Is it illegal to collect unemployment while working in Washington - confused about reporting requirements
I'm really confused about the rules around working while collecting unemployment benefits in Washington. I've been getting mixed information and I'm scared I might accidentally do something wrong. I know you have to report earnings, but what exactly counts as 'working'? If I do some freelance work or pick up a few hours somewhere, does that automatically disqualify me? I don't want to break any laws but I also need to survive financially. Can someone explain what's actually legal vs illegal when it comes to working while on unemployment?
49 comments
Join the conversation
Ella Cofer
You're not doing anything illegal by working while collecting unemployment as long as you report ALL earnings to Washington ESD. The key is being honest about every dollar you make. You can work part-time and still receive partial benefits - they use a formula to calculate how much your benefits get reduced based on your earnings.
0 coins
Taylor To
•Thank you! So it's the NOT reporting that's illegal, not the working itself?
0 coins
Ella Cofer
•Exactly. The illegal part is fraud - not reporting income or lying about your work status. As long as you're honest, you're fine.
0 coins
Kevin Bell
I was in the same situation last year and was terrified I'd get in trouble. Turns out Washington ESD actually expects people to work part-time while collecting benefits - it's part of getting back to full employment. Just make sure you report everything when you file your weekly claim.
0 coins
Taylor To
•That's reassuring to hear! How detailed do you have to be when reporting work?
0 coins
Kevin Bell
•You need to report the gross amount you earned and the hours you worked. They ask for this info every week when you file your claim.
0 coins
Savannah Glover
The Washington ESD system is actually designed to support people transitioning back to work. You can earn up to a certain amount before your benefits are affected at all. I think it's around $280 per week where you can earn without any reduction, but double-check that number.
0 coins
Felix Grigori
•I think that number changed recently - might be worth calling Washington ESD to confirm the current earnings threshold.
0 coins
Savannah Glover
•Good point, these amounts do get updated periodically.
0 coins
Felicity Bud
If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about this stuff, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you actually reach an agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a video demo showing how it works at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Saved me hours of calling and getting nowhere.
0 coins
Taylor To
•How does that work exactly? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks.
0 coins
Felicity Bud
•Basically they handle the calling for you and get you connected to an actual agent. Way better than sitting on hold for hours or getting hung up on.
0 coins
Max Reyes
Just to add to what others said - freelance work, gig work, cash jobs, everything counts and needs to be reported. Even if the employer doesn't report it to Washington ESD, you still have to. The fraud penalties are severe if they catch you not reporting income.
0 coins
Taylor To
•What kind of penalties are we talking about?
0 coins
Max Reyes
•Overpayment demands, penalties that can double or triple what you owe, and potentially criminal charges for intentional fraud. Not worth the risk.
0 coins
Mikayla Davison
•Yep, I know someone who had to pay back thousands plus penalties for not reporting cash work. Washington ESD doesn't mess around.
0 coins
Felix Grigori
I'm dealing with something similar and honestly the rules are confusing. Like what if you do odd jobs for neighbors or sell stuff online? Where's the line between work and just making a few bucks here and there?
0 coins
Ella Cofer
•If you're actively trying to make money, it's work that should be reported. Selling your old stuff probably not, but regular selling for profit would count.
0 coins
Felix Grigori
•That makes sense, thank you for clarifying that distinction.
0 coins
Kevin Bell
The weekly claim form asks specifically 'Did you work or earn money?' - they make it pretty clear that ANY earnings need to be reported, regardless of the source or amount.
0 coins
Adrian Connor
•Exactly, and they cross-reference with tax records and employer reports, so they'll eventually catch unreported income anyway.
0 coins
Mikayla Davison
ugh this whole system is so stressful. I just want to know I'm doing everything right without having to become an expert on unemployment law
0 coins
Aisha Jackson
•I feel you on that! The anxiety of potentially messing up is almost worse than being unemployed.
0 coins
Ella Cofer
•The good news is Washington ESD would rather help you do it right than penalize you for honest mistakes. It's the intentional fraud they come down hard on.
0 coins
Savannah Glover
One thing that helped me was keeping detailed records of all work and earnings, even small amounts. That way when I file my weekly claim, I have everything documented and can report accurately.
0 coins
Taylor To
•Good idea about keeping records. Do you use any particular system for tracking?
0 coins
Savannah Glover
•Just a simple spreadsheet with date, type of work, hours worked, and amount earned. Nothing fancy but it covers what Washington ESD needs to know.
0 coins
Ryder Everingham
Also remember that your job search requirements don't change just because you're working part-time. You still need to be actively looking for full-time work and documenting your job search activities.
0 coins
Taylor To
•Oh right, I almost forgot about the job search requirement. So you have to keep looking even if you're working some?
0 coins
Ryder Everingham
•Yep, until you're working full-time again, you need to keep up with the job search requirements and report them weekly.
0 coins
Lilly Curtis
The bottom line is ALWAYS err on the side of over-reporting rather than under-reporting. Washington ESD can adjust your benefits down if you reported something you shouldn't have, but not reporting something you should have is fraud.
0 coins
Leo Simmons
•This is the best advice in this thread. When in doubt, report it.
0 coins
Felicity Bud
If you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your specific situation, I'd really recommend trying Claimyr. The traditional phone lines are basically impossible to get through on, but their service actually works. Worth checking out if you're stressed about doing something wrong.
0 coins
Lindsey Fry
•How much does something like that cost? I'm already barely making ends meet.
0 coins
Felicity Bud
•I can't remember the exact cost but it was definitely worth it compared to the hours I was wasting trying to get through on my own. Check their website for current pricing.
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
Just want to echo what everyone else is saying - working while on unemployment is totally legal and normal. The illegal part is not reporting it. I've been doing part-time work for months while collecting partial benefits and Washington ESD has been great about it.
0 coins
Taylor To
•Thank you, this whole thread has been really helpful. I feel much less anxious about the whole situation now.
0 coins
Kayla Morgan
One more thing - if you start working more hours and your benefits get reduced to zero, you can always reopen your claim later if your hours get cut back. The claim stays active for a year from when you first filed.
0 coins
James Maki
•That's really good to know! I didn't realize you could reopen a claim like that.
0 coins
Kayla Morgan
•Yep, it's designed to help people transition back to steady work without losing their safety net completely.
0 coins
Jasmine Hancock
The Washington ESD handbook explains all this stuff in detail if you want to read the official rules. It's available on their website and covers all the scenarios for working while collecting benefits.
0 coins
Taylor To
•I'll definitely check that out. Having the official rules in writing would make me feel more confident.
0 coins
Cole Roush
been there, done that. just be honest about everything and you'll be fine. the system is set up to help people get back to work, not to trap them
0 coins
Scarlett Forster
•exactly. they want you to succeed, not fail
0 coins
Arnav Bengali
If anyone's still worried about this, I used that Claimyr service mentioned earlier and got connected to a Washington ESD agent who explained my exact situation. Much better than guessing or stressing about it. The peace of mind was worth it.
0 coins
Taylor To
•I think I'm going to try that. This thread helped a lot but I'd still like to talk to an actual agent about my specific circumstances.
0 coins
Sayid Hassan
Summary for anyone who finds this thread later: Working while collecting unemployment is legal as long as you report ALL earnings and work hours when you file your weekly claim. Not reporting is fraud and illegal, but the work itself is fine and even encouraged by Washington ESD.
0 coins
Rachel Tao
•Perfect summary. Wish I had seen something this clear when I was confused about this same issue.
0 coins
Taylor To
•Thank you everyone for all the helpful information. I feel so much better about this whole situation now.
0 coins