Does IHSS count as income for Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

Thanks for the quick response. So even though it's only part-time caregiving, I still have to report every penny?

Yes, absolutely. Washington ESD requires you to report any and all earnings, no matter how small. They'll calculate how it affects your weekly benefit amount.

How much did your benefits get reduced by? I'm hoping I can still get something from unemployment.

it was dollar for dollar reduction after the first $5 i think. so if i made $200 that week from ihss, they took $195 off my unemployment check

Actually, Washington ESD has a partial benefit formula. It's not always dollar-for-dollar. Depends on your weekly benefit amount and total earnings.

I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Finally got my questions answered after months of trying on my own.

Never heard of that before. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?

It's legit. They basically handle the waiting and calling for you so you don't have to sit on hold for hours. Worth it when you really need to talk to someone at Washington ESD.

Wait, I still have to do job searches even though I'm working part-time with IHSS? That seems like a lot to manage.

Yes, unless your IHSS hours meet the minimum work requirements, you'll still need to maintain your job search activities and log them in WorkSourceWA.

This is exactly why the unemployment system is so messed up. You're trying to take care of family AND look for work AND jump through all these hoops. It's ridiculous.

Thank you for the clear explanation. Where can I find the exact partial benefit formula so I can calculate what to expect?

It's on the Washington ESD website under partial benefits. Generally, you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount plus $5 before losing all benefits for that week.

That's not quite right. The formula is more complex and depends on your individual weekly benefit amount.

Good point about the category. I'll make sure to select self-employment when I report it.

Actually, IHSS might be reported differently since it goes through the county. Double-check which category to use when you file your weekly claim.

I completely understand the fear. It's stressful enough dealing with unemployment without worrying about every little thing affecting your benefits.

RIGHT?! You're damned if you do, damned if you don't. Don't work and they say you're not trying hard enough. Work part-time helping family and suddenly you're gaming the system.

I feel you both. The whole system seems designed to trip you up rather than actually help people get back on their feet.

As long as you're meeting the job search requirements and reporting income correctly, IHSS shouldn't be an issue. It's legitimate part-time work.

That's reassuring. I just don't want to give them any reason to stop my benefits.

If you were paid for the training hours, yes, you need to report that income too. If it was unpaid training, then no.

Thanks! The training was paid so I'll make sure to include those hours in my report.

Exactly my thoughts. Better to do it right and get partial benefits than miss out on helping family because of fear.

If you need to verify anything with Washington ESD about how IHSS affects your claim, I'd recommend using Claimyr to get through to them. Saved me hours of calling and getting nowhere.

There's no hour limit per se, but if your total earnings exceed your weekly benefit amount plus $5, you won't receive any unemployment benefits for that week.

Got it. So I need to keep track of my weekly earnings, not just hours.

Right, and remember you still need to be available for full-time work and actively job searching unless your IHSS hours constitute substantial work.

That's encouraging to hear from someone with experience. Have you had any issues with Washington ESD questioning your job search efforts?

nope, as long as you keep doing your job searches and log them properly they dont care about the ihss work. its actually looked at positively because youre working

Agreed. The whole thing is unnecessarily complicated and stressful.

It's like they design it to be confusing so people make mistakes and they can deny benefits. So frustrating.

Thanks for sharing your experience. It helps to hear from people who've actually been through this process.

Same here. Been reporting IHSS income for months with no problems. Just be accurate and timely with your reporting.

Good point. I hadn't even thought about the tax side of things yet.

Yeah, since IHSS is technically self-employment income, you might need to pay self-employment taxes on it.

Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice. I feel much more confident about moving forward with IHSS now.

And remember, if you ever need to clarify anything directly with Washington ESD, Claimyr can help you get through to an agent without the usual phone hassles.

I'll definitely keep that in mind. Thanks again everyone!