Can I work while on unemployment in Washington? Need to know before I take a part-time job
I've been getting UI benefits for about 6 weeks now and just got offered a part-time job at a retail store. I really need the extra money but I'm scared I'll lose my unemployment benefits completely if I take it. Can I work while on unemployment in Washington? The job would be maybe 15-20 hours a week. Do I need to report this to Washington ESD? I don't want to mess up my claim but I also can't afford to turn down work. Has anyone else worked part-time while collecting unemployment?
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Mei Wong
Yes, you can work part-time while on unemployment in Washington, but you MUST report ALL work and earnings on your weekly claim. Washington ESD has a partial benefit formula that reduces your weekly benefit amount based on what you earn, but you won't lose benefits completely unless you earn more than your weekly benefit amount plus $5.
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GalaxyGlider
•Thank you! So if my weekly benefit is $400 and I earn $200 from the part-time job, I'd still get some unemployment?
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Mei Wong
•Exactly! You'd get a reduced benefit amount. The formula is: Weekly Benefit Amount - (Earnings - $5) = Partial Benefit. So you'd get $205 in unemployment plus your $200 in wages.
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Liam Sullivan
The key thing is ALWAYS report your work, even if it's just one day or a few hours. Washington ESD will find out eventually through wage records and if you don't report it, they'll hit you with an overpayment notice. I learned this the hard way when I did some gig work and forgot to report it.
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Amara Okafor
•How much trouble did you get in? I'm worried about making a mistake on my weekly claims.
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Liam Sullivan
•They made me pay back about $800 in benefits plus a penalty. It was a nightmare dealing with their overpayment unit. Just be honest and report everything - it's much easier than dealing with the consequences later.
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Giovanni Colombo
I had a similar situation and couldn't get through to Washington ESD for weeks to ask about it. Finally used claimyr.com to get connected to an actual agent who explained everything clearly. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.
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GalaxyGlider
•Is that service legit? I've never heard of it before.
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Giovanni Colombo
•Yeah it's real, they just help you get through to Washington ESD faster. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked and saved me so much time and frustration.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
•I'll have to check that out. I've been trying to reach someone at Washington ESD for days about my job search requirements.
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StarStrider
Just remember you still have to do your job search activities even if you're working part-time. The work search requirements don't go away unless you're working full-time (30+ hours per week).
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GalaxyGlider
•Good point! I forgot about that. So I'd still need to apply for jobs and log my job search activities?
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StarStrider
•Yes, you still need to meet the job search requirements. You can use WorkSourceWA to track your activities or keep your own log.
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Dylan Campbell
wait so if i work like 5 hours a week at minimum wage do i still get my full unemployment? thats like $75 before taxes
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Mei Wong
•You'd get your full benefit amount minus $70 (the $75 minus the $5 disregard). So if your weekly benefit is $300, you'd get $230 plus your $75 in wages.
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Dylan Campbell
•oh thats not too bad then. better than nothing i guess
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Sofia Torres
This is exactly what I needed to know! I've been afraid to take ANY work because I thought I'd lose everything. The Washington ESD website is so confusing about this stuff.
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Liam Sullivan
•Yeah their website is pretty terrible. The information is buried in long PDFs that nobody wants to read.
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Dmitry Sokolov
•Tell me about it! I spent hours trying to figure out the partial benefit formula and still wasn't sure I understood it right.
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Ava Martinez
One thing to watch out for - if you're working for a temp agency or doing contract work, make sure you understand whether you're an employee or independent contractor. The reporting requirements are slightly different for each.
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GalaxyGlider
•The job I'm looking at is regular retail employee work, so I think I'm good on that front.
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Ava Martinez
•Perfect, that's straightforward then. Just report your gross wages before taxes when you file your weekly claim.
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Miguel Ramos
I worked part-time at Target while on unemployment last year and it worked out great. Just be super careful about reporting everything accurately on your weekly claims. Even if you work just one day, report it.
