Can unemployment see if you are working - Washington ESD monitoring question

Yes, Washington ESD can absolutely see if you're working. They have access to wage databases and cross-reference with employers who report wages to the state. You need to report ALL work, even cash jobs, on your weekly claims. Under-the-table work still needs to be reported - the amount doesn't matter.

Washington ESD uses the State Directory of New Hires database and can see when employers report you as working. They also do random audits and if they find unreported work, you'll face an overpayment demand plus penalties. I learned this the hard way.

I had a similar situation and tried calling Washington ESD to ask about reporting requirements but could never get through. The phone system is impossible. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person at Washington ESD. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. The agent I spoke with explained exactly what I needed to report.

REPORT EVERYTHING! I cannot stress this enough. Even $50 here and there needs to be reported on your weekly claim. Washington ESD has gotten much better at detecting unreported work since they upgraded their systems.

yeah they can see everything, its not worth trying to hide work from them. just report it all and you'll be fine

The Washington ESD fraud detection system is pretty sophisticated now. They cross-check with IRS data, Social Security Administration records, and state wage databases. They can also see if you're getting paid through apps like Venmo or PayPal if it's reported as income.

I was in adjudication for weeks because I forgot to report some odd jobs. When I finally got through to Washington ESD (used that Claimyr service someone mentioned), the agent said they already knew about the work from wage matching. Would have saved myself a lot of stress if I'd just reported it initially.

Washington ESD has access to the National Directory of New Hires, quarterly wage reports from employers, and they participate in interstate data sharing. Basically, if you're getting paid anywhere in a legitimate way, they can find out about it.

Just went through an audit last month and Washington ESD had records of work I'd completely forgotten about from 6 months ago. Their record-keeping is thorough. Report everything, no matter how small.

the system is pretty good at catching people now. my brother tried to hide some construction work and got busted within like 2 months. had to pay everything back plus penalties

I'm dealing with a similar situation and really need to speak with someone at Washington ESD about how to handle unreported work from the past. Has anyone had luck with that Claimyr service for getting through to discuss compliance issues?

Even if you think Washington ESD won't find out about cash work, remember that employers are required to report wages over $600 per year. Plus, if there's ever a workplace accident or investigation, unreported work becomes a much bigger problem.

Washington ESD also does social media monitoring in some cases. If you post about work or getting paid, that can trigger an investigation. Best to just be completely honest on your weekly claims.

The bottom line is Washington ESD has multiple ways to detect unreported work. Data matching, employer reports, audits, tips from other people, etc. The risk of getting caught is high and the penalties are severe. Always report all work on your weekly claims.

I went through something similar last year and made the mistake of not reporting some freelance work I was doing. Washington ESD found out during their quarterly wage matching process and I had to pay back about $2,800 plus a penalty. The stress wasn't worth it at all. My advice is to call them immediately (maybe use that Claimyr service others mentioned since their phone lines are impossible) and voluntarily disclose the unreported work. They're usually more lenient when you come forward yourself rather than them catching you. Also, even if the work seems "minor" or irregular, it ALL needs to be reported - there's no minimum threshold. Better to be overly cautious than face the penalties later.