How much can I make and still collect unemployment - Washington ESD weekly earnings limit?

The general rule is you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount minus $5. So if your WBA is $487, you could theoretically earn up to $482 and still get $5 in UI benefits. But it's more complicated than that because they deduct dollar-for-dollar after the first $5 you earn.

I've been doing part time work for months while on unemployment. The key is being 100% honest about your hours and earnings. Washington ESD will find out eventually if you don't report properly, and the penalties are not worth it.

Honestly if you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to clarify this, I'd recommend checking out claimyr.com. They helped me get connected to an actual agent when I had questions about working while on unemployment. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Way easier than sitting on hold for hours.

The earnings limit isn't just about the dollar amount - you also have to remain available for full-time work and actively job searching. So even if the part-time job fits within the earnings rules, make sure you can still meet the other requirements.

ugh the whole system is so confusing! why cant they just give us a clear chart or something?? i've been afraid to take ANY work because i don't want to lose my benefits

I made the mistake of not reporting part-time earnings for two weeks last year thinking it wouldn't matter since it was so little. Ended up with an overpayment notice months later. Not worth the risk - always report everything.

The math is actually pretty straightforward once you understand it. First $5 of earnings = no deduction. Everything above $5 = dollar for dollar reduction in benefits. So $300 earnings means $295 deduction from your WBA.

Just took a part time job myself after being on unemployment for 8 weeks. The extra income really helps even with the reduced benefits. Plus it looks good to future employers that you stayed active in the workforce.

The Washington ESD handbook has all this info but it's buried in like 40 pages of dense text. Basically you can work and still collect partial benefits as long as your total earnings don't exceed your weekly benefit amount plus $5.

been working part time for 3 months while collecting. never had any issues as long as you report everything correctly. the extra money really adds up

One thing to watch out for - if you start working too many hours regularly, Washington ESD might decide you're no longer 'unemployed' even if you're technically part-time. I've heard of people having their claims closed for working 35+ hours consistently.

I used Claimyr when I had questions about this exact situation. Really helpful to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD instead of trying to figure it out from their confusing website. The agent explained the earnings calculation and made sure I understood how to report properly.

The bottom line is Washington ESD wants you to work if you can find it. Part-time work while collecting unemployment is totally normal and expected. Just be honest about your earnings and hours.

Make sure you keep track of all your work hours and pay stubs. If Washington ESD ever audits your claim, you'll want documentation of everything you reported.

I wish I had known about the earnings rules earlier. I turned down a few part-time opportunities thinking I'd lose all my benefits. Would have been making more money overall if I had taken them.