What happens if I keep collecting Washington ESD unemployment while working - need advice

Thanks for the info. Do you know exactly how they calculate the deduction? I'm making about $200 a week part-time.

They deduct dollar for dollar after you earn more than your weekly benefit amount divided by 4, plus $5. So if your weekly benefit is $400, you can earn up to $105 before deductions start.

How did they catch him? I thought it would be hard for them to track that stuff.

employers report wages to the state quarterly. when Washington ESD does their cross-check they see if you reported correctly or not

That's interesting, I've been trying to call Washington ESD for days with no luck. How much does that service cost?

I'd rather not get into pricing details here, but it was worth it for me to get accurate information directly from Washington ESD rather than guessing and potentially getting in trouble.

I used Claimyr too when I had questions about my job search requirements. Much easier than trying to get through on your own.

Wow that's scary. I definitely don't want any of that to happen. Better to be safe and report everything correctly.

yeah my neighbor got hit with an overpayment notice for like $4500 because she didn't report some cash work she did. took her months to sort it out

Good point, I was wondering about that. So even if I only take home $150 after taxes, I need to report the full $200?

Exactly. Always report the full amount before any deductions.

I agree it's confusing, but the rules are there to prevent people from double-dipping. Just be honest and report everything - it's better to have reduced benefits than to get caught in fraud.

i guess you're right. just wish there was better guidance from Washington ESD about all this stuff

That's really helpful to know from the employer side. I had no idea they automatically reported wages to the state.

How often do employers report to Washington ESD? Is it monthly or quarterly?

Quarterly wage reports are standard, but Washington ESD can also request information at any time if they're investigating a claim.

That's exactly what I need - clear guidance from an actual Washington ESD representative. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Did they tell you anything specific about temporary work vs permanent part-time work? I'm in a similar boat.

They said it doesn't matter if it's temp or permanent - you still have to report all wages the same way on your weekly claim.

Ouch, that sounds awful. How did they find out about the cash work?

the person who paid me apparently reported it on their taxes as contractor payments. Washington ESD got the info during their cross-match process

This is why I always tell people to assume Washington ESD will find out about ANY income. Better safe than sorry.

That's a good way to look at it. I was thinking of it as something that would get me in trouble, but you're right - they want people to work.

exactly! the whole point of partial benefits is to encourage people to take part-time work while they look for full-time employment

Good reminder! I've been so focused on the wage reporting I almost forgot about the job search requirements.

How many hours do you have to work before they waive the job search requirement?

I believe it's 30+ hours per week, but you should verify that with Washington ESD since requirements can change.

Definitely taking this seriously now. I had no idea it could escalate to court proceedings.

Most cases don't go to court unless it's intentional fraud for large amounts, but why risk it? Just be honest about your income.

I hadn't thought about that benefit. Thanks for pointing that out.

Plus keeping some work history going can help when you apply for jobs. Employers like to see you stayed active even during unemployment.

I'll definitely check out those worksheets. Do you happen to know where on their website they're located?

I think they're in the weekly claim section, but honestly their website can be hard to navigate. Might be easier to call and ask, or use that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier.

Yeah, I found it much easier to get clarification by talking to an actual person through Claimyr rather than trying to interpret the forms myself.

That makes a lot of sense. Better to be transparent and work with them than to try to hide anything.

Exactly! I always tell people - treat Washington ESD like a partner in your job search, not an adversary. They're there to help you transition back to work.