Reduced hours at window cleaning job (25hrs vs 40hrs) - qualify for partial unemployment?

Yes, you likely qualify for partial unemployment benefits. In Washington, if your hours are reduced by 25% or more from your normal work schedule, you can apply. Since you went from 35-40 hours down to 25, that's approximately a 30-35% reduction, which meets the threshold. Your employer will be notified when you file, as ESD verifies your work and wage information with them. This is a standard part of the process, and employers can't legally retaliate against employees for filing legitimate UI claims. When you file, make sure to accurately report your current earnings each week - this affects your weekly benefit amount. ESD will calculate a partial payment based on what you're currently earning versus your full benefit amount.

i went thru the same thing when i worked construction last winter. definintly file asap!! but be ready for a wait, took me almost 3 weeks to get my first payment and i was BROKE by then.

Be super careful reporting your weekly hours/earnings when you claim! If you make any mistakes they'll hit you with an overpayment notice later and those are a NIGHTMARE to deal with. Double check everything before submitting.

When you file, you'll need to look for work and document at least 3 job search activities each week unless you get approved for standby status. Since your hour reduction might be temporary due to weather, you should request standby status when you apply. This allows you to collect benefits without the job search requirement while you wait for your hours to return to normal. To apply, go to esd.wa.gov and create a SecureAccess Washington (SAW) account if you don't already have one. Then complete the initial application and answer all questions honestly, especially about your current reduced hours situation.

If you file, just know that your weekly benefit will be reduced by 75% of whatever you earn at your part-time job. So if you qualify for $500/week in benefits but earn $300 working part-time, they'll deduct $225 (75% of $300) from your benefit and you'll get $275 from ESD. It's still better than nothing, but just be prepared for that calculation.

I've been trying to reach someone at ESD for two weeks about my partial unemployment claim and it's impossible! Every time I call I get disconnected or told to call back later. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual person at ESD in less than 2 hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Totally worth it because I got all my questions answered about my reduced hours claim and got my issues fixed in one call. Would have saved me so much frustration if I'd known about it sooner.

Make sure your employer classifies you correctly! My company tried to say our reduced hours were due to "lack of work" rather than "reduced hours" which caused all kinds of problems with my claim. The adjudication process took FOREVER to sort out. If they don't code it right when ESD contacts them, you might get stuck in pending status.

One more thing to be aware of: starting in 2025, ESD requires claimants to use the new WorkSource WA job search log in your ESD account to document all job search activities (if you don't get standby status). The old paper logs are no longer accepted. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the online system if you end up needing to do job searches.