Reporting part-time remote job from out-of-state employer on ESD unemployment claim

I was in almost the exact same situation last year. Here's what you need to know: 1) Answer "No" to the out-of-state work question if you're physically working in Washington, even if the company is based elsewhere. This question is about where YOU worked, not where the company is headquartered. 2) You definitely need to report the part-time job. When the system doesn't automatically show an employer, you need to manually add them by selecting "add employer" and entering their information. 3) If you can't find them in the search, there's usually an option to add them manually. You'll need their full business name, address, and EIN if possible. 4) For your weekly claims, you'll report the hours worked and gross earnings before taxes. ESD will apply a formula where you can keep some earnings before your benefits start reducing (about 1/4 of your weekly benefit amount). Anything above that will reduce your benefits dollar-for-dollar. Most importantly, ALWAYS report your part-time work accurately each week. Being transparent now saves you from potential overpayment notices later.

when i fild mine i put yes for out f state since the company wasnt in WA even tho i work from home. the system isnt build for remote workers lol. didnt get me in truoble so far

ESD's system is totally confusing with remote work situations! When I had this issue, I called ESD directly to make sure I was doing it right. Took forever to get through though. For the "Did you work for any other company" question, you MUST include your current part-time job even if you can't find them in the search. There should be an option to add them manually with their business name, address and phone number. The EIN is helpful but not always required - I didn't have mine and just explained that in the comments section. For weekly claims, you'll need to report your part-time hours and earnings each week. The formula is that you can earn up to 1/4 of your weekly benefit amount without reduction, then after that they deduct dollar for dollar. So if your weekly benefit amount is $800, you could earn up to $200 without any reduction, then anything over that gets deducted. The most important thing is to be completely transparent about your work and earnings!

when I was trying to reach ESD about a similar situation, I was getting nowhere with their phone lines. A friend told me about Claimyr (claimyr.com) and it actually worked to get me connected to a real person. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Taking 10 minutes to talk directly with an ESD agent solved my confusion about part-time work on my claim. They walked me through the exact process for my situation.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO CONFUSE PEOPLE!!! I had a remote job situation and ended up with a $5,200 overpayment notice because I answered those questions wrong. ESD claimed I committed fraud when it was THEIR CONFUSING SYSTEM that caused the problem!!!! Make sure you document EVERYTHING. Take screenshots of what you submit. Write down the names of anyone you talk to at ESD. The system is rigged to catch people in technical mistakes so they can deny benefits!!!!

To directly answer your questions from my experience working with ESD claims: 1) No, don't answer yes to out-of-state work if you're physically in Washington. That question is about where you physically performed the work. 2) You need to manually add the employer. The system only automatically pulls Washington employers who report to Washington's UI system. 3) Yes, you must add the part-time employer. There should be an option to add manually if they don't appear in the search. 4) On your weekly claims, you'll report hours worked and gross earnings for each week. ESD uses a formula where you can keep some earnings (about 25% of your weekly benefit amount) before reductions start. Remember that your benefits will be based on your wages from your base year, which is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you applied. Your new part-time job won't affect your benefit amount calculation, but the ongoing earnings will reduce your weekly payments using the formula others have mentioned.

my cousin had this same problem last month! she said just call esd and explain. they fixed it for her on the phone. good luck!

To answer your follow-up question about documentation: You typically don't need to provide documentation upfront when adding an employer. However, ESD may contact you later for verification if they can't confirm your employment through other means. If they do request verification, pay stubs, an offer letter, or direct deposit records are usually sufficient. I recommend keeping these documents handy just in case. You might also want to inform your out-of-state employer that you've filed for unemployment in Washington, as ESD may contact them to verify your employment and earnings.

You got the math right! If your weekly benefit amount is $750, you can earn up to $187.50 without reduction. If you earn $300 in a week, your benefit would be reduced to $637.50 ($750 - ($300 - $187.50)). I track mine on a spreadsheet each week to make sure I understand what my benefit should be. It helps catch any potential errors in the system before they become bigger problems. Also, an important tip: make sure you report your gross earnings for the week you WORKED, not when you got paid. This trips up a lot of people!