Forced to take low-paying job while ESD claim stuck in adjudication - will I lose all UI benefits?

I went through something similar in January. If you take work that pays less than your weekly benefit amount, you might still qualify for partial unemployment. You'll need to report your work hours and earnings when filing weekly claims, and ESD will deduct a portion of your earnings from your benefit payment. There's actually a formula they use - I think you can earn up to 1/3 of your weekly benefit without reduction, then they reduce dollar for dollar after that. For example, if your weekly benefit is $650 and you earn $300, they'd only deduct about $100 from your benefit (rough estimate). So you'd get $550 in UI plus your $300 in wages. Much better than just the low wage alone!

theyr gonna make u wait forevrr!! ESD is THE WORST!! i was in adjucation for like 10 weeks and then they just denied me for no reason!!! such BS. i had to appeal and THEN wait another 6 weeks. they dont care at all about people suffering

To directly answer your questions: 1) No, you won't necessarily lose all benefits. Washington state allows for partial unemployment benefits if you work part-time or at reduced wages. 2) Yes, as mentioned above, the partial unemployment program exists exactly for situations like yours. You must report all earnings when filing weekly claims. 3) Taking a job shouldn't negatively affect your current adjudication process. The adjudicator is reviewing the circumstances of your separation from your previous employer, not your current job search activities. A few important details: - The formula is that you can earn up to 25% of your weekly benefit amount with no reduction - After that threshold, benefits are reduced dollar for dollar - You must continue to be available for and seeking full-time work in your normal occupation - Continue filing weekly claims even while working This is actually quite common, so don't worry that you're doing something wrong by taking lower-paying work temporarily.

when i was claiming benefits last year i took a temp job for 3 weeks while waiting for my claim to process. just make sure u report all your earnings accurately each week or they'll hit you with an overpayment later. also keep track of all your hours and pay in case there's a discrepancy.

I was in adjudication for 6 weeks last year and nearly lost my apartment waiting. I finally got through to an ESD agent using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - they have a service that basically waits on hold for you and calls when an agent is available. It cost money but it was worth it to finally talk to someone who could tell me what was happening with my claim. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The agent I spoke with was able to see exactly what was holding up my claim and escalated it for me. Got my benefits the following week. Might be worth trying before you take that low-paying job.

My neighbor's son just went through this exact thing. He was in adjudication for 5 weeks, took a part-time job at a warehouse, and still qualified for some benefits. ESD lets you keep working while your claim processes as long as you report your hours. Once they finished adjudication, he got backpay for the weeks he qualified for partial benefits. Their whole system is messed up though. Why should people have to take jobs way below their skill level just because ESD is slow? So frustrating.

Another important point: When you report your earnings on your weekly claim, be aware that Washington uses a Sunday-Saturday week for unemployment purposes. So make sure you're reporting earnings for the correct time period. Also, if your claim is eventually approved and you qualify for benefits for weeks you've already worked, you'll need to report those past earnings when ESD processes your back payments. This ensures you receive the correct partial benefit amount for each week.

Also, don't forget that even while working part-time, you still need to complete and document your three job search activities each week to remain eligible. I recommend focusing those job search efforts on positions closer to your normal wage/skill level while working the lower-paying job. Good luck with everything! The partial benefit option really saved me when I was in a similar position.