Can you collect unemployment and drive uber in Washington - ESD rules?

Yes you can drive for Uber while collecting unemployment in Washington, but you MUST report all earnings on your weekly claim. Any income you make will be deducted from your benefits dollar for dollar after the first $5. So if you make $100 driving Uber that week, your unemployment payment will be reduced by $95.

Thanks! Do I report this as wages or self-employment income on the weekly claim form?

It's considered self-employment income since you're an independent contractor. Make sure to keep track of all your earnings and report the gross amount before any Uber fees.

been driving uber for 3 weeks while on unemployment and its working fine. just make sure you report everything honestly. washington esd is pretty strict about unreported income

How much are you typically making per week? Is it worth it after the benefit reduction?

depends on the week but usually around 200-300. after the reduction i still come out ahead compared to just unemployment alone

The key thing to understand is that Washington ESD treats Uber driving as self-employment. You need to report your gross earnings (before Uber's commission) on your weekly claim. You don't need to notify ESD before starting, but you do need to be available for work and continue your job search activities. Keep detailed records of your earnings because ESD may audit your claim.

What about the job search requirement? Can I count applying to be a driver for other companies like Lyft as job searches?

Yes, applying to other rideshare companies would count as valid job search activities. Just make sure you're still applying for jobs in your usual field too.

I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks to ask about this exact same thing! Their phone lines are always busy and I can never get connected to speak with someone. Has anyone found a way to actually reach them?

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr (claimyr.com). It's a service that helps you get through to ESD agents automatically. I watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ) and decided to try it. Got connected to an agent within 2 hours instead of calling for days.

That sounds too good to be true. How does it work exactly?

They basically call the ESD phone lines for you and wait on hold until an agent picks up, then they connect you. Way better than sitting on hold for hours yourself.

WAIT A MINUTE - are you sure about the dollar for dollar reduction?? I thought there was some kind of earnings disregard in Washington??

There's a $5 disregard, meaning the first $5 you earn doesn't affect your benefits. Anything over that reduces your weekly benefit amount.

ok that makes more sense. i was about to say that seemed really harsh compared to other states

Just be really careful about reporting your income correctly. I know someone who got an overpayment notice because they reported their net earnings instead of gross. Washington ESD wants the amount before any deductions.

What happened to your friend? Did they have to pay it all back?

They had to repay the difference plus penalties. It was like $800 total. Not worth the risk of doing it wrong.

also keep in mind that driving uber might affect your job search availability. if youre driving during normal business hours you might not be available for interviews

Good point. I was planning to mostly drive evenings and weekends anyway.

That's smart. ESD requires you to be available for work during normal business hours for your occupation.

ugh the whole system is so confusing. why cant they just have clear guidelines posted somewhere instead of making us guess

They do have guidelines in the unemployment handbook, but it's like 50 pages long and hard to understand.

exactly my point. shouldnt need a law degree to figure out if you can drive uber

Update: I tried calling Washington ESD today and got disconnected after being on hold for 2 hours. This is so frustrating!

Seriously, try Claimyr. I used it last month when I had questions about my adjudication and got through the same day. Worth every penny to avoid the phone hell.

I'm getting desperate enough to try anything at this point. Their customer service is absolutely terrible.

For anyone still confused about the reporting: when you file your weekly claim, there's a specific question about self-employment income. Report your gross Uber earnings there. Don't try to calculate deductions yourself - let ESD handle that part.

Should I save my Uber payment statements in case they audit me?

Absolutely. Keep records of all your earnings, gas receipts, and any other business expenses. ESD can request documentation at any time.

i did doordash while on unemployment and it worked fine. same rules apply - just report everything and youll be ok

Did you have any issues with the job search requirement while doing delivery work?

nah i just made sure to still apply for regular jobs too. kept a log like theyre supposed to do

One more important thing - if you start making significant income from Uber (like over $500/week consistently), you might want to consider whether it makes sense to stay on unemployment. At that point you might be earning more than your weekly benefit amount anyway.

Good point. I'm only planning to do this part time for now but I'll keep that in mind.

yeah if you start making that much you probably dont need unemployment anymore anyway

Does anyone know if the miles you drive for Uber count as a business expense that reduces your reportable income?

For unemployment purposes, you report gross income before any deductions. Tax deductions are handled separately when you file your taxes.

Thanks for clarifying. I was hoping to reduce my reported income but I guess that's not how it works.

The whole gig economy thing is still pretty new so sometimes even the ESD agents give different answers. I've heard conflicting information from different representatives.

That's why I like using Claimyr - you can get through to multiple agents if needed to confirm information. Much better than spending days trying to call yourself.

Might have to look into that. Getting consistent answers from ESD is nearly impossible.

wait so if i make $300 driving uber one week, my unemployment gets reduced by $295? that seems like it barely makes it worth it

Right, but you still end up with $5 more than if you hadn't worked at all, plus you're staying active in the job market.

i guess every little bit helps when youre struggling to pay bills

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I think I'm going to start driving for Uber part-time and just make sure to report everything accurately. Wish me luck!

Good luck! Just remember to keep detailed records and report everything honestly. You'll be fine.

youll do great! uber driving is pretty flexible which is nice while job hunting

One last tip - make sure you understand the difference between being an independent contractor vs an employee. Uber drivers are contractors which is why it's considered self-employment income.

Good reminder. I'll make sure to report it in the right section of my weekly claim.

Exactly. It's a completely different category from regular wages, so make sure you're filling out the form correctly.

honestly the washington esd system is so outdated. they need to modernize everything to handle gig work better

totally agree. the whole system feels like its from the 1990s

right? and dont even get me started on their website interface

I've been collecting unemployment for 6 months and driving for Uber the whole time. Never had any problems as long as I report my earnings every week. The extra income really helps even with the benefit reduction.

That's reassuring to hear! Did you ever get audited or questioned about your earnings?

Nope, never had any issues. I think as long as you're honest and report everything they don't bother you.

just make sure you dont work too many hours or they might say youre not actively looking for full time work

How many hours is too many? I was thinking maybe 10-15 hours a week.

There's no specific hour limit, but you need to remain available for full-time work and continue your job search. 10-15 hours should be fine.

I've been in a similar situation and can confirm what others have said - you can definitely drive for Uber while collecting unemployment in Washington. The key is being completely transparent about your earnings. I'd recommend starting with just a few hours per week to see how it affects your benefits before ramping up. Also, make sure you keep the Uber driver app statements as backup documentation - I print mine out each week just in case ESD ever asks for proof. The flexibility of gig work actually helped me during my job search since I could turn it off for interviews and turn it back on when I needed extra cash.

I've been driving for Uber while on unemployment in Washington for about 2 months now and wanted to share my experience. The reporting process is actually pretty straightforward once you get used to it - I just log into my Uber driver app every Sunday morning before filing my weekly claim and write down my gross earnings for that week. One thing I learned the hard way is to screenshot or save those earnings summaries because sometimes the app glitches and you can't access older data. I typically make around $150-200 per week driving Friday and Saturday nights, which means my unemployment gets reduced by about $145-195, but I still come out ahead overall. The biggest benefit for me has been maintaining some income stability while job searching, and it's actually helped my mental health to stay active and feel productive. Just make sure you keep your main focus on finding full-time work in your field - I treat Uber as a temporary bridge, not a career replacement.