How many hours can you work to get unemployment in Washington state?

You can work part-time and still receive unemployment benefits in Washington. The key is reporting all your hours and earnings when you file your weekly claim. Washington ESD uses a formula to calculate partial benefits based on your earnings.

I had the same situation last year. You can work and earn up to a certain amount before they reduce your benefits. The formula is complicated but basically you can earn your weekly benefit amount plus $5 before any deduction happens.

The most important thing is to report EVERYTHING when you file your weekly claim. Even if you only work a few hours, report it. Washington ESD will calculate your partial benefits automatically.

I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks to ask about this exact thing but their phone lines are always busy. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to someone there?

So just to clarify - there's no maximum number of hours I can work? It's all about the dollar amount I earn?

This is so confusing! I worked 15 hours last week and earned $180. My weekly benefit amount is $350. Will I get reduced benefits?

I'm in a similar boat but with freelance work. Do the same rules apply to 1099 income?

ugh this system is so complicated why cant they just give us a simple answer about hours???

The Washington ESD handbook says you can work part-time while receiving benefits as long as you report it. The earnings disregard is $5 plus your weekly benefit amount. After that, it's a dollar-for-dollar reduction.

I made the mistake of not reporting 8 hours of work thinking it wouldn't matter. Big mistake! Washington ESD caught it and now I have an overpayment to deal with.

Question about job search requirements - if I'm working part-time, do I still need to do 3 job search activities per week?

The math is: (Weekly Benefit Amount + $5) - Gross Earnings = Your Payment. If the result is negative, you get $0 that week but it doesn't affect future weeks.

I tried calling Washington ESD about this same question last month and could never get through. Finally used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and got connected to an agent in like 10 minutes. Game changer for getting answers about partial benefits.

Just remember that working while on unemployment is meant to be temporary. You still need to be actively seeking full-time employment.

Does anyone know if there are different rules for seasonal workers or people in unions?

The bottom line is: work if you can find it, report everything honestly, and keep looking for full-time work. Washington ESD wants to help people work, not punish them for earning some income.

For anyone still confused, the key takeaway is there's no hour limit - only an earnings limit. Report everything and let Washington ESD calculate your benefits.

One more tip - keep good records of all your work hours and earnings. Makes filing your weekly claims much easier and protects you if there are any questions later.

If anyone needs to speak to Washington ESD about their specific situation, I had success with Claimyr after weeks of failed attempts to call. They connect you directly to an agent without the usual runaround.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread! Really helped clarify the work rules for unemployment benefits in Washington state.

Just wanted to add that if you're working multiple part-time jobs while on unemployment, you need to report ALL of them when filing your weekly claim. I learned this the hard way when I was juggling two different gig jobs. Washington ESD requires you to report every source of income, no matter how small. The good news is that as long as your total earnings stay under that weekly benefit amount plus $5 threshold, you'll still get your full unemployment benefits. It's actually pretty encouraging that the system supports people who are trying to piece together income while job hunting!