How many hours can you work and still get unemployment benefits in Washington ESD?

So it's more about the money I make than the actual hours? That makes more sense than what I was reading online.

Exactly! I work about 15-20 hours a week at a retail job and still get partial benefits. Just be honest about everything when you report.

So if I make $600 in a week, I'd still get some unemployment? How do they calculate what I get?

Yes, they subtract your earnings from your weekly benefit amount dollar for dollar after the first $5. So if you earn $600, you'd get $520 - ($600 - $5) = -$75, which means no benefits that week. You need to earn less than $525 to get any unemployment.

No hour limit in Washington ESD rules - only the earnings limit matters. You could work 30 hours at minimum wage and still get partial benefits if your total pay is under the threshold.

Ugh I've been missing out on money then! Thanks for clarifying.

How do you calculate what you'll get? Is there a formula or do you just have to wait and see?

washington esd has a calculator somewhere on their site but honestly i just report my stuff and see what happens. its usually pretty fair

Is that legit? Sounds too good to be true. How much does it cost?

I was skeptical too but it actually worked. Got through to an agent in 20 minutes instead of hours. They focus on the value of your time rather than the cost - worth checking out their site for details.

I used them too after seeing someone mention it here. Way better than wasting entire days trying to call Washington ESD.

Never heard of Claimyr before. Does it actually work for getting through to Washington ESD?

Yeah it worked for me. Saved me hours of trying to call and getting busy signals or hung up on.

Sounds too good to be true but I might try it. I've been trying to reach them for weeks about a different issue.

What happens if you forget to report something small?

They'll send you an overpayment notice and you'll have to pay back benefits plus sometimes penalties. Not worth the risk over a few dollars.

This is so important! I got hit with a $2,400 overpayment because I didn't report some cash work I did. Took months to sort out.

That's smart! Do you have to do the job search requirements if you're working part-time?

Yes, still have to do job searches unless you're on standby with your employer. I do 3 job search activities per week as required.

Wait there's a standby option? I didn't know about that.

That's really helpful! So if I make $300 in a week and my benefit is $400, I'd still get $100 in unemployment?

Close, but not exactly. Washington ESD subtracts your earnings minus $5 from your weekly benefit. So you'd get $400 - ($300 - $5) = $105.

The math gets confusing but the important thing is just report everything honestly and let them calculate it.

Yikes, that's scary. I definitely don't want to deal with an overpayment situation.

Yeah it's not worth it. Just be completely honest and you'll be fine.

Do you lose benefits completely on the weeks you work full time?

Yes, if I work full time or earn more than my weekly benefit plus $5, I get zero unemployment that week. But I can still file my claim and it keeps my claim active.

thats exactly right, you still have to file even if you know youll get nothing

Good point. I still need to log my job search activities in WorkSourceWA even with part-time work.

Exactly. And make sure you're still available to start a full-time job if one comes up.

Standby means you're temporarily laid off but expect to return to the same employer within a specific timeframe. You don't have to do job searches but you must be available to return when called.

How do I get put on standby status?

Your employer has to request it through Washington ESD. You can't just declare yourself on standby.

Your limit would be $420 x 1.5 = $630. Since you earned $450, you'd get $420 - ($450 - $5) = -$25, which means no unemployment benefits that week.

Darn, so I'd need to work fewer hours or make less per hour to get any benefits?

Exactly. You'd need to earn less than $425 gross to get any unemployment that week.

I would never try to cheat the system. I just want to make sure I understand the rules so I don't accidentally mess up.

Smart approach. The rules aren't that complicated once you understand them.

I get the frustration but the system is designed to supplement lost income, not provide full benefits while you're earning substantial wages.

I guess that makes sense but the cliff effect is harsh. You can go from getting benefits to getting nothing with just a few extra dollars in earnings.

Agreed, wish there was more of a gradual reduction instead of the all-or-nothing approach.

I was wondering about gig work! So even if I do some DoorDash deliveries, I need to report that income?

Yep, all income has to be reported. The agent was really clear about that.

This is why I love having access to actual agents instead of trying to figure it out from the website.

That's confusing. So I report based on when I worked, not when I got paid?

Correct. Report for the week you performed the work, regardless of when payment comes.

This trips up a lot of people, especially with jobs that pay biweekly or monthly.

Good point! I was thinking of doing some food delivery on weekends.

Just track everything carefully. Those 1099s will show up in Washington ESD's system eventually.

Yeah I got caught not reporting Instacart earnings. Had to pay back $800 in benefits.

That gives me hope. I was worried that any work would disqualify me completely.

Nah, Washington is pretty reasonable about partial unemployment. Just follow the rules and you'll be fine.

Good idea. I'll start a spreadsheet to track everything.

Smart! Also keep copies of pay stubs and any documentation from employers.

Volunteer work doesn't count as work for unemployment purposes since you're not being paid. But make sure it doesn't interfere with your availability for full-time work.

ok cool, thanks. i was worried i was supposed to be reporting those hours

That makes me feel a lot better about taking this part-time job. Thanks everyone for all the helpful info!

You're welcome! The system can be confusing but once you understand it, it's pretty straightforward.

Yes, ALL income including tips must be reported. Cash tips, credit card tips, everything.

Even cash tips that aren't tracked?

Especially those. Washington ESD expects you to report all income honestly. Getting caught lying about income can lead to fraud charges.

Absolutely. I'd rather spend the time getting accurate information than risk messing up my claim.

Exactly why I used Claimyr. Worth it to get clear answers from someone who actually knows the rules.

Thanks! I'm definitely still actively job searching. This part-time work will just help pay the bills while I keep looking.

That's the right attitude. Part-time work can sometimes lead to full-time opportunities too.

Is it really that much faster? I wasted 4 hours yesterday trying to call.

Night and day difference. They have some system that monitors when agents are available. Check out their video demo to see how it works.

I might try this. Really need to talk to someone about my specific situation.

So I have to do the math every week?

Washington ESD does the calculation automatically when you file your weekly claim. You just report your hours and earnings honestly.

The online system shows you right away if you'll get benefits or not after you submit your weekly claim.

Ugh taxes are confusing enough without mixing unemployment and work income.

Yeah it gets complicated. Consider having taxes withheld from your unemployment benefits if you're not already.

Good advice. I got hit with a big tax bill last year because I didn't plan ahead.

Thanks everyone! This has been super helpful. I'm going to take the part-time job and report everything properly.

Good choice! Part-time work can be a great way to transition back to full-time employment while still having some income security.

Agreed. Plus it looks better to future employers if you're working rather than just collecting unemployment.