How much can I earn while on Washington ESD unemployment without losing benefits?

Thanks! So if I work 12 hours at $15/hour that's $180. Would that mean I get $487 minus something?

Not exactly. Washington ESD uses a specific formula. They subtract your gross earnings from your weekly benefit amount, then subtract an additional amount based on how much you earned. It's complicated but basically you'd probably get around $300-350 instead of your full $487.

This is so important. My cousin didn't report some cash work and got a $2800 overpayment bill.

Definitely planning to report everything. I just want to know if it's worth taking the job or not.

Same problem here. I've been calling every day at 8am when they open and still can't get through.

I actually found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to Washington ESD when I couldn't reach them myself. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. It was super easy and I finally got my questions answered.

Interesting, I'll check that out. At this point I'm willing to try anything to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD.

Wow that's actually not as bad as I thought! So I'd still get most of my benefits even working 12 hours?

That math looks right to me. The part-time work deduction isn't as harsh as people think, especially if you're only working limited hours.

I know right? Everything about unemployment is unnecessarily complicated.

There actually is an earnings calculator somewhere on the Washington ESD website but it's buried pretty deep and not very user-friendly.

Good point. The part-time job is evenings and weekends so it shouldn't interfere with interviews or anything during normal business hours.

That sounds perfect then. Just make sure to keep documenting your job search activities like usual.

You're right, plus it's experience and keeps me active instead of just sitting at home.

and it might lead to more hours or full time eventually

What happens if you make a mistake reporting? Like if you accidentally put the wrong number of hours?

Minor mistakes usually aren't a big deal if you catch them and report the correction. But if they think you're intentionally misreporting to get more benefits, that's fraud.

You can usually call to correct mistakes on your weekly claim, though good luck getting through to anyone at Washington ESD these days.

Yes, tips definitely count as earnings and need to be reported. All income has to be reported, whether it's wages, tips, commissions, whatever.

Ugh that makes it so much harder to estimate what I'll actually make each week.

How do you even calculate gig work earnings? Is it gross or after expenses?

I report gross earnings before expenses. Better to be safe than sorry with Washington ESD.

That's smart. I've heard of people getting in trouble for trying to deduct car expenses and stuff from their reported gig earnings.

How long did it take them to get you connected? I'm still struggling to reach anyone.

It was actually pretty quick, like within a few hours they called me back with Washington ESD on the line. Way better than spending days trying to call myself.

Good reminder! I've been keeping up with my job search log but I'll make sure to continue even with the part-time work.

Exactly. The part-time work doesn't replace your obligation to look for full-time employment.

That's correct. You have to remain available for and accept suitable full-time work if it's offered.

Makes sense. The part-time job is just temporary while I look for something permanent anyway.

You report earnings for the week you performed the work, not when you got paid. So if you worked Monday-Friday, you report those earnings on that week's claim even if the paycheck comes the following week.

Thanks! That's what I thought but wanted to make sure.

That's encouraging to hear! I think I'm going to take the job. Thanks everyone for all the helpful info.

Good luck! You're making the right choice.

I'll definitely mention it when I accept the position. Don't want any surprises later.

Good thinking. Communication is key to avoiding problems down the road.

They do random audits sometimes, but as long as you're reporting honestly you shouldn't worry. Keep good records of your hours and pay just in case.

I got audited once and it was fine because I had kept all my pay stubs and hour logs. They just wanted to verify what I had reported was accurate.

That makes me feel better. I'll make sure to document everything carefully.

Perfect summary! Thanks everyone for all the advice. This thread has been super helpful.

Glad we could help! Best of luck with the new job.