How much can you work while on unemployment in Washington ESD without losing benefits?

You can work part-time while collecting unemployment in Washington. The key is reporting all your earnings honestly when you file your weekly claim. Washington ESD uses a formula where they deduct your earnings from your weekly benefit amount, but you can still receive partial benefits as long as your total earnings don't exceed your weekly benefit amount plus $5.

So if my weekly benefit is $400, I can earn up to $405 and still get some unemployment?

Not exactly. If you earn $405, you'd get zero unemployment that week. The formula is more complex - they subtract your earnings minus $5 from your weekly benefit amount.

The Washington ESD partial benefit calculation works like this: Weekly Benefit Amount - (Gross Earnings - $5) = Partial Benefit. So if your weekly benefit is $400 and you earn $200, you'd get $400 - ($200 - $5) = $205 in unemployment benefits that week. You must report ALL work and earnings when you file your weekly claim, even if it's just one day or a few hours.

This is really helpful! I've been scared to take any work because I thought it would cut off my benefits completely.

Nope! Washington ESD actually encourages part-time work as it helps you transition back to full employment. Just be honest about your earnings.

I've been struggling to get through to Washington ESD to ask about this same thing. Their phone lines are always busy and I can never reach anyone to clarify the rules. Has anyone found a reliable way to actually talk to someone there?

I had the same problem for weeks! I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually gets you through to Washington ESD agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. It was a lifesaver when I needed to resolve my adjudication issue.

Really? I've never heard of that. Does it actually work or is it some kind of scam?

It's legit - they basically handle the waiting and callback process for you. Much better than spending hours on hold.

whatever you do DONT lie about your earnings!!! I made that mistake and ended up with a huge overpayment notice. Washington ESD will find out eventually through wage matching with employers.

Oh no, what happened? How much trouble did you get in?

They wanted me to pay back like $2800 plus penalties. Had to appeal and it was a nightmare. Just be honest from the start.

There's also no limit on how many hours you can work, just on how much you earn. I know someone who worked 30 hours a week at minimum wage and still got partial benefits because their earnings were low enough.

Wait, that doesn't sound right. I thought there was an hours limit too?

No, Washington ESD goes by earnings, not hours. You could theoretically work 40 hours at $2/hour and still qualify for partial benefits, though that's below minimum wage obviously.

Make sure you're still able and available for full-time work too. That's a requirement for continuing to receive benefits. If you take a part-time job that restricts your availability, that could be an issue.

What do you mean by restricts availability? Like if I can only work certain days?

If your part-time job is Monday-Friday 9-5, you might not be considered available for other full-time opportunities. It's a gray area.

Actually, as long as you're actively seeking full-time work and would accept a suitable full-time position, having a part-time schedule usually isn't a problem.

The job search requirement is still there too right? Even if you're working part time you still need to do your job searches?

Yes, you still need to complete your required job search activities each week unless you're on standby with your employer.

Ugh, so I have to work part time AND still do 3 job searches a week? This system is exhausting.

I've been doing gig work like DoorDash while on unemployment. That counts as earnings too and has to be reported, even though it's irregular income.

How do you report irregular gig income? Some weeks I make $50, other weeks $200.

You report whatever you actually earned during the weekly claim period, regardless of when you get paid. Keep good records of your daily earnings.

Does anyone know if there's a difference between W-2 work and 1099 contractor work for the earnings calculation?

For unemployment purposes, all earnings are treated the same regardless of whether you're an employee or contractor. Gross earnings before taxes is what matters.

Good to know, thanks! I was worried contractor work might be calculated differently.

been trying to call Washington ESD for 2 weeks about this exact question and cant get through... their system is ridiculous

Try calling right at 8am when they open, that's when I had the best luck getting through.

I used Claimyr to get through to them last month. Way easier than trying to call yourself - they handle all the waiting.

What happens if you go over the earnings limit one week? Do you lose benefits permanently or just for that week?

Just for that week. If you earn too much in one week, you get zero benefits for that week but can resume the following week if your earnings drop back down.

That's a relief! I was worried one high-earning week would kill my whole claim.

Remember you still have to be looking for FULL TIME work. Taking a part time job doesn't mean you can stop your job search activities.

This is important! I know someone who got disqualified because they stopped looking for full-time work once they got a part-time gig.

Good point. I'll make sure to keep applying for full-time positions even while working part-time.

The Washington ESD website has a benefit calculator tool that can help you figure out exactly how much you'll get with different earning amounts. Really useful for planning.

I tried using that calculator but couldn't find it on their site. Do you have a direct link?

It's buried in their resources section. Search for 'partial benefit calculator' on their site.

One thing to watch out for - if you're on standby status with your regular employer, the rules might be different for outside work. Make sure you understand your specific situation.

What's standby status? I keep seeing that term but don't understand what it means.

Standby means your employer expects to recall you within a specific timeframe. Different rules apply for job search requirements and availability.

I was so paranoid about this that I turned down part-time work for months. Wish I had known it was okay to work and still collect partial benefits. Would have helped my finances a lot.

Same here! I've been turning down opportunities because I was scared of losing my benefits completely.

The system is designed to encourage people to work. Partial benefits help bridge the gap back to full employment.

Just want to emphasize again - REPORT EVERYTHING. Even if you think it won't affect your benefits, report it. Washington ESD will cross-reference with employer records and you don't want to deal with an overpayment investigation.

How long does it usually take for them to catch unreported earnings?

Can take months or even over a year, but they will find it eventually. Not worth the risk.

This happened to my neighbor. She had to pay back benefits from 8 months earlier plus penalties. Just be honest from the start.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! This thread has been more useful than anything I could find on the Washington ESD website. Going to start looking for part-time work now that I understand the rules better.

Agreed! Really appreciate everyone taking the time to explain this stuff clearly.

Good luck with the job search! Remember to keep documenting your full-time job search activities too.

One last tip - when you do find full-time work, make sure to stop filing weekly claims immediately. Don't file for the week you start working full-time, even if you only worked a few days that week.

What if you start work on a Wednesday? Do you still not file for that week at all?

Correct. Once you're working full-time, you're not unemployed anymore so you shouldn't file claims. You can always reopen your claim later if the job doesn't work out.

This has been super helpful! I was worried about accidentally committing fraud or something. The Washington ESD system seems complicated but this makes it clearer.

It is complicated, but as long as you're honest and report everything accurately, you'll be fine. The problems come when people try to hide earnings.

Exactly! Thanks again everyone. This thread should be pinned for other people with the same questions.