How to apply for temporary unemployment benefits through Washington ESD?

Yes, you can absolutely apply for partial unemployment benefits in Washington! It's called working part-time while claiming benefits. You just need to report your hours and earnings each week when you file your weekly claim.

You'll need to meet the same eligibility requirements as regular UI claims. Make sure you've earned enough in your base period and that your hour reduction wasn't your fault. The key is being available for full-time work even though you're working part-time.

Just went through this same situation last month! The hardest part honestly was getting through to Washington ESD on the phone to ask questions. I ended up using Claimyr to actually reach an agent - they have this service where they call and wait on hold for you. Check out claimyr.com, they even have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Important note - when you file your weekly claim, you MUST report ALL hours worked and gross wages earned, even if it's just a few hours. Washington ESD will calculate your partial benefit amount automatically. Don't try to hide any work or you could face an overpayment.

ugh the Washington ESD website is so confusing though... I tried to start an application last week and got completely lost. There's like 50 different forms and I don't know which one to use for partial unemployment.

Make sure you're actively looking for full-time work too. Even with partial benefits, you still need to do job searches and be available for full-time employment. Keep track of your job search activities because Washington ESD can audit them.

One thing that tripped me up - your weekly benefit amount gets reduced based on how much you earn. I think it's dollar-for-dollar reduction after you earn more than 25% of your weekly benefit amount. So don't expect to get your full benefit if you're working decent hours.

I had to call Washington ESD to clarify some stuff about my partial claim and it was impossible to get through. Kept getting the busy signal or getting disconnected after waiting for hours. Finally tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned and actually got to talk to an agent the same day.

wait so I can work AND collect unemployment at the same time?? why doesn't everyone know about this

The application process is pretty straightforward once you get started. Just have your Social Security number, employment history for the last 18 months, and bank info for direct deposit ready. Takes maybe 30-45 minutes to complete.

Just remember that partial unemployment benefits are still taxable income. You can choose to have taxes withheld or pay at the end of the year, but don't forget about it come tax time.

Also be prepared for the waiting week. Even with partial benefits, you might not get paid for your first week of filing. It's just how the Washington ESD system works.

Don't get discouraged if your claim goes into adjudication. With partial benefits, Washington ESD sometimes needs to verify your work situation with your employer. It can add a few weeks to the process but it's normal.

The online system for filing weekly claims is actually pretty user-friendly once you get used to it. Just make sure you file every week even if you worked full-time that week - you might not get a payment but you need to maintain your claim.

One last tip - if your employer offers you more hours or a different position, you generally have to accept it or risk losing your benefits. Washington ESD considers refusing suitable work as a disqualifying act.

Start your application sooner rather than later. Benefits are only paid from the date you file, not from when your hours were first reduced. So if you wait a month to apply, you lose a month of potential benefits.

this thread was super helpful, I'm in a similar situation and had no idea partial unemployment was even a thing

Just applied for partial benefits myself after reading this. The application was way easier than I expected. Now just waiting to see if I get approved!

Hope this helps OP! Partial unemployment benefits are definitely underutilized. So many people don't realize they exist when their hours get cut. The whole system could use better communication from Washington ESD about available programs.

Anyone else think the whole partial unemployment process should be simplified? Like why make people jump through the same hoops as regular unemployment when they're already working?

I'm in a really similar boat - my restaurant cut everyone's hours to like 20 hours a week and I had no idea partial unemployment was even possible! This whole thread is a lifesaver. One question though - if my employer eventually brings my hours back up to full-time, do I just stop filing weekly claims? Or do I need to formally close my unemployment claim somehow?