What happens if you work and collect unemployment in Washington state?

You absolutely CAN work part-time while collecting unemployment in Washington! You just need to report it correctly on your weekly claim. Washington ESD will reduce your benefit amount based on how much you earn. Generally, you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount before they start deducting dollar-for-dollar. So if your weekly benefit is $400, you could potentially earn up to $400 without losing all your benefits.

just make sure you report EVERYTHING. i learned this the hard way when i didnt report some cash work and got hit with a $2800 overpayment notice. washington esd does NOT mess around with unreported work

I had a similar situation last year and honestly, calling Washington ESD to ask specific questions about my work situation was the best thing I did. But getting through was a nightmare - I must have tried calling dozens of times. Finally discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to actual ESD agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Worth checking out if you need to talk to someone at ESD about your specific work situation.

The formula is actually pretty straightforward once you understand it. Let's say your weekly benefit amount is $350. If you work part-time and earn $200 that week, you'd still get $150 in unemployment benefits ($350 - $200 = $150). But there's also a small earnings disregard - I think it's around $5 per week where you can earn that much without any reduction to benefits.

ugh the washington esd system is so confusing!! why cant they just explain this stuff clearly on their website instead of making us guess

One thing to keep in mind - you still need to meet the job search requirements even if you're working part-time. Don't let the part-time work make you forget to log your job search activities in WorkSourceWA. That's another common mistake people make.

I'm dealing with something similar but I think I messed up already. I worked a few days last month and reported it, but I think I reported the wrong amount. My employer paid me in cash and I estimated what I thought it was worth per hour, but now I'm worried I got it wrong. Should I call and try to correct it?

The system actually works pretty well once you understand it. I worked part-time for about 3 months while collecting unemployment and it helped bridge the gap until I found full-time work. Just be meticulous about reporting - date worked, hours, gross pay before any deductions. Don't try to be clever about it.

whatever you do dont listen to people who tell you not to report small amounts of work. i know someone who thought $50 here and there wouldnt matter and ended up owing thousands back to esd

Also worth noting - if your part-time earnings plus your reduced unemployment benefits end up being less than your full unemployment benefit, you might want to calculate whether the work is worth it financially. Sometimes the hassle isn't worth a small net gain, especially when you factor in work-related expenses like transportation.

I tried to call ESD about this exact question last week and gave up after 2 hours of busy signals. The phone system is absolutely broken. How are people supposed to get clarification on important stuff like this?

Been working part-time while collecting for 2 months now. The key things I've learned: 1) Report work for the week you actually performed it, not when you got paid, 2) Report gross earnings before taxes, 3) Include ALL hours worked even if some were unpaid training, 4) Keep detailed records of everything in case there are questions later.

dont overthink it too much. thousands of people work part time while on unemployment every week. just be honest about what you earned and when you worked and youll be fine

One thing that caught me off guard - if you work enough hours or earn enough in a week, you might not be eligible for ANY unemployment benefits that week, even if you're still technically unemployed. This happened to me when I picked up some overtime shifts. Just something to be aware of.

I work in HR and see this situation a lot. The biggest mistake people make is not understanding that unemployment benefits are meant to partially replace lost wages, not supplement existing income. Working part-time while collecting is totally legal and encouraged, but you need to be transparent about it.

my cousin got audited by esd like 6 months after she was working part time while collecting. they wanted pay stubs, work schedules, everything. she had reported everything correctly so it was fine but it was still stressful. keep good records!

The bottom line is this: Washington ESD wants you to find work, including part-time work. They're not trying to trap you or trick you. As long as you're honest about your work and earnings, you'll be fine. The problems only come when people try to hide work or misrepresent their earnings.

Just wanted to add - if you ever get confused about how much to report or have questions about specific situations, don't hesitate to reach out to ESD for clarification. Getting the right information upfront is always better than guessing and dealing with problems later.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar boat - been on unemployment for about 2 months and just got offered a seasonal retail position for the holidays. Reading everyone's experiences has really clarified things for me. The main takeaways I'm getting are: report everything honestly, keep detailed records, and don't stress too much about the process since it's designed to help people transition back to work. One question though - for seasonal work that might only last 6-8 weeks, do I need to do anything special when that job ends and I go back to just collecting unemployment? Or do I just continue filing my weekly claims as normal?

This is such a helpful thread! I've been on unemployment for about 3 weeks and was nervous about even looking for part-time work because I didn't understand how it would affect my benefits. Reading everyone's experiences here has been really reassuring. It sounds like the key points are: 1) Always report work honestly and accurately, 2) Keep detailed records of hours and earnings, 3) Remember you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount before losing benefits dollar-for-dollar, and 4) Continue job search activities even while working part-time. One thing I'm still wondering about - when you report work on your weekly claim, do you report the gross amount before taxes, or the net amount you actually received? I want to make sure I get this right from the start!

I've been working part-time while collecting unemployment for about 4 months now and it's been a lifesaver financially. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should also be prepared for your benefits to potentially end sooner if you're working regularly. Even though you're earning less than your full weekly benefit amount, those partial benefit weeks still count toward your total benefit year. So if you were originally eligible for 26 weeks of benefits, working part-time doesn't extend that timeline - you'll still max out after 26 weeks total. Just something to keep in mind for your longer-term planning. But definitely take the part-time work! It helps with both finances and keeping your skills sharp while you search for full-time employment.

I've been through this exact situation and want to emphasize something that might not be obvious - when you start working part-time, make sure you understand how your work schedule affects your availability for other job opportunities. Washington ESD requires that you be available for full-time work, so if your part-time schedule is very rigid or conflicts with potential interviews, you might need to address that. I learned this when I had to turn down an interview because of my part-time work schedule and realized I needed to have a conversation with my part-time employer about flexibility for job search activities. Most reasonable employers understand this situation, but it's worth discussing upfront. Also, don't forget that any work-related expenses (like transportation or uniforms) don't offset your reported earnings - you still report the full gross amount even if you had costs associated with the work.