess something up and then owe them thousands of dollars. The forms are confusing and I can never get anyone on the phone at Washington ESD.

Been working part-time for 2 months while on unemployment. No issues so far. Just be honest about your hours and earnings. Also make sure your employer knows you're on unemployment - some don't care, others prefer to hire people who aren't collecting benefits.

Does anyone know if there's a limit to how long you can work part-time while collecting? Like do they eventually force you to take full-time work or cut off benefits?

whatever you do dont take cash under the table. my cousin did that and got caught. washington esd has ways of finding out and they'll make you pay back everything plus interest and penalties. not worth the risk

One more important thing - make sure the part-time work doesn't interfere with your availability for full-time work. Washington ESD requires you to be able and available for full-time employment. If you take a part-time job with weird hours that would prevent you from accepting full-time work, that could be a problem.

Also remember that if you're getting partial benefits, you still need to certify every week. Don't skip weeks just because you worked - you still need to file your weekly claim and report your earnings. I made that mistake once and it messed up my claim for weeks.

whatever you do dont lie about it because my friend got caught working under the table while collecting and now she owes like $8000 back to Washington ESD

I've been dealing with this situation for months. The formula they use is: if you earn less than your weekly benefit amount, they subtract 75% of your earnings from your benefit. If you earn more than your weekly benefit amount but less than benefit amount plus $5, you get $5. If you earn more than benefit plus $5, you get nothing that week but the week doesn't count against your benefit year.

I used Claimyr last month when I needed to ask about my work search requirements while working part-time. Got through to a Washington ESD agent in about 15 minutes instead of the usual 2+ hour wait. The agent was actually helpful and answered all my questions about reporting part-time work.

One thing to remember is that you still have to be available for full-time work. If your part-time job interferes with your ability to accept full-time employment, that could be an issue.

this happened to my sister she worked part time for like 6 months while getting unemployment and everything was fine until they randomly decided to review her case and then questioned whether she was really looking for full time work

Just took a part-time job myself last week. The Washington ESD website has a good calculator tool that shows you exactly how much your benefits will be reduced based on your earnings. It's under the 'Partial Benefits' section. Really helpful for planning your budget.

Do you have to report the work immediately or can you wait until your next weekly claim?

I'm so jealous you found part-time work! I've been looking for months with no luck. At least unemployment is helping but I really want to get back to working.

Make sure to keep copies of all your weekly claims showing the part-time work. If there's ever a question later, you'll have proof that you reported everything correctly from the start.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I feel much more confident about taking this part-time job now. I'll make sure to report everything honestly and keep good records. Hopefully this leads to full-time work eventually.

Update on my calling situation - I finally got through to Washington ESD after using that Claimyr service someone mentioned. The agent confirmed everything everyone said here about part-time work. Took about 20 minutes total instead of the usual 3+ hour wait. Worth it when you need official confirmation.

Been working part-time retail while on unemployment for 2 months. No problems at all as long as you report everything. The extra income really helps stretch things while you're looking for full-time work. Washington ESD actually encourages this - they want people working rather than just collecting benefits.

Make sure you understand the difference between gross and net earnings when reporting. Always report the gross amount (before taxes) on your weekly claim. I initially reported net and had to fix it later when Washington ESD questioned the discrepancy.

IMPORTANT: If you work more than 32 hours in a week, you might not be eligible for benefits that week even if you don't earn much. Washington ESD has both an earnings test and an hours test. Something to keep in mind when scheduling your part-time work.

Don't forget to keep looking for full-time work! The part-time job is great for extra income but you still need to meet your job search requirements. Document everything you do - applications, interviews, networking, etc. Washington ESD can audit your job search activities.

I work part-time doing freelance web design while collecting unemployment. Been doing it for 4 months without issues. The key is consistency in reporting and keeping good records. I track every dollar I earn and every hour I work. Makes the weekly claims super easy.

One thing nobody mentioned - if your part-time job offers benefits like health insurance, that could affect your 'able and available' status. You need to be available for full-time work that might require you to give up those benefits. Just something to consider.

Been there! Started part-time work 3 weeks into my unemployment claim. Washington ESD was totally fine with it. They actually have a whole section on their website about working while collecting benefits. Check out the 'Working While Receiving Benefits' page - it explains everything clearly.

The bottom line is Washington ESD wants people to work. Part-time work shows you're motivated and actively trying to improve your situation. As long as you report everything honestly and keep looking for full-time work, you'll be fine. Don't let fear of losing benefits keep you from earning extra income.