Can I work part-time while collecting Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

Yes you can work part-time while on unemployment in Washington! You just need to report ALL hours worked and gross wages earned on your weekly claim. Washington ESD will reduce your benefit amount based on what you earn, but you won't lose benefits completely unless you work full-time or earn more than your weekly benefit amount plus $5.

Yes you can work part-time while on unemployment in Washington! You just need to report all your hours and gross earnings when you file your weekly claim. Washington ESD will calculate how much your benefit gets reduced based on what you earn. Generally you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount before you lose benefits completely.

Make sure to report EVERYTHING on your weekly claim. Don't try to hide any work or income because Washington ESD will find out eventually through wage crossmatching and you'll have to pay back overpayments plus penalties.

i work part time and collect unemployment every week. you HAVE to report your hours and income or they'll hit you with an overpayment later. learned that the hard way last year

The key thing is you still have to be able and available for full-time work. As long as your part-time schedule doesn't prevent you from accepting a full-time job, you should be fine. Keep doing your job search activities too - the work search requirements don't change just because you're working part-time.

I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks to ask about this exact same situation but their phone lines are impossible. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to someone there? I keep getting disconnected after waiting on hold for hours.

The key thing is understanding Washington's partial unemployment rules. When you work part-time, you need to report both the hours worked AND the gross earnings (before taxes). Washington ESD uses a formula where they subtract 75% of your earnings from your weekly benefit amount. So if your WBA is $400 and you earn $200, they subtract $150 (75% of $200) leaving you with $250 in benefits.

wait so if i work can i still get benefits?? i thought any work meant no unemployment at all

I had such a hard time getting through to Washington ESD when I had questions about working while on unemployment. Spent hours on hold trying to talk to someone about my specific situation. Finally found claimyr.com which helped me get through to an actual agent who explained everything. There's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

The formula Washington ESD uses is pretty straightforward. They subtract 75% of your gross earnings over $5 from your weekly benefit amount. So if you earn $100, they subtract $71.25 from your benefits. As long as you don't earn more than your weekly benefit amount plus $5, you'll still get something.

ugh the washington esd phone system is THE WORST. i've been trying to get through for 3 weeks about my adjudication and they just hang up on me every time

Make sure you understand the difference between being 'able and available' for work while working part-time. You still need to be actively looking for full-time work and available to accept suitable employment. Just because you can work part-time doesn't mean you can stop your job search requirements.

I worked part-time for about 3 months while collecting unemployment and it actually helped me transition back to full-time work. Just make sure you're honest about everything on your weekly claims and keep looking for full-time opportunities.

Don't forget that you still need to file your weekly claims even when you're working part-time. I made the mistake of not filing one week because I worked a few days and almost lost my whole claim.

I'm so confused about all this. What if my part-time job turns into full-time? Do I need to tell Washington ESD right away or just report it on my next weekly claim?

Also keep in mind that if the part-time job becomes full-time, you'll need to stop claiming benefits immediately. Don't wait until your next weekly claim - report it right away through your SecureAccess Washington account.

whatever you do dont try to hide the income. they cross check with employers and the irs and will catch you eventually. not worth the risk

The unemployment system is so confusing. I wish they made this stuff clearer on their website.

Does anyone know if gig work counts the same as regular part-time work? Like if I do some DoorDash or Uber while on unemployment?

the whole system is so complicated. why can't they just make it simple - if you work you work, if you don't you don't. all these formulas and percentages make my head spin

I tried calling Washington ESD about working part-time too and gave up after a week of trying. These phone lines are ridiculous.

Take the part-time job! Even with reduced benefits, you'll probably come out ahead financially and it shows you're actively trying to get back to work. That looks good if you ever have any issues with Washington ESD.

Just remember to keep track of all your hours and wages for your own records. Sometimes there are discrepancies and you want to have documentation if Washington ESD questions anything.

The Washington ESD website actually has a pretty good calculator where you can estimate how working part-time will affect your benefits. Might be worth checking out before you make your decision.

Been there! Working part-time while on unemployment was actually what helped me get back on my feet. The transition was much smoother than going straight from unemployment to full-time work.

One thing to watch out for - if your part-time job offers health insurance or other benefits, that might affect your eligibility for certain programs. Not unemployment specifically, but just something to keep in mind.

Honestly the worst part about all this is trying to get clear answers from Washington ESD directly. Their customer service is terrible.

Good luck with the part-time job! Sounds like you've got all the information you need to make it work with your unemployment benefits.

Just to add one more thing - make sure the part-time work doesn't interfere with any job interviews or opportunities for full-time work. You still need to be available and actively searching.

This thread has been super helpful. I'm in a similar situation and was worried about the same things. Thanks everyone for the detailed responses!

Another thing to keep in mind is that working part-time might extend your benefit year since you're not using up your full weekly benefit amount. So if you're earning some money and getting reduced benefits, your claim could last longer than if you weren't working at all.

Just went through this exact situation last month. Started a part-time retail job while collecting UI. The key is being super accurate with your reporting. I take photos of my timesheets and paystubs just to have backup documentation.

This thread has been so helpful! I was scared to take any work while on unemployment but now I understand how it actually works. Thanks everyone!

one more tip - if your part time job offers benefits like health insurance you might want to factor that into your decision too. sometimes the total package makes working worthwhile even if your unemployment gets reduced

Final reminder for anyone reading this: always report your work and earnings honestly on your weekly claims. Washington ESD has gotten much better at cross-referencing data and catching unreported income. The penalties for fraud are severe - they can disqualify you from future benefits and require repayment with interest.

glad this thread exists because the washington esd website explanation of partial benefits is confusing as hell

I tried using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked! Finally got to talk to a Washington ESD agent about my work situation. Worth checking out if you're having trouble getting through.

Remember to keep track of your job search activities too even while working part-time. You still need to meet the weekly requirements unless you're specifically exempt.

this whole conversation makes me feel better about my situation. i've been afraid to take any work because i thought it would mess everything up

Update: I'm going to take the part-time job! Thanks to everyone who helped explain how this works. I feel much more confident about reporting everything correctly now.