Do I have to let Washington ESD know when I go back to work?

Thanks! So I should still file this Sunday but report that I'm starting work Monday?

Exactly. Report the days you worked during that claim week and your gross earnings. Washington ESD will calculate if you're eligible for any partial benefits for the days you didn't work.

Oh no, that's exactly what I'm worried about! I definitely don't want any overpayment issues.

As long as you report it on your weekly claim when you file, you'll be fine. The system is designed to handle people going back to work.

How much does that cost? I'm already stressed about money.

It's worth it when you need to get through quickly. Much better than spending all day redialing the same number over and over.

This is really helpful, thank you! Should I keep filing weekly claims even after I start working full-time?

You can stop filing once you're working full-time consistently. But if there's any chance your hours might be reduced or you might lose the job, you could continue filing and just report $0 benefits.

I kept filing for a few weeks after going back to work just in case the job didn't work out. Better safe than sorry.

Yes, you might be eligible for partial benefits if you work part-time. Washington ESD has a formula - they subtract a portion of your earnings from your weekly benefit amount. You still need to report all earnings though.

ok good because i might only get 20 hours a week at first

That's exactly why I used Claimyr when I had issues. The regular Washington ESD phone system is basically impossible to get through on your own.

I might have to try that if I run into problems. Thanks for mentioning it.

Good point! I've been doing 3 job search activities per week. I assume I can stop those once I start working?

Yes, the job search requirement only applies when you're claiming benefits. If you're not getting any unemployment payments, you don't need to continue the job searches.

How do they detect it through wage records? Is that something employers report?

Yes, employers report wages quarterly to the state. If there's a discrepancy between what you reported and what your employer reported, that's when you get overpayment notices.

Exactly! That's why my friend got in trouble - the employer's wage report didn't match what they reported on their claims.

Yes, you need to report ALL work and earnings, no matter how small. Even one day of work or gig work like DoorDash needs to be reported on your weekly claim.

Ugh that's annoying but I guess it makes sense. Thanks for clarifying.

I'll check that out. I want to make sure I'm doing everything correctly.

Yeah it's pretty detailed. They have examples for different scenarios like part-time work, temporary work, self-employment, etc.

You should contact Washington ESD immediately to report the error. They'd rather have you correct it voluntarily than discover it later through wage matching. You might need to pay back some benefits but it's better than being accused of fraud.

Good to know. I haven't had this happen but I worry about making mistakes.

This is why I can't recommend Claimyr enough. I was in the same situation - needed to talk to someone about reporting work correctly but couldn't get through on my own. Claimyr got me connected within an hour.

I'm definitely going to check that out. The regular phone system is completely useless.

That's a good point. I was thinking I'd get $0 since it's full-time, but maybe the first week when I only work 4 days I might get something.

Exactly! The system will prorate based on the days you worked during that claim week.

Will do! I'm going to keep everything organized just in case.

Smart move. Documentation is your best friend when dealing with unemployment issues.

Glad it helped! I was really worried about messing something up but everyone's advice made me feel much better about the process.

Same here. It's nice to know exactly what steps to take.

That's brilliant advice! I never thought about taking screenshots but that makes total sense. With all the technology glitches and system issues people talk about, having proof of what you actually submitted could be a lifesaver. I'm definitely going to start doing this - better safe than sorry when it comes to avoiding overpayment issues.