Can you get Washington ESD unemployment for reduced hours at work?

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

Same process - file your initial claim online at esd.wa.gov and then file weekly claims reporting your reduced earnings. Just make sure to report every penny you earn.

Wait, so you get penalized twice? They subtract your earnings AND another 25%?

It's not really a penalty - the 25% deduction is to encourage people to work. You still come out ahead financially by working rather than not working at all.

I had no idea about that 25% thing. That seems like a lot but I guess it makes sense to incentivize working.

How much does that service cost? I'm already losing money from reduced hours.

It's worth it compared to spending hours trying to get through on your own. The peace of mind alone was huge for me when I needed to check on my claim.

Should I tell them before I file or after?

You don't legally have to tell them, but it's probably better to be upfront. They'll find out anyway when Washington ESD contacts them to verify your employment status.

Adjudication delays are common with partial claims because they have to verify your employment status and earnings history. Usually takes 2-4 weeks unless there are complications.

Mine took 6 weeks! By then my hours were back to normal so I barely got any benefits.

That's frustrating. Did you try calling to check on the status during those 6 weeks?

Yes, you still need to complete job search activities each week unless you're on standby with your employer. The requirement is usually 3 job search activities per week.

That seems silly when you're already working. What counts as a job search activity?

Applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking events, informational interviews. You can also use WorkSourceWA workshops and services. The idea is you should be looking to replace your lost income.

That's exactly where I was before I used Claimyr to get through to someone. The waiting without knowing what's happening is the worst part.

Did they give you a timeline for when your claim would be processed?

The agent told me partial claims can take longer because they need to verify your ongoing employment, but mine was approved within a week after I talked to them.

What happens if I pick up extra shifts some weeks but not others?

You report your actual earnings each week. Some weeks you might get partial benefits, other weeks you might get nothing if you earn too much. It's calculated week by week.

yeah i made that mistake my first week and had to call to correct it. was a pain to get through to fix it

Always better to be accurate from the start. Mistakes can cause overpayment issues later that are a nightmare to deal with.

You report total hours worked and total gross earnings including overtime pay. Washington ESD doesn't distinguish between regular hours and overtime for benefit calculations.

Thanks! That makes it simpler than I thought.

What kind of information do you track besides hours and pay?

Date worked, hours worked, gross pay, any tips or bonuses, and I keep copies of my pay stubs. Also track my job search activities in case they audit my claim.

You don't need to file a new claim - just report zero earnings on your weekly claim and you'll automatically switch to full unemployment benefits based on your existing claim.

That's convenient! I was worried I'd have to start the whole process over.

Yes, as long as the hour reduction isn't something you could have anticipated. If it's a regular seasonal pattern that happens every year, you might have issues qualifying.

It's been different every year depending on snowfall and tourist numbers, so hopefully that counts as unpredictable.

How do they catch people? Just curious about the process.

They get quarterly wage reports from employers and match them against what you reported. Plus random audits. It's not worth the risk - the penalties are brutal.

What kind of questions were you able to get answered?

Mainly about how my commission payments would affect my weekly benefits and whether I needed to report tips separately. The agent walked me through the whole calculation.

Yes, but you need to report ALL earnings from ALL jobs. The total earnings from both jobs are what determines your partial benefit amount.

ok so its not per job its total income for the week

Exactly. Washington ESD doesn't care how many jobs you have - they just care about your total weekly earnings.

How long was your waiting period?

About 3 weeks from filing to first payment. Not too bad considering some people wait longer for regular unemployment.

What if the additional hours conflict with a second job or other commitments?

That gets complicated. Washington ESD looks at whether refusing the work was reasonable. Having a second job is usually considered reasonable, but personal commitments might not be.

The key is 'suitable work' - if the additional hours are at the same pay rate and similar to your regular duties, you'd generally be expected to accept them.

Good luck with your claim! Remember to file as soon as possible since there's usually a one-week waiting period.

Will do! Going to start the application tonight.

That's the third recommendation for that service in this thread. Must actually work!

Yeah, I was hesitant at first but the video demo on their site convinced me it was legit. Saved me probably 10+ hours of trying to call on my own.