Can you work and receive unemployment benefits in Washington state?

Yes, you can work part-time and still receive partial unemployment benefits in Washington! You need to report ALL work and earnings on your weekly claim. Washington ESD will reduce your benefit amount based on how much you earn, but you can still get partial benefits as long as you earn less than your weekly benefit amount plus $5.

Make sure you report EVERYTHING on your weekly claim. Even if it's just a few hours of work or cash under the table. Washington ESD cross-checks with employers and if you don't report work, they'll hit you with an overpayment notice later.

I've been in your exact situation and found that calling Washington ESD directly was the best way to get clear answers. The problem is their phone lines are always jammed. I discovered this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to an actual agent - check out claimyr.com. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made it so much easier to get my work questions answered.

The key thing is staying under your weekly benefit amount. If you earn more than your WBA (weekly benefit amount), you won't get any unemployment that week. But you can still file your weekly claim to keep your claim active.

this is confusing as hell. I thought you couldn't work at all while on unemployment??

Don't forget you still have to do your job search activities even if you're working part-time. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week unless you're on standby with your employer.

The earnings deduction formula in Washington is pretty straightforward once you understand it. They take your gross earnings, subtract $5, then subtract that amount from your weekly benefit. So if you earn $155 and your WBA is $400, you'd get $400 - ($155 - $5) = $250 that week.

I'm dealing with the same situation. Started a temp job last week and was freaking out about how to report it. The weekly claim form asks for your gross earnings before taxes, right?

What about if the part-time job becomes full-time? Do I need to close my unemployment claim immediately?

The Washington ESD system is actually pretty good about partial benefits compared to some other states. Just be honest on your weekly claims and you should be fine.

Anyone know if gig work like DoorDash or Uber counts the same way? I've been thinking about driving for extra money.

I used Claimyr a few months ago when I had questions about working while on unemployment. Got through to a Washington ESD agent in like 10 minutes instead of hours of busy signals. They explained exactly how my specific situation would work with the benefit calculations.

Just remember to report your work in the same week you actually worked, not when you get paid. The timing matters for which weekly claim period it goes on.

honestly the whole system seems designed to confuse people. why can't they just make it simple??

If you're nervous about messing up your claim, maybe start with just a few hours of work the first week and see how the system handles it. That way you can learn without risking too much.

I've been working part-time for 3 months while on unemployment and it's been working out well. Just make sure you keep good records of your hours and earnings in case Washington ESD ever asks for documentation.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! This thread cleared up a lot of my confusion about working while collecting benefits.