Can you work and still collect unemployment benefits from Washington ESD?
I'm confused about the rules for working while on unemployment. My claim was approved last month and I've been getting my weekly benefits, but I just got offered a part-time job that's only 15 hours a week. Can I still collect some unemployment from Washington ESD if I take this job? I don't want to mess up my claim but I also need the extra income. Do I have to report the part-time work on my weekly claim?
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Mason Davis
Yes, you can work part-time and still collect partial unemployment benefits in Washington. You need to report ALL work and earnings on your weekly claim, even if it's just a few hours. Washington ESD will reduce your weekly benefit amount based on how much you earn, but you might still get some benefits.
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Sophia Miller
•That's a relief! Do you know how they calculate the reduction? Like if I make $200 that week, how much would my benefits be reduced?
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Mason Davis
•Washington ESD subtracts your gross earnings from your weekly benefit amount after allowing for a small deduction. The exact formula is on their website, but basically if you earn less than your weekly benefit amount, you'll still get something.
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Mia Rodriguez
Make sure you report the work BEFORE you start working, not after. I made that mistake and it caused issues with my claim. You can update your job search activities in the system too.
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Sophia Miller
•Good point! Should I call Washington ESD to let them know about the job before I start, or is reporting it on my weekly claim enough?
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Mia Rodriguez
•Reporting it on your weekly claim should be fine, but if you're worried, calling wouldn't hurt. Just be prepared for long wait times.
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Jacob Lewis
I was in a similar situation and had trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask questions about working part-time. After being on hold for hours multiple times, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. It was way easier than trying to call myself.
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Amelia Martinez
•Never heard of that before. Does it actually work? I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for weeks about my adjudication issue.
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Jacob Lewis
•Yeah, it worked for me. I was able to get my questions answered about part-time work rules without sitting on hold all day. Worth checking out if you're having trouble getting through.
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Ethan Clark
The key thing is to be honest about your earnings. Don't try to hide any income because Washington ESD will find out eventually through cross-matching with employers. Better to report everything and get partial benefits than risk an overpayment later.
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Sophia Miller
•Definitely don't want to deal with overpayment issues. I'll make sure to report everything accurately on my weekly claims.
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Mila Walker
•This is so important! My cousin got hit with a huge overpayment because she didn't report some cash work she did. Washington ESD doesn't mess around with that stuff.
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Logan Scott
i work part time and still get unemployment its fine just report ur hours and pay on the weekly thing. make sure u still do ur job searches too they check that
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Sophia Miller
•Good reminder about the job searches! I've been keeping track of my applications but wasn't sure if I still needed to do them while working part-time.
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Mason Davis
•Yes, you still need to meet the job search requirements even when working part-time, unless you're on standby with your employer.
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Chloe Green
Washington ESD has specific rules about what counts as 'suitable work' too. If the part-time job is in your field and pays decent, they might expect you to take it even if it means lower total income than unemployment alone.
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Sophia Miller
•The job is related to my field, so that makes sense. At least I'll be getting some work experience while still receiving partial benefits.
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Lucas Adams
•That's actually a good position to be in. Shows you're actively working and looking, which Washington ESD likes to see.
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Harper Hill
Don't forget about taxes! Your unemployment benefits are taxable income, and so is your part-time work income. You might want to have taxes withheld from your UI benefits if you're not already.
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Sophia Miller
•Oh wow, I hadn't thought about the tax implications. I should probably adjust my withholdings then.
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Harper Hill
•Yeah, you can change your tax withholding preferences in your Washington ESD account online. Better to have them take it out now than owe a big chunk next year.
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Caden Nguyen
I tried calling Washington ESD about this exact question last week and couldn't get through after 3 hours on hold. The system is so frustrating when you just need simple answers about working while on unemployment.
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Jacob Lewis
•That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. Got my question answered in like 20 minutes instead of wasting my whole day on hold.
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Caden Nguyen
•Might have to look into that. I need to ask about reporting tips from my part-time server job.
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Avery Flores
Working part-time while on unemployment is actually encouraged by Washington ESD. It shows you're making an effort to get back to full employment, and you're still better off financially than just collecting benefits alone.
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Sophia Miller
•That's reassuring! I was worried they'd see it as taking advantage of the system somehow.
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Avery Flores
•Not at all! As long as you're honest about your earnings and still available for full-time work, you're doing exactly what the system is designed for.
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Zoe Gonzalez
just make sure the part time job doesnt interfere with ur availability for full time work. if u cant take a full time job because of ur part time schedule then washington esd might have issues with that
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Sophia Miller
•Good point. The part-time job is pretty flexible with scheduling, so I should be able to accommodate a full-time opportunity if one comes up.
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Ashley Adams
I've been working 20 hours a week at a retail job while collecting partial unemployment for two months now. The process is straightforward once you get used to reporting your hours and earnings each week. Just be accurate and consistent.
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Sophia Miller
•That's helpful to hear from someone who's been doing it successfully. Have you had any issues with your weekly claims being delayed or flagged?
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Ashley Adams
•No issues at all as long as I report everything correctly. The key is being consistent with how you report your earnings and hours worked.
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Alexis Robinson
The Washington ESD website has a calculator that shows how your benefits will be affected by part-time earnings. It's pretty helpful for planning your finances when you're working while on unemployment.
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Sophia Miller
•I'll definitely check that out! It would be nice to have an idea of what my total income would be before I commit to the job.
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Aaron Lee
Whatever you do, don't work under the table while collecting unemployment. I know someone who got caught and had to pay back everything plus penalties. Washington ESD has ways of finding out about unreported income.
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Sophia Miller
•Definitely won't do that! This job is all above board with proper payroll and everything. Not worth the risk of messing up my benefits.
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Chloe Mitchell
•Smart thinking. The penalties for unreported income are no joke. They can even pursue criminal charges in serious cases.
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Michael Adams
One thing to keep in mind is that your part-time earnings might affect your extended benefits if you need them later. Washington ESD looks at your earnings history when determining benefit amounts for new claims.
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Sophia Miller
•Interesting point. But I figure having some income is better than no income, and hopefully I'll find full-time work before my benefits run out anyway.
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Natalie Wang
I had to use Claimyr again last month when I had questions about reporting overtime hours from my part-time job. Washington ESD's phone system is just impossible sometimes, but Claimyr got me through to someone who could explain the rules clearly.
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Sophia Miller
•Good to know it works for follow-up questions too. I might need to use that if I run into any issues with my weekly claims.
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Natalie Wang
•Yeah, it's been a lifesaver for getting quick answers without the endless hold times. Especially useful when you're dealing with time-sensitive questions about your claim.
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Noah Torres
Bottom line: yes you can work part-time and collect unemployment, just be honest about it. Report all your earnings and hours worked on your weekly claim, keep looking for full-time work, and you should be fine. The system is designed to help people transition back to full employment.
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Sophia Miller
•Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I feel much more confident about taking this part-time job now. I'll make sure to report everything accurately on my weekly claims.
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Mason Davis
•You've got this! Just remember to keep documenting your job search activities and report all income honestly. Good luck with the new job!
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