Does attending school affect unemployment benefits in Washington ESD?

You need to report any changes to your availability, including school enrollment. Part-time school usually doesn't disqualify you as long as you're still able and available for work during normal business hours. Make sure to update your weekly claim to reflect your school schedule.

I went through this exact situation last year. Part-time school is generally okay, but you have to be careful about how many hours per week your classes take up. If your class schedule conflicts with typical work hours (like 9-5), that could be a problem.

I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD when I needed to report my school enrollment. Spent weeks trying to call and kept getting disconnected. Finally used claimyr.com to get connected to an actual agent who helped me understand the requirements. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made the whole process so much easier than sitting on hold for hours.

MAKE SURE YOU REPORT IT! I didn't report my enrollment right away and got flagged for an overpayment investigation. Even though I was still looking for work and available, they said I should have disclosed it immediately. Took months to resolve.

The key thing is 'able and available' for work. If you can still work full-time hours around your class schedule, you should be fine. Washington ESD looks at whether school interferes with your job search, not just whether you're in school.

UPDATE: I called Washington ESD this morning and actually got through after about 45 minutes on hold. The agent confirmed that part-time school (under 20 hours per week including study time) generally doesn't affect benefits as long as I remain available for work during normal business hours. I need to report it on my next weekly claim.

There's also something called the Training Benefits program through Washington ESD where they can actually approve certain education programs and continue your benefits. Might be worth asking about if your program qualifies.

Just remember that if you do get a job offer, you can't turn it down just because it conflicts with your class schedule. That would be considered refusing suitable work.

I'm in a similar situation but with full-time classes. Sounds like that might be more problematic?

The thing that helped me was keeping detailed records of my job search activities even while in school. Washington ESD wanted to see that I was still actively looking for work despite being enrolled.

does anyone know if student loans affect unemployment? i'm worried about that too

For anyone still struggling to get clear answers from Washington ESD about school and benefits, I can't recommend Claimyr enough. The agent I spoke with knew all about the Training Benefits Program and helped me understand exactly what I needed to report. Way better than trying to navigate their confusing website or waiting on hold forever.

I was on unemployment while finishing my nursing degree and had no issues. The key is being honest about your availability and still actively job searching. Healthcare programs are usually looked at favorably.

Word of warning - don't assume anything. A friend of mine got disqualified because she didn't realize her lab requirements counted as unavailable hours. Make sure you account for ALL your school time, not just class hours.

The bottom line is Washington ESD wants to make sure you're not using unemployment as a way to fund your education while not really looking for work. As long as you can prove you're genuinely available and searching, part-time school is usually fine.

Just wanted to add that the rules can be different for veterans. If you're using GI Bill benefits along with unemployment, there are special considerations. Might want to check with a counselor if that applies to you.

FINAL UPDATE: Successfully reported my school enrollment on my weekly claim this morning. No issues so far and my benefits weren't affected. Thanks everyone for the advice! The key points seem to be: 1) Report immediately, 2) Stay under 20 hours/week total, 3) Remain available for work, 4) Keep documenting job search activities.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation - just got approved for unemployment and was hesitant to start the medical assistant program I'd been considering because I wasn't sure about the rules. Based on what everyone's shared here, it sounds like as long as I keep it part-time and stay actively job searching, I should be okay. The 20 hours per week guideline is really useful to know. I'm definitely going to report everything upfront to avoid any issues down the road. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences!

This is exactly the kind of comprehensive discussion I was hoping to find! I'm also considering enrolling in a part-time program while on unemployment and was really nervous about how it might affect my benefits. The 20-hour guideline and emphasis on staying available for work during business hours makes a lot of sense. I especially appreciate everyone sharing their actual experiences - both positive and negative. It's clear that being upfront and transparent with Washington ESD from the start is crucial. The mention of the Training Benefits Program is intriguing too, since my program is in a high-demand field. Definitely going to call ESD before I make any final decisions about enrollment. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed and helpful information!