How much will my Washington ESD unemployment be while working part-time?

Washington ESD uses a formula for partial unemployment. They subtract your gross earnings from your weekly benefit amount, but you get to keep the first $5 plus 1/4 of the rest. So if you earn $200, you'd subtract $200 from your $350 benefit, but then add back $5 plus 1/4 of $195 (which is about $49). Your benefit would be around $204 instead of $350.

Just make sure you report ALL your earnings when you file your weekly claim. Even if you think it's not much, Washington ESD tracks everything and you don't want to get hit with an overpayment later.

I've been trying to figure out the same thing but can't get through to Washington ESD to ask questions. Their phone lines are always busy and I've been on hold for hours multiple times. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to someone there?

Wait, I'm confused. I thought if you worked at all you couldn't get unemployment? This is news to me. I've been turning down part-time work because I didn't want to lose my benefits.

The partial unemployment calculation can get tricky if your hours vary week to week. I work retail and sometimes get 15 hours, sometimes 25. My benefits change every week based on what I earn.

One thing to watch out for - if you start earning more than your weekly benefit amount plus the $5 allowance, you won't get any unemployment that week. But you don't lose your claim, you just don't get paid for that week.

I've been doing this for months and it works great. The key is being honest about your earnings and understanding that some income is better than no income. Don't let perfect be the enemy of good.

Does anyone know if commission counts as earnings? I might get a sales job that pays mostly commission and I'm not sure how to report that.

I made the mistake of not reporting small amounts of cash work thinking it didn't matter. Washington ESD found out somehow and I got hit with an overpayment notice. Don't make my mistake - report everything!

The formula seems complicated but Washington ESD's website has a calculator tool that helps you figure out what you'll get. It's under the 'Working While Receiving Benefits' section.

Just started a part-time job last week and was stressed about this same thing. Turns out it's not as scary as I thought. My benefits went down but not by much, and having some work income plus unemployment is actually better than just unemployment alone.

I had to call Washington ESD about this exact question last month and couldn't get through for days. Finally used Claimyr to get connected and the agent explained everything clearly. Worth it when you need actual answers from someone who knows the system.

Don't forget you still have to do your job search requirements even if you're working part-time. I almost missed that and got worried about my claim.

The math works out pretty well usually. I've been working part-time for two months while collecting and it's helped me transition back to full-time work gradually.

Make sure your employer knows you're on unemployment too. Some employers don't realize their employees are collecting benefits and it can help them understand your situation better.

I was in the same boat and found that working part-time actually helped me feel more confident about going back to full-time work. The partial benefits made the transition less stressful financially.

Just remember to report your earnings honestly every week. The system works when everyone follows the rules. Don't try to game it or hide income - it's not worth the risk.

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD with questions, I've heard good things about Claimyr. My sister used them when she had issues with her partial unemployment calculations and they got her connected to an agent who walked her through everything.

The partial unemployment program is actually one of the better parts of the Washington ESD system. It encourages work instead of discouraging it. Just be honest about your earnings and you should be fine.