How much can I earn at part-time job before ESD reduces my weekly UI benefit?
I just got laid off from my full-time warehouse position and filed for unemployment last week. My claim was approved (yay!) but my weekly benefit amount isn't enough to cover all my bills. I'm thinking about picking up some part-time evening shifts at a local grocery store while I look for another full-time job. I know there's some kind of earning threshold before ESD starts deducting money from my UI payments, but I'm confused about how it works. Does anyone know how many hours/dollars I can earn each week before they start reducing my unemployment check? I really don't want to mess up my claim by reporting income incorrectly.
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Dmitry Popov
The formula is pretty straightforward. In Washington, you can earn up to 25% of your weekly benefit amount (WBA) without any deductions. After that, they reduce your benefit dollar-for-dollar. So if your WBA is $500, you could earn up to $125 from part-time work with no reduction. If you earn $200, they'd reduce your benefit by $75, so you'd get $425 instead of your full $500. Just make sure you report ALL earnings for the week you worked (not when you get paid) on your weekly claim.
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Sofia Ramirez
•Thanks! That makes sense. So my WBA is $468, which means I can earn about $117 before they start reducing my benefit. Good to know about reporting when I worked vs. when I get paid - I would have totally messed that up.
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Ava Rodriguez
I was in a similar situation last year. One important thing to remember is that when you're reporting your earnings, you report your GROSS pay (before taxes) not what actually hits your bank account. Also, make sure you're still doing your required job search activities even with the part-time job! You still need to complete and document 3 job search activities each week.
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Sofia Ramirez
•Ugh, GROSS pay? That makes the threshold even easier to hit. And thanks for the reminder about the job search activities - I wasn't sure if working part-time would change that requirement.
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Miguel Ortiz
jst be careful cuz if u make to much they can disqulify u for that week. happend to me once and it was a NIGHTMARE trying to figure out why my payment didn't come thru. but ya its the 25% thing then they take away dollar for dollar
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Zainab Khalil
•This is correct. If your earnings exceed your weekly benefit amount plus 25%, you'll be considered fully employed for that week and won't receive any unemployment benefits. But you'd still need to file your weekly claim and report those earnings to keep your claim active for future weeks when your earnings might be lower.
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QuantumQuest
I tried calling ESD for WEEKS to ask this exact question!!! Their phone lines are always busy and I could never get through. Finally, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual ESD agent in less than 30 minutes. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Totally worth it to get clear answers about my specific situation instead of guessing.
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Sofia Ramirez
•I've been having the same problem with calling! Their automated system keeps disconnecting me when I try to reach someone. I'll check out that service if I run into more questions. Did the ESD agent tell you anything different about the earnings limit from what people are saying here?
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QuantumQuest
•No, the agent confirmed the 25% rule, but they also explained how to properly report odd jobs or gig work which was confusing me. Much easier than trying to interpret the ESD website!
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Connor Murphy
the ESD system is DESIGNED to be confusing!! they WANT u to make mistakes so they can hit u with overpayments later. happened to EVERYONE i know. they'll come after u like 6 months later saying u owe them $3000 for "misreporting" even when u did everything right!!
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Dmitry Popov
•While the system can be confusing, most overpayment issues happen because of genuine misunderstandings about what to report. I recommend keeping detailed records of all hours worked, pay stubs, and copies of your weekly claim certifications. Screenshot everything. If you do get hit with an overpayment, you can appeal it, and good documentation will help your case.
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Yara Haddad
Don't forget that working part-time might qualify you for partial unemployment too!! I work part time and get a small UI payment each week. It's not much but every bit helps!
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Keisha Robinson
•This is an important point. Even if your part-time earnings reduce your weekly benefit, you should still file every week. As long as you receive at least $1 in UI benefits for a week, you also get the working connections benefit which gives you a discount on your health insurance through the Washington Health Benefit Exchange. That alone can be worth hundreds of dollars monthly.
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Zainab Khalil
Another thing to consider is that sometimes working part-time can help extend your benefit year. Since you won't be drawing your full WBA each week when you have part-time earnings, your total benefit amount will last longer. Just make sure that your part-time work doesn't interfere with your availability for full-time work, as that's a requirement for receiving UI benefits. You need to be able and available for suitable full-time work and actively seeking it.
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Sofia Ramirez
•That's a really good point! I didn't think about stretching out my benefits that way. I'm definitely still looking for full-time work - just trying to bridge the gap financially with part-time hours. Thanks for all the helpful info everyone - this makes the whole process much clearer!
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