How much can you make while collecting unemployment benefits in Washington?

That's helpful! My weekly benefit is $385 so I could make up to $390 without losing anything?

Exactly! But you still have to report ALL earnings on your weekly claim, even if it's just $50. Washington ESD wants to know about everything.

Yikes! How did they find out about the unreported work?

Cross-matching with tax records. They eventually catch everything so it's not worth the risk.

I used claimyr.com last month when I couldn't get through. They actually got me connected to an agent in like 20 minutes. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Is that legit? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point.

Yeah it's real. They basically call Washington ESD for you and conference you in when they get an agent. Saved me hours of calling.

So if I work Monday-Friday but don't get paid until the following week, I report it for the week I worked?

Correct. Report it for the week the work was performed, regardless of when payment is received.

How many job searches do you need if you're working part-time?

still 3 per week unless you get an exemption. check your account to see what your specific requirement is

If you earn more than your weekly benefit amount plus $5, you get zero payment for that week. But your claim stays active and you can collect again the next week if your earnings drop.

Oh that's not as bad as I thought. I was worried one high-earning week would end my whole claim.

I looked but couldn't find it. Do you remember where on the site it was?

I think it's under the 'Working While Receiving Benefits' section but their site is terrible to navigate

Have you had any issues with the weekly reporting? Like technical problems with the site?

Their site crashes sometimes but just keep trying. Usually works better early morning or late evening.

Vacation pay usually gets allocated to the weeks it covers, not when you receive it. Severance depends on how it's structured. These situations can be complex.

That's what I was afraid of. Sounds like I need to talk to someone at Washington ESD directly.

Seriously try that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier. I was in the same boat and it actually worked for me.

Is there a cost for using it?

Yeah but honestly it was worth it to actually talk to someone instead of wasting entire days calling. Check out claimyr.com

It's been $5 for a while now. Before that it was based on a percentage of your weekly benefit amount, which was more confusing.

Ok that makes sense. The old system was definitely more complicated.

All self-employment income counts, including gig work. You report net earnings after business expenses for the week you performed the work.

What kind of expenses can you deduct? Like gas and car maintenance?

Yes, legitimate business expenses related to earning that income. Keep good records in case Washington ESD asks for documentation.

They do send a handbook but it's like 30 pages of legal jargon. Nobody reads it.

Exactly! We need a simple one-page summary of the important stuff.

You report earnings for the week the work was performed, not when you receive payment. So if you work week 1 but get paid in week 2, you report it for week 1.

That seems backwards but ok. I guess it makes sense from an accounting perspective.

Respond to the letter honestly and explain it was an oversight. If it's a small amount and your first offense, they might just require repayment without penalties.

I hope so. It was only like $150 but I'm stressed about it.

Good to know it works! I might try it if I can't figure out my specific situation.

It definitely beats spending hours on hold. The agent I talked to was really helpful and patient.

That's a good point. So you file every week regardless of whether you expect to get paid?

Exactly. Missing weekly claims can cause problems with your ongoing eligibility.

Thanks everyone! This has been really helpful. I feel much more confident about taking on some part-time work now.

Good luck! Just remember to report all earnings honestly and you'll be fine.