How to report Doordash/Amazon Flex earnings on weekly ESD claim without delaying benefits?

You definitely need to report any earnings in the week you WORKED (not when you got paid). ESD asks about this specifically in your weekly claim. When you file your weekly claim, there's a question asking if you worked or earned any money during that week. You'll select 'yes' and report the gross earnings (before taxes/expenses). It shouldn't delay your payments as long as you're honest and consistent. Just know that your weekly benefit amount will be reduced based on your earnings. For every $3 you earn, your benefit is reduced by about $1 (but this varies slightly depending on your situation). Make sure to keep track of your hours worked and earnings each day. The ESD system will ask you to break it down by day. And no, reporting earnings like this normally doesn't trigger a review - it's a routine part of the process that the system handles automatically.

The ESD system is SO BROKEN when it comes to gig workers!!! I did Uber last year while on UI and they put my claim on hold for THREE WEEKS because their stupid system couldn't understand the difference between being self-employed vs. having a regular job. Had to call like 50 times to get it fixed. They make EVERYTHING needlessly complicated! Just be prepared for their system to completely freak out when you report anything that isn't a standard W-2 job. 🤬

i report instacart earnings evry week no problem. just put the amount u made that week. they dont care about ur expenses or miles or whatever, just put the total amount before any deductions. ui will just be less that week but at least u get something

If you're having trouble getting through to ESD about how to properly report your gig work (which is a common issue), I've had success using Claimyr to connect with an ESD agent. Saved me hours of redial hell. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Regarding your question, here's what you need to know specifically about gig work reporting: 1. Report gross earnings for the week you performed the work 2. Keep screenshots of your earnings from the app as proof in case of audit 3. You CAN'T deduct expenses on your weekly claim - that's only for tax purposes 4. Your UI benefit will be reduced but NOT eliminated if you're below your weekly benefit amount 5. The 75% rule: generally if you earn less than 75% of your weekly benefit amount, you'll still get some UI

Just jumping in to say I'm in the same boat! I started doing InstaCart while on unemployment and was so nervous about reporting it wrong. What worked for me was keeping a simple spreadsheet with the date, hours worked, and amount earned each day. Then when I do my weekly claim I just copy those numbers in. Haven't had any issues so far!

I'm an accountant who has helped several clients with this exact situation. Here are some important clarifications: 1. You must report GROSS earnings in the week you PERFORMED the work (not when paid) 2. For gig work like Doordash, this means the total amount BEFORE they take out their fee 3. Job search requirements still apply - you need 3 job search activities each week 4. ESD uses this formula: Weekly benefit - (earnings - $5) * 0.75 = what you receive 5. If your earnings exceed your weekly benefit amount, you won't receive UI for that week, but your claim stays active Keep meticulous records. The ESD system automatically flags accounts with irregular earning patterns for potential audit. Having documentation ready will save you headaches if this happens.

Does anybody know if they check with these companies? Like does ESD somehow verify with Doordash what you made? I'm worried about accidentally reporting the wrong amount!

Thank you all for the helpful information! I'm going to give it a try this weekend and make sure to track everything carefully. One last question - if I only work a few hours and make less than $50, is it even worth reporting? Seems like a lot of hassle for such a small amount.