Washington ESD - what do i do when i get a job on unemployment benefits?

You need to report ANY work immediately on your next weekly claim. Don't wait! Washington ESD requires you to report all work and earnings, even if it's just one day. They'll calculate your partial benefits based on your earnings.

Thanks! So I report it on my Sunday weekly claim filing? Do I report the hours worked or the money earned?

Report both the hours AND the gross earnings. Washington ESD uses both to determine your partial benefit amount.

congrats on the job! yeah def report it asap. i made the mistake of not reporting work right away and had to pay back like $800 in overpayments

Yikes! How long did it take them to catch that you didn't report it?

took about 2 months then i got a scary letter in the mail saying i owed money back

Here's what you need to know about working while on unemployment in Washington:\n\n1. Report ALL work on your weekly claim, even if it's just a few hours\n2. You can earn up to your weekly benefit amount minus $5 without it affecting your UI\n3. After that, they deduct dollar-for-dollar from your benefits\n4. You still need to meet job search requirements unless you're working 35+ hours\n5. Keep detailed records of all work and earnings

This is super helpful! One more question - do I still need to do job searches if I'm only working 25 hours?

Yes, you still need to complete your required job search activities since you're working less than 35 hours per week. Washington ESD considers this part-time work.

wait really? i thought if you had any job you didn't need to do job searches anymore

I've been dealing with this exact situation for months and it's been a nightmare trying to get through to Washington ESD to clarify things. Their phone lines are constantly busy and when you do get through, you get different answers from different people.

Have you tried using Claimyr? I found out about it recently and it actually got me through to a Washington ESD agent in like 20 minutes. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Never heard of that before. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?

It's legit - I was skeptical too but it worked for me. They basically auto-dial and wait in the queue for you. Check out claimyr.com if you want to see for yourself.

THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! I've been trying to get clarification on part-time work rules for WEEKS and can't get anyone on the phone. How are we supposed to follow the rules if nobody can explain them???

I feel your pain! The phone system is ridiculous.

The rules are actually pretty clear if you read the handbook on their website. The phone lines are just overloaded.

Quick question - do I report work on the week I do it or the week I get paid? I'm confused about the timing.

You report work for the week you actually performed it, not when you get paid. So if you worked Monday-Friday, you report it on that week's claim.

Got it, thanks! That makes sense.

Also make sure you understand the difference between gross and net earnings. Washington ESD wants your GROSS earnings (before taxes and deductions) when you report work.

Good point! I almost would have reported my take-home pay instead.

yeah this tripped me up too when i first started working part time

Wait, I'm confused about something. If I work 25 hours and make $400 but my weekly benefit is $350, do I get any unemployment that week?

No, you wouldn't get any unemployment that week. Washington ESD allows you to earn up to your weekly benefit amount minus $5 without reduction. After that, it's dollar-for-dollar deduction.

So in my example, I could earn up to $345 and still get my full $350 benefit?

Exactly! But once you earn $346 or more, they start reducing your benefit payment.

this whole thread is making me paranoid that i messed up my reporting. is there a way to check if washington esd thinks you owe them money?

Yes, you can check your account online or call them. They'll send you a letter if there's an overpayment issue.

I had to use that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier to get through and check my account status. Totally worth it to avoid the endless busy signals.

Does anyone know if temp work needs to be reported differently than regular part-time work? I do gig work sometimes and I'm never sure how to report it.

All work must be reported the same way - hours worked and gross earnings for the week you performed the work. Doesn't matter if it's temp, gig, or regular employment.

Thanks! That simplifies things a lot.

Be careful with those job search requirements too! Even though you're working part-time, you still need to complete your weekly job search activities. I got dinged for not doing them properly.

What exactly counts as a job search activity? I want to make sure I'm doing it right.

Applications, networking events, job fairs, informational interviews. You need 3 activities per week and they have to be documented in WorkSourceWA.

workSourceWA is such a pain to use but you gotta do it

Just want to add - keep really good records of everything! Hours worked, pay stubs, when you reported it. If there's ever a question, you'll be glad you have documentation.

Good advice! I'll start a folder with all my work records.

yes! i learned this the hard way during an audit. keep everything

One more thing - make sure your employer knows you're on unemployment. Some employers don't realize they need to report wages to Washington ESD too.

Should I mention this to my new boss on my first day?

Yeah, just let HR know. Most employers are familiar with this but it's good to be upfront about it.

I've been in this situation for 6 months now with part-time work. The key is being consistent and honest with your reporting. Washington ESD will work with you as long as you're transparent.

That's reassuring! I was worried they'd just cut off my benefits completely.

Nope! The system is actually designed to help people transition back to full-time work. Part-time work is totally normal.

For what it's worth, I used Claimyr when I had questions about my partial benefits calculation and the agent I spoke with was really helpful. Sometimes it's worth the cost to get accurate information quickly.

Thanks for the recommendation! Sounds like a few people here have had good experiences with it.

what's the website again? i might need to try this

It's claimyr.com - they have a demo video too that explains how it works.

Just to add another perspective - I've been working part-time while on unemployment for about 3 months now and it's actually worked out really well. The key things that helped me were: 1) Setting up a simple spreadsheet to track my hours and earnings each week, 2) Always reporting on Sunday when I file my weekly claim (never wait!), and 3) Taking screenshots of my weekly claim submissions as proof. The partial benefits have been a lifesaver while I look for full-time work. Don't stress too much about it - as long as you're honest and report everything, Washington ESD is pretty reasonable to work with.