How many hours can you work on unemployment in Washington without losing benefits?

There's no specific hour limit in Washington - it's all about your weekly earnings. You can work any number of hours as long as your gross earnings don't exceed your weekly benefit amount plus $5. So if your weekly benefit is $400, you can earn up to $405 gross before losing that week's payment entirely.

You MUST report all work and earnings when you file your weekly claim, regardless of how few hours. Even if you only work 2 hours, report it. Washington ESD can verify this stuff and if they catch you not reporting, you'll have to pay back benefits plus penalties.

I was in the same situation last year and it was super confusing trying to get through to Washington ESD to ask questions. The phone lines are always jammed. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person at Washington ESD. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Made it so much easier to get my questions answered about working while on unemployment.

The key thing is being available for work. Even if you're working part-time, you still need to be available for full-time work and actively searching for a permanent full-time job. You can't turn down suitable work just to keep collecting benefits.

I'm working about 20 hours a week at $15/hour while collecting unemployment. My weekly benefit amount is $350, so I earn $300 gross per week from work. Washington ESD pays me $50 in unemployment benefits each week. It's actually working out pretty well - I'm making more total than just unemployment alone.

Be careful about the type of work too. If you're doing gig work like DoorDash or Uber, that's considered self-employment and the rules are different. You have to report net earnings instead of gross, but you also have to be available for other work.

Don't forget that some types of part-time work might qualify you for the Working Connections Child Care program if you have kids. The income from part-time work plus unemployment might put you in a good spot for that assistance.

One more important thing - if you're working for a temp agency, make sure you understand whether you're considered employed or unemployed between assignments. Washington ESD has specific rules about temp work that can affect your benefits.

The online system makes it pretty easy to report your work hours and earnings. Just make sure you're reporting gross earnings (before taxes) not your take-home pay. I made that mistake in my first week and had to call to correct it.

I tried to get specific answers about this from Washington ESD for weeks but kept getting hung up on or transferred to nowhere. Finally used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and got through to someone who could explain all the work rules clearly. Definitely worth it if you're having trouble reaching them.

Make sure your employer knows you're collecting unemployment too. Some employers don't realize their part-time workers might be getting benefits and might not handle the paperwork correctly if Washington ESD contacts them to verify your wages.

Just remember that your unemployment benefits might be taxable income, so working part-time while collecting could push you into a higher tax bracket. Not saying don't do it, just be aware for tax planning purposes.

The Washington ESD website has a good calculator tool where you can estimate how working part-time will affect your benefits. Just search for 'earnings deduction calculator' on their site.

Been working part-time while on unemployment for 6 months now. The key is consistency in reporting. Report the same way every week and keep good records of your hours and pay stubs. Washington ESD might audit your claim later and you'll need documentation.

Don't forget that if you're in a union, there might be additional considerations about working part-time while collecting unemployment. Some union agreements have specific rules about this.

Update on the Claimyr thing - I've used it twice now when I had questions about my benefits and it worked great both times. Really takes the stress out of trying to reach Washington ESD when you need actual answers from a real person.

One thing that caught me off guard - if you work for a previous employer while collecting unemployment, even part-time, Washington ESD might review your original separation to make sure you were actually laid off and not fired for cause. Just be prepared for that possibility.

Bottom line: work the hours you want/need, report all earnings honestly, and stay available for full-time work. Washington state is pretty reasonable about letting people work part-time while collecting as long as you follow the rules.

One last tip - if your part-time job leads to a full-time offer, make sure you understand how that affects your remaining unemployment benefits. You might be able to get some additional assistance for things like work clothes or transportation through WorkSource.