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QuantumQuasar
•Did you have any issues with Washington ESD questioning your availability for work since you had a part-time job?
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Miguel Ramos
•Nope, as long as you're still available for full-time work and actively searching, having a part-time job doesn't affect your eligibility.
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Zainab Omar
THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO KEEP YOU POOR! They make it so complicated that people are afraid to work at all. Meanwhile they're sitting in their offices making six figures while we struggle to survive.
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Connor Gallagher
•I get the frustration but the partial benefit system actually helps people transition back to work. It's better than the old all-or-nothing approach.
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Zainab Omar
•Maybe but they should make it clearer instead of hiding the information in 50-page handbooks that nobody reads
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Yara Sayegh
Quick question - do tips count as wages that need to be reported? I'm thinking about taking a server job but most of my income would be tips.
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Mei Wong
•Yes, tips absolutely count as wages and must be reported. Report the total amount you actually received in tips, not just what's on your paycheck.
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Yara Sayegh
•Ugh, that's going to be a pain to track. I guess I'll have to keep detailed records of my tips.
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Keisha Johnson
I tried calling Washington ESD last week to ask about this exact thing and gave up after being on hold for 3 hours. Ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and got through to an agent in like 10 minutes. Definitely worth it if you need to talk to someone quickly.
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Paolo Longo
•Was it expensive? I'm hesitant to pay for something that should be free.
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Keisha Johnson
•I get that, but my time is worth something too. Three hours on hold vs 10 minutes to get my question answered - easy choice for me.
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CosmicCowboy
Take the job! Working part-time while on unemployment is totally normal and legal. Just report everything honestly and you'll be fine. I did it for months and never had any problems.
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GalaxyGlider
•Thanks for the encouragement! I'm definitely going to take it now that I understand how it works.
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Amina Diallo
Does anyone know if there's a limit to how long you can work part-time while collecting unemployment? Like, will Washington ESD eventually force you to take full-time work?
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Mei Wong
•There's no specific time limit, but you do have to remain available for and actively seeking full-time work. If you turn down suitable full-time job offers, that could affect your eligibility.
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Amina Diallo
•Good to know. I'm hoping to find something full-time soon but the part-time work helps in the meantime.
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Oliver Schulz
Pro tip: Keep detailed records of all your work hours and earnings. Don't just rely on your memory when filing weekly claims. I use a simple spreadsheet to track everything.
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Natasha Orlova
•That's smart. I should probably start doing that even before I get a part-time job.
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Oliver Schulz
•Definitely! Organization is key when dealing with Washington ESD. They love their paperwork and documentation.
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Javier Cruz
Just wanted to add that if you're worried about making mistakes on your weekly claims, you can always call Washington ESD for clarification. Though as others mentioned, getting through can be tough. That Claimyr thing sounds like it might be worth checking out.
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GalaxyGlider
•Yeah, I'm definitely going to look into that service. Seems like several people here have had good experiences with it.
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Emma Wilson
•The video demo they mentioned is pretty helpful for understanding how it works. Might be worth watching even if you don't use the service.
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Malik Thomas
Been following this thread and it's been super helpful! I'm in a similar situation and was worried about taking a part-time job. Now I feel much more confident about it.
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GalaxyGlider
•Glad it helped! I feel so much better about everything now too. This community is awesome.
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Fatima Al-Mazrouei
I'm so glad you asked this question! I was in the exact same boat a few months ago and was terrified of messing up my benefits. The key things I learned: 1) Always report ALL earnings, even if it's just a few dollars 2) The $5 disregard means you can earn up to $5 without any reduction in benefits 3) Keep detailed records of your hours and pay - I use a simple notebook to track everything 4) You still need to be available for full-time work and keep doing your job searches. The partial benefit system actually works pretty well once you understand it. Don't let fear of the unknown keep you from taking work - just be honest and accurate with your reporting!
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