Can you make money while on unemployment benefits in Washington ESD?

Thanks! So if my weekly benefit is $400, I can earn up to $400 without any reduction?

Exactly. But if you earn $450 that week, your UI payment would be reduced by $50. Always report everything honestly to avoid problems later.

How do you report gig work earnings? Do you just put the gross amount you made that week?

Report your gross earnings for the week you performed the work, not when you got paid. So if you worked Monday-Sunday, report that amount even if the payment comes later.

How do they determine if it's a business vs just freelance work? I was thinking about doing some graphic design projects.

If you're actively marketing yourself, have regular clients, or treating it like a full business, they might see it as self-employment. Occasional projects should be fine as long as you report the income.

Never heard of Claimyr. Is it legit or just another scam service?

It's legitimate - they help you get through to Washington ESD agents instead of waiting on hold forever. Worth it when you need actual answers about complex situations like working while on UI.

That's bad advice. Working part-time while collecting UI is completely legal in Washington as long as you report it correctly. Your friend probably didn't report their earnings properly.

Maybe, but why take the chance? These government systems are so screwed up they'll find any excuse to cut you off.

Yes, you still need to meet job search requirements unless you're on standby with a specific return-to-work date. Part-time work doesn't exempt you from actively seeking full-time employment.

The job search thing is such a pain. I spend more time documenting fake job applications than actually looking for work that makes sense for my skills.

What if you worked but haven't been paid yet? Do you still report it?

Yes, report when you did the work, not when you got paid. If you worked Tuesday through Thursday, report those earnings on your weekly claim even if the check hasn't arrived.

How much did your UI payment get reduced by? Trying to figure out if it's worth doing gig work.

My weekly benefit is $325, so I can earn up to that without any reduction. Since I made $180, I got my full $325 UI payment plus the $180 from Instacart. Total of $505 that week.

Do you tell your part-time employer that you're on unemployment? I'm worried they might not want to hire someone who's actively job searching.

I didn't bring it up during the interview, but I'm honest if they ask. Most employers understand the economy is tough right now. As long as you show up and do good work, they don't care.

How would they know about cash jobs though? Seems like a lot of people probably don't report those.

They have investigators and can find out through various ways. Not worth the risk of fraud charges. Just report everything and sleep peacefully at night.

What's the difference in how you report 1099 vs W2 income? I have both types of work happening.

The agent said both get reported the same way on your weekly claim - just the gross amount you earned that week. The difference shows up at tax time, not on your UI claim.

That's only if you're consistently earning close to or more than your previous full-time wages. The system is designed to supplement part-time work, not replace full-time income indefinitely.

Exactly right. If you're making $800/week in part-time work, they'll start asking why you're not pursuing full-time employment more aggressively.

How do you get approved for training programs? That sounds way better than fake job searching every week.

You have to apply through WorkSource and get approved. Not everyone qualifies, but if you do, it can extend your benefits while you learn new skills.

Thanks for the clear summary. This thread helped me understand way better than the confusing Washington ESD website.

Agreed, this cleared up all my confusion. Going to start looking for some part-time work to supplement my benefits.

Good to know! I was avoiding temp work because I thought it would mess up my claim completely.

Nope, temporary work is actually encouraged. Just document everything and report it properly on your weekly claims.

I went to a few WorkSource workshops and they were actually helpful. Plus attending workshops counts toward your job search requirements, so it's efficient.

The resume workshops are decent but their job matching is pretty generic. Still worth doing for the job search credit though.

How much does Claimyr cost? I'm hesitant to pay for something when the information should be free.

I'd rather pay a small fee to get accurate information quickly than spend days trying to reach Washington ESD and potentially mess up my claim. Peace of mind is worth it.

That's perfect timing actually. Tax season work would be ideal since it's clearly temporary and won't interfere with long-term job searching.

Most seasonal employers understand people are between jobs too. They're usually flexible with schedules for interviews and stuff.

What constitutes 'suitable work'? I've seen some pretty terrible job offers that barely pay more than unemployment.

Generally it's work in your field or related field at 80% or more of your previous wages. But there are lots of factors they consider. When in doubt, take the job and keep your benefits intact.

Same here! I was leaving money on the table by not working at all. Going to start looking for weekend or evening part-time work.

Glad this helped everyone. I feel much more confident now about finding some part-time work to supplement my benefits.