Can you work while receiving unemployment benefits in Washington ESD?

Yes, you can work part-time while on unemployment in Washington! You need to report ALL work and earnings on your weekly claim. Washington ESD uses a formula to calculate your benefit reduction - generally they deduct your earnings minus the first $5 per week from your weekly benefit amount. So if you normally get $400/week and earn $200, you'd get $195 in benefits ($400 - $200 + $5).

Just make sure you're still available for full-time work and actively job searching. The part-time work can't interfere with your ability to accept full-time employment if offered. Also keep track of all your job search activities for Washington ESD.

I was in the exact same situation last year! Working part-time while on UI actually worked out great for me. Just be super careful about reporting everything correctly. I had issues getting through to Washington ESD when I had questions about my weekly claims, but I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made it so much easier to get my questions answered about the earnings reporting.

The key thing is understanding the earnings deduction. Washington state has a pretty generous policy compared to some other places. You get to keep the first $5 per week without any reduction, then they deduct dollar-for-dollar after that from your weekly benefit amount. So if your weekly benefit is $350 and you earn $100, you'd get $255 in UI benefits ($350 - $100 + $5).

MAKE SURE you report the work BEFORE you do it, not after! I made that mistake once and it caused all sorts of problems with my claim. You need to report it on the weekly claim for the week you actually worked, not when you get paid.

Just took a part-time retail job while collecting UI. The Washington ESD online system makes it pretty easy to report your work hours and gross earnings. Just make sure you keep good records of everything - hours worked, pay rate, gross pay before taxes. They might ask for verification later.

The part-time work thing is actually encouraged by Washington ESD as long as you're still looking for full-time work. It keeps your skills sharp and shows you're trying to get back to full employment. Just don't let it interfere with job interviews or anything.

One thing to watch out for - if your part-time earnings are high enough, you might not get any UI benefits for that week. But you can still file your weekly claim and if your hours get cut the next week, your benefits will resume. Don't stop filing claims just because you had a high-earning week.

wait so if i work like 30 hours at $15/hour thats $450 gross, and my weekly benefit is $300, would i get anything from UI that week?

Another thing - make sure your part-time job doesn't put you over the threshold where Washington ESD considers you 'not unemployed' anymore. Generally as long as you're working less than full-time hours and still actively seeking full-time work, you should be okay. But if you start working 35+ hours regularly, they might question your eligibility.

had a friend who did this and it worked out great for her. she was able to stretch her unemployment benefits longer while still bringing in some income. just be honest about everything and follow the rules

The Washington ESD website has a good calculator tool that shows how part-time earnings affect your benefits. Might want to check that out before you start working to see what your benefits would look like.

Just remember that even with part-time work you still need to be available for interviews and job opportunities. Don't schedule yourself so much that you can't pursue full-time positions.

One more tip - keep all your documentation! Pay stubs, work schedules, anything related to your part-time work. Washington ESD sometimes does random audits and you want to have everything ready if they ask.

i've been doing part time work for 2 months while on unemployment and it's been fine. just report everything accurately and on time. the system is actually pretty straightforward once you get used to it

If you run into any issues with your claims or need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about the work reporting, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier is legit. I used it when I had questions about my part-time work situation and actually got through to an agent instead of sitting on hold forever.

The bottom line is yes you can work part-time while getting unemployment, just be completely honest about it. Washington state actually makes it easier than a lot of places. The $5 disregard plus the gradual benefit reduction means you're usually better off taking the part-time work than not working at all.

just wanted to add that the part time work can actually help you network and maybe lead to full time opportunities too. worked out that way for me eventually

make sure you understand the difference between gross and net pay when reporting. always report GROSS earnings before taxes and deductions, not your take home pay

Been working part time while on unemployment for 6 weeks now and haven't had any issues. The key is just being consistent and accurate with your reporting. Washington ESD's system handles it pretty smoothly once you get in the routine.

This is really encouraging to read through everyone's experiences! I'm in a similar situation where I might have the opportunity to pick up some freelance work while collecting benefits. From what I'm understanding, the main things to remember are: 1) Always report ALL work and earnings on your weekly claim, 2) Report gross earnings not net, 3) Report for the week you actually worked not when you got paid, 4) Keep detailed records of everything, and 5) Continue your job search activities. The $5 disregard plus gradual reduction actually makes it worthwhile to take part-time work. Thanks for all the detailed explanations - this community is so helpful for navigating Washington ESD!