Can you claim unemployment if your hours are cut at Washington ESD?

Yes, you can absolutely file for partial unemployment benefits in Washington when your hours are significantly reduced! This is called 'partial unemployment' and you may qualify if your weekly earnings are less than your weekly benefit amount plus $5. You'll need to report your reduced earnings when you file your weekly claim.

That's a relief to hear! Do I file the same way as regular unemployment or is there a different process?

Same process - file your initial claim on the Washington ESD website and then file weekly claims reporting your reduced earnings. They'll calculate your partial benefit amount automatically.

I went through the exact same thing last year when my restaurant cut everyone's shifts. The key thing is you have to report ALL your earnings honestly on your weekly claims, even the reduced amount. Washington ESD will reduce your benefits dollar-for-dollar after the first $5 you earn, but you'll still get something to help make up the difference.

How long did it take for your claim to get approved? I'm worried about the timing since bills are due soon.

Mine took about 2-3 weeks to process initially, but partial claims usually go faster than regular ones since you're still working. Just make sure you have all your employment info ready when you apply.

I've been trying to reach Washington ESD about my partial claim for weeks but can never get through on the phone! The hold times are insane and I keep getting disconnected. Anyone know a better way to contact them? I need to ask about my job search requirements since I'm still working part-time.

Have you tried Claimyr? I found out about it recently - it's a service that helps you actually get through to Washington ESD agents. Check out claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Saved me hours of calling and getting nowhere.

Never heard of that before but I'm desperate at this point. Anything has to be better than sitting on hold for hours just to get hung up on.

I used Claimyr too after getting frustrated with the phone system. It actually worked - got connected to a real person who answered all my questions about partial benefits and job search requirements. Worth trying if you're stuck.

wait so if i'm working 15 hours but getting UI benefits do i still have to do the job search thing? that seems weird since i already have a job

Yes, you still need to meet job search requirements for partial unemployment unless you're on standby status. You need to be actively seeking additional work or full-time employment to maintain eligibility.

ugh that's annoying but makes sense i guess. thanks for clarifying

The Washington ESD system is so confusing for partial claims! I made the mistake of not reporting my part-time earnings correctly the first week and it flagged my account for review. Now I'm stuck in adjudication for over a month waiting for them to sort it out. Make sure you're super careful about reporting everything exactly right or you'll end up like me.

Oh no, that sounds like a nightmare! What exactly did you report wrong? I want to make sure I don't make the same mistake.

I forgot to include some tips I earned one week and then tried to correct it the next week. Apparently that triggered their fraud detection system and now I'm in adjudication hell. Just be consistent and accurate from the start.

Adjudication for partial claims usually takes 4-6 weeks in my experience. You might want to try calling to check on the status, though good luck getting through without help.

I'm in a similar boat - hours cut from 32 to 18 per week at my retail job. The formula they use is confusing though. If my weekly benefit amount would be $400 and I earn $200 in wages, do I get $200 in benefits or something different?

It's your weekly benefit amount minus your earnings (after the first $5). So if your WBA is $400 and you earn $200, you'd get $205 in partial benefits ($400 - $200 + $5 disregard = $205).

Wait, that doesn't seem right. Wouldn't it be $400 - $195 = $205? The first $5 gets disregarded from the $200 I earned?

You're absolutely right, sorry for the confusion! The first $5 of your earnings is disregarded, so they subtract $195 from your $400 WBA, giving you $205 in partial benefits.

PARTIAL UNEMPLOYMENT IS A LIFESAVER!! I was working 12 hours a week at minimum wage and getting $180 in partial benefits. It made all the difference in being able to pay my rent while looking for better work. Don't let anyone tell you it's not worth applying for!

That's encouraging to hear! How long were you able to collect partial benefits? Is there a time limit?

Same as regular UI - up to 26 weeks in Washington, but it depends on your benefit year and how much you've collected. I ended up finding full-time work after 3 months so didn't hit the limit.

