Can you collect unemployment and drive Uber in Washington?
I just got laid off from my warehouse job last month and filed for Washington ESD unemployment benefits. My claim was approved and I'm getting $487 per week. But money is still really tight with rent and everything. I'm thinking about doing some Uber driving on weekends to make extra cash, but I'm worried it might mess up my unemployment benefits. Can you work for Uber while collecting UI in Washington? Do I need to report those earnings to Washington ESD? I don't want to accidentally commit fraud or anything.
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Jamal Carter
Yes, you can work while collecting unemployment in Washington, including gig work like Uber. However, you MUST report ALL earnings when you file your weekly claim. Washington ESD will reduce your benefits dollar-for-dollar after you earn more than your weekly benefit amount. So if you're getting $487/week and earn $100 from Uber, you'd still get $387 in unemployment benefits that week.
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Zoe Papadakis
•Thanks! So I report it even if it's just like $50 for the week?
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Jamal Carter
•Yes, report everything. Even $1. Washington ESD can cross-reference with tax records and you don't want to risk an overpayment notice later.
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AstroAdventurer
Wait, I thought you couldn't work at all while on unemployment? I've been afraid to do any side work because I didn't want to lose my benefits.
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Mei Liu
•That's a common misconception. Washington allows you to work part-time while collecting unemployment. The key is reporting it properly and staying under full-time hours.
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AstroAdventurer
•Oh wow, I could have been making some extra money this whole time. I feel dumb now lol
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Liam O'Sullivan
I tried calling Washington ESD to ask about this exact situation but couldn't get through to anyone. Been trying for weeks. The phone system is impossible.
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Amara Chukwu
•Have you tried using Claimyr? It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. I used it last month when I had adjudication issues. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Liam O'Sullivan
•Never heard of that but I'm desperate at this point. Does it actually work?
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Amara Chukwu
•It worked for me. Got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes instead of calling for hours myself.
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Giovanni Conti
Just be super careful about how many hours you work. If Washington ESD thinks you're working full-time, they'll stop your benefits completely. I think the limit is like 30-32 hours per week but I'm not 100% sure.
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Mei Liu
•Actually, there's no specific hour limit in Washington. It's more about availability for work and your earnings. But if you're working 40+ hours consistently, that could be an issue.
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Giovanni Conti
•Good to know, thanks for the correction!
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Fatima Al-Hashimi
I drive for DoorDash while on unemployment and report everything. Haven't had any problems. Just make sure you keep good records of your earnings because Washington ESD might ask for proof later.
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Zoe Papadakis
•Do you use an app to track everything or just write it down?
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Fatima Al-Hashimi
•I screenshot my earnings from the DoorDash app every week and also keep a simple spreadsheet. Better safe than sorry.
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NeonNova
The Washington ESD website has info about working while on unemployment but it's confusing as hell. Something about gross vs net earnings and I can never figure out which one to report.
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Jamal Carter
•You report gross earnings - that's before any taxes or expenses. So if Uber shows you earned $150 before their fees, that's what you report to Washington ESD.
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NeonNova
•That makes sense, thanks. The Washington ESD forms are so confusing sometimes.
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Dylan Campbell
My cousin got in trouble for not reporting his Instacart earnings. Washington ESD found out somehow and he had to pay back like $2000 in overpayments. Don't risk it.
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Zoe Papadakis
•Yikes, that's exactly what I'm trying to avoid. Did he appeal it?
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Dylan Campbell
•Yeah but he lost the appeal because he couldn't prove he didn't know about the reporting requirement. Now he's on a payment plan.
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Sofia Hernandez
I've been driving Uber for 3 months while collecting unemployment. The trick is staying flexible with your schedule so you're still available for job interviews and stuff. Washington ESD wants to see you're actively looking for full-time work.
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Zoe Papadakis
•How do you handle the job search requirement while doing Uber?
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Sofia Hernandez
•I still apply to regular jobs and keep my job search log updated. Uber is just temporary income, not my main job search focus.
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Dmitry Kuznetsov
Make sure you save money for taxes too! Uber doesn't withhold taxes like a regular job, so you'll owe at the end of the year. I learned this the hard way.
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Zoe Papadakis
•Good point, I hadn't thought about that. About how much should I save?
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Dmitry Kuznetsov
•I save about 25-30% of my gig earnings for taxes. It's better to save too much than not enough.
