Can you still work and get unemployment benefits from Washington ESD?

Yes, you can work part-time and still receive partial unemployment benefits in Washington. You need to report ALL earnings when you file your weekly claim, even if it's just a few dollars. Washington ESD has a formula where they subtract your earnings from your weekly benefit amount, but you can still get some money if your earnings are below a certain threshold.

I've been doing this for months. The key is to be 100% honest about your work hours and earnings. Washington ESD will find out eventually if you don't report properly, and then you'll face an overpayment situation which is a nightmare to deal with.

I was in the exact same boat last year - went from 40 hours to about 12 hours per week. The partial benefits really helped bridge the gap. Just make sure you're still available for full-time work and actively job searching because Washington ESD requires that even for partial claims.

I had so much trouble getting through to Washington ESD when I had questions about partial benefits. Spent hours on hold trying to verify if I was reporting everything correctly. Finally discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Total game changer for getting answers about complex situations like working while claiming.

MAKE SURE you understand the earnings deduction formula! Washington ESD doesn't just subtract dollar for dollar. There's usually some amount you can earn before they start reducing your benefits, and then they reduce benefits by a percentage, not the full amount.

been there done that, its totally fine to work part time just dont lie about it or you'll get screwed later

One more important thing - make sure your employer knows you're collecting unemployment. Some employers don't realize their employees can do this legally, and you don't want any workplace drama about it.

The system is actually designed for situations like yours. Partial unemployment benefits exist specifically to help people who have reduced hours but are still working. Washington ESD recognizes that many people need this support during economic downturns or when businesses cut hours.

Watch out for the work search requirements though. Even with partial benefits, you still need to be actively looking for work and available for full-time employment. Don't slack on the job search activities or you could lose eligibility.

I tried this last year but got so confused by all the reporting requirements that I gave up. Maybe I should have stuck with it. How complicated is the weekly reporting when you're working?

Pro tip: keep detailed records of your work hours and earnings. Not just for Washington ESD, but for your own tax purposes too. Having everything documented makes the weekly claims much easier to complete accurately.

The Washington ESD website has a really good explanation of how the earnings deduction works, but honestly their phone system is horrible when you need to talk to someone about specific questions. I ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier just to get clarity on my particular situation.

Don't forget that you still need to be able and available for work even while collecting partial benefits. If your current job prevents you from accepting full-time work elsewhere, that could be an issue.

I've been doing partial unemployment for 6 months now. One thing to watch for - if your employer offers you more hours and you turn them down, that could affect your eligibility. Washington ESD expects you to accept available work from your current employer.

The most important thing is just being honest on your weekly claims. Report all work and earnings, keep looking for better opportunities, and follow all the regular unemployment rules. The system really does work for people in your situation.

Good luck with your claim! Partial unemployment benefits can really help when you're dealing with reduced hours. Just remember that this is temporary support while you look for better opportunities.

One last tip - if you do find full-time work, make sure to properly close your unemployment claim. Don't just stop filing - actually go through the process to close it out cleanly.