Does anyone know if you can still qualify for partial unemployment if you're working for a temp agency? My hours vary week to week - sometimes 10 hours, sometimes 25. It's so inconsistent I can barely budget anything.

Yes, temp work definitely qualifies as long as you meet the other requirements. Just report your actual earnings each week when you file your weekly claim. The variable hours actually make you a perfect candidate for partial benefits.

Good to know! I was worried the irregular schedule would disqualify me somehow.

I've been collecting partial unemployment for 2 months now and it's been smooth sailing. The key is being completely honest about your earnings and filing your weekly claims on time every week. Don't overthink it - the system is actually designed to help people in situations like yours.

Thanks for the reassurance! I think I was making it more complicated in my head than it actually is.

One thing to watch out for - if your employer increases your hours again, you need to report that too. I had my hours go back up temporarily and forgot to report the increase properly. Ended up with an overpayment notice that I had to deal with.

How much trouble did that cause? I'm worried about making mistakes with the reporting.

It wasn't too bad - I just had to pay back the overpayment amount. Washington ESD was actually pretty reasonable about setting up a payment plan since it was an honest mistake.

the washington esd website makes it sound so complicated but really its just: file claim, report earnings weekly, get partial benefits. dont stress about it too much

You're right, I think I was overthinking the whole process. Thanks everyone for all the helpful info!

Started my partial claim 3 weeks ago and just got my first payment. The process was actually pretty straightforward once I got past the initial application. Make sure you have your employer's information handy when you apply - that's the part that took me the longest to gather.

What employer information did you need specifically? I want to have everything ready before I start the application.

Company name, address, phone number, your start date, and why your hours were reduced. Also helpful to have your pay stubs from before the reduction to show the difference.

Question about job search requirements - since I'm on partial unemployment and actively looking for additional work anyway, can I count networking events and informational interviews toward my job search activities?

Yes, networking events and informational interviews count as valid job search activities in Washington. Just make sure to document them properly in your job search log with dates, contacts, and what you discussed.

Perfect! I've been doing those anyway so it's nice to know they count toward the requirement.

I was skeptical about filing for partial benefits because I thought the amount would be too small to matter, but even getting $150 a week has been huge for my budget. Every little bit helps when you're struggling to make ends meet.

That's exactly my situation - every dollar counts right now. I'm definitely going to file my claim this week.

Same here! I was embarrassed to apply at first because I thought partial unemployment was somehow 'less legitimate' than regular unemployment, but that's ridiculous. If you qualify, you qualify.

Pro tip: when you're filing your weekly claims for partial unemployment, you can usually do it online really quickly. Takes me maybe 2-3 minutes each week to answer the questions and report my earnings. Much easier than I expected.

Good to know it's quick! I was worried it would be this lengthy process every week.

Been on partial unemployment for 4 months now while my seasonal job has reduced hours. The consistency of having some benefits coming in each week has been a game-changer for my mental health. Highly recommend applying if you're on the fence about it.

That's really helpful perspective - I hadn't thought about the mental health aspect but you're absolutely right about the peace of mind it would provide.

Absolutely agree! Having that safety net makes such a difference when you're dealing with unstable work hours.

If anyone is still having trouble reaching Washington ESD about partial unemployment questions, I had success using Claimyr after weeks of failed attempts. Got through to someone who explained the whole process clearly and answered all my questions about earnings reporting.

Several people have mentioned Claimyr now - seems like it might be worth trying if I run into issues. Thanks for the recommendation!

I was skeptical about services like that at first, but honestly when you're desperate to talk to someone at Washington ESD, you'll try anything that works.

Just want to add one more thing - make sure you understand the difference between being on 'standby' status versus regular partial unemployment. If your employer expects to bring you back to full hours within a certain timeframe, standby might be a better option and has different requirements.

Interesting! My boss hasn't said anything about when hours might return to normal. I should probably ask about that before I file my claim.

Good point! Standby status can be better in some situations because you don't have to do active job searching, but it's only available under specific circumstances. Worth asking Washington ESD about when you call.