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Ava Thompson
The hardest part is remembering to report it every single week when you file your weekly claim. I almost forgot once and had to call Washington ESD to update it. Thank god I caught it before they processed it.
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Miguel Ramos
•Were you able to get through to someone at Washington ESD when you called?
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Ava Thompson
•Eventually, but it took like 3 hours of calling. I heard about some service called Claimyr that helps with that but haven't tried it yet.
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Zainab Ibrahim
Question - if I only made like $20 from Uber one week, do I still need to report that tiny amount? Seems like it wouldn't matter much.
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Jamal Carter
•Yes, report everything no matter how small. $20 is still income and Washington ESD requires full disclosure.
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Zainab Ibrahim
•Okay, better safe than sorry I guess.
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StarSailor
I did Lyft for a while on unemployment. One thing to watch out for is that some weeks you might make more than your weekly benefit amount. In those weeks, you won't get any unemployment money at all, but your claim stays active.
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Zoe Papadakis
•That's good to know. So I could potentially have weeks where I make no UI money but still keep my claim going?
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StarSailor
•Exactly. As long as you file your weekly claim and report the earnings, your claim stays active even if you get $0 that week.
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Connor O'Brien
Just don't let the gig work become your main focus. Washington ESD expects you to be actively looking for permanent employment. If they think you're just doing Uber instead of job searching, they might question your benefits.
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Zoe Papadakis
•That makes sense. I'm definitely still looking for a regular job, this would just be extra income.
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Connor O'Brien
•Good mindset. Keep applying to jobs and document your search activities like normal.
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Yara Sabbagh
The reporting is pretty straightforward in the weekly claim system. There's a section that asks about any work or earnings, and you just enter the gross amount you made that week.
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Zoe Papadakis
•Is it the same section where they ask about job applications?
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Yara Sabbagh
•No, it's a separate section about work and earnings. They ask job search stuff in a different part of the weekly claim.
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Keisha Johnson
I've heard mixed things about whether you can deduct gas and car expenses from what you report to Washington ESD. Anyone know for sure?
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Mei Liu
•No, you can't deduct expenses when reporting to Washington ESD. You report gross earnings. Deductions are for tax purposes only.
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Keisha Johnson
•Got it, thanks for clarifying that.
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Paolo Rizzo
Been doing this for months with no issues. The key is honesty and consistency. Report everything, keep good records, and you'll be fine. Washington ESD isn't trying to trap you - they just want accurate information.
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Zoe Papadakis
•Thanks everyone for all the advice! I feel much better about doing some Uber driving now that I understand the rules.
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Paolo Rizzo
•No problem! Just remember to report those earnings every week and you'll be good to go.
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QuantumQuest
One last thing - if you're ever unsure about something, it's better to call Washington ESD and ask than to guess wrong. I know the phones are busy but it's worth it for peace of mind.
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Amina Sy
•Speaking of getting through to Washington ESD, I finally tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Actually got connected to an agent in like 10 minutes. Wish I'd known about it sooner!
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QuantumQuest
•Good to know it works! I might try that next time I need to call them.
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Zoe Papadakis
•Thanks! I'll check out Claimyr too if I need to talk to someone at Washington ESD.
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CyberSiren
Just to add to all the great advice here - I've been driving for UberEats while on unemployment for about 6 weeks now. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier is to keep a simple weekly log of your earnings right when you get them. I take a screenshot of my weekly earnings summary from the Uber app every Sunday night before I file my weekly claim on Monday. That way I never have to scramble to remember what I made or worry about reporting the wrong amount. Also, don't stress too much about the dollar-for-dollar reduction - even if you make $200 from Uber one week, you're still coming out ahead financially compared to just the unemployment benefits alone. Just stay honest with your reporting and you'll be fine!
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Isabella Costa
•That's really smart about taking screenshots every Sunday! I was wondering how to keep track of everything properly. Do you also save those screenshots somewhere safe in case Washington ESD ever asks for proof later? I'm paranoid about losing documentation and then having issues down the road.
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Julian Paolo
•Yes absolutely! I upload all my screenshots to Google Drive in a folder called "Unemployment Earnings" so they're backed up and easy to find. I also keep a simple Excel sheet with the date, amount earned, and which screenshot file it corresponds to. Washington ESD can request documentation going back months or even years in some cases, so having everything organized and accessible is super important. Better to be over-prepared than scrambling to find records later if they audit your claim!
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