Hours cut at work Washington ESD - can I still collect unemployment benefits?

That's a relief to hear! Do I need to wait until my hours are actually cut or can I file now?

File as soon as your hours are reduced, don't wait. Your benefit year starts when you file, and there's a one-week waiting period before benefits begin.

How do they figure out what my weekly benefit amount would be? Is it based on my full-time wages or my current reduced wages?

It's based on your earnings history from the base period, which looks at your wages from 12-15 months ago. So your full-time wages should be what they use to calculate your weekly benefit amount.

This is exactly what happened to me last year. Washington ESD approved my partial claim even though I was still working reduced hours. The process was pretty straightforward once I got through to someone.

ugh same problem here! I've called like 50 times and either get busy signal or sit on hold for hours just to get hung up on

I actually found this service called Claimyr that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration when I needed to talk to someone about my adjudication issue.

Really? That sounds too good to be true. How does it actually work?

You just give them your info and they handle all the calling and waiting. When they get an agent on the line, they connect you directly. Way better than sitting on hold all day yourself.

Good point about documentation. Should I notify my employer that I'm filing for partial unemployment or just keep it to myself?

Washington ESD will likely contact your employer anyway as part of their verification process, so there's no real way to keep it secret. Most employers understand when business is slow.

I know it's frustrating, but adjudication delays are unfortunately common right now. Have you tried contacting your local WorkSource office? They sometimes can help escalate issues.

I'll try anything at this point. This whole process is a nightmare.

Same boat here... filed 4 weeks ago and still showing pending. The stress is killing me.

You still need to meet job search requirements unless you have a definite return-to-work date within 4 weeks. Working reduced hours doesn't automatically exempt you from looking for other work.

Ugh that seems unfair when you're already working just not enough hours

The logic is that you should be looking for additional work to make up for the lost income. You can look for part-time work to supplement your current job.

How long did your approval take? I'm hoping mine goes smoothly since it's clearly not my fault.

About 2 weeks from filing to first payment. But this was before all the current delays everyone's talking about.

You don't need a new claim, just report the change in your weekly claim filing. Washington ESD will adjust your benefit amount based on your new earnings level.

Thanks, that makes sense. This whole system is confusing when you're new to it.

There's no specific hour minimum - it's based on your wage reduction. If your weekly earnings are significantly less than your full wages, you might qualify even with a smaller hour cut.

Good to know, thanks!

That's great! What did they tell you about partial claims? I'm still nervous about filing mine.

They said as long as the hour reduction wasn't voluntary on my part, I should qualify. The agent walked me through exactly what information I'd need when filing.

I'm skeptical about using third-party services for government stuff but if it actually works...

I was skeptical too but honestly after weeks of failed attempts to call myself, it was worth it to finally talk to someone who could help.

Why would an employer dispute it if they're the ones who cut my hours?

Sometimes they worry it will affect their unemployment tax rates. Most reasonable employers won't fight legitimate partial claims though.

Yeah I'm worried about the calculation part. Do you remember roughly what percentage of your lost wages you got back in benefits?

it varies but generally you won't get dollar for dollar replacement of lost wages. The system is designed to partially offset the income loss while encouraging you to keep working.

Should I report gross pay or net pay?

Always report gross pay before taxes and deductions. Washington ESD wants to know your total earnings.

This is important - I made the mistake of reporting net pay once and it messed up my whole claim for weeks.

The job search requirement exists because partial unemployment is meant to be temporary while you either find additional work or return to full hours.

I guess that makes sense from a policy perspective even if it feels strange.

You should answer that you're available for work during the hours you're not scheduled at your current job. Be honest about your availability - don't say you're available 24/7 if you have a set work schedule.

That makes sense. I was overthinking those questions.

Thanks for the encouragement! I think I'm ready to file now that I understand the process better.

Good luck! The key is just being honest about your situation and keeping good records.

Agreed - the system isn't perfect but it's there to help people in exactly this situation.

Good point - I'll make sure to report everything accurately if I find additional work.

Exactly. Washington ESD can cross-reference with tax records so it's not worth trying to hide anything.

In my case it's definitely hour reduction not layoff. My employer made it clear I still have my job just fewer hours due to business being slow.

Perfect - that's a straightforward partial unemployment situation. You should have no problem qualifying as long as the reduction was involuntary.