What is earning allowance unemployment for Washington ESD claims?

Wait so I can make $121 and still get my full $487? That seems too good to be true

Exactly right! It's designed to encourage people to take part-time work while looking for full-time employment. Just make sure you report all earnings accurately on your weekly claim.

Where exactly on their website did you find the clear explanation? I've been searching and keep getting lost in all the different pages

I think it was under the 'Working While Claiming Benefits' section, but honestly I had to call them to get it explained properly

Ugh calling them is impossible though, I've tried like 20 times and either get busy signal or hung up on after waiting forever

Is that legit? Sounds too good to be true, how much does it cost?

It's totally legitimate, they just handle the phone queue frustration for you. Much better than spending hours trying to get through yourself.

I was skeptical too but tried it last week when I had an adjudication issue. Actually got connected to someone at Washington ESD within like 30 minutes instead of the usual nightmare

Thank you! This makes so much more sense now. So I'd actually be better off working as long as I don't earn more than like $650 total per week?

Exactly, there's a break-even point where working more hours might not be worth it unless you're earning significantly more. The system is designed to make working part-time always financially beneficial.

If Washington ESD was calculating your deductions incorrectly, you should definitely contact them to review your past claims. They can adjust payments if there were errors.

How the hell am I supposed to contact them though? I've been trying for weeks about another issue

This is exactly why I mentioned Claimyr earlier - when you have complex issues like potential overpayments or calculation errors, you really need to talk to an actual person at Washington ESD

Good point, I've been keeping up with my job search log. Do they ever audit those?

They can request to see your job search records at any time, so definitely keep detailed logs of everything you do

Yes, all tips must be reported as earnings in the week you receive them, not when they're paid out on your paycheck

Ugh that's going to be complicated to track. Do I report cash tips at actual amount or do I estimate?

You need to report the actual amounts. Keep a daily log of your tips - it's required for tax purposes anyway

What's considered too many hours? I'm working about 20 hours a week right now

There's no exact number but generally if you're working more than 30-32 hours they start questioning your availability. 20 hours should be fine as long as you're still actively looking

That's exactly my situation now. I was worried about taking any work at all because I thought it would mess up my unemployment

Nope, Washington actually encourages it! Just be super accurate with your reporting and you'll be fine

The earning allowance rules are the same regardless of whether it's seasonal or regular part-time work. Just make sure to report everything accurately

Perfect, thanks! I was worried seasonal might have different rules

Same here! I've been turning down shifts because I was scared it would mess up my claim

Right? They should put this information front and center instead of buried in their FAQ section

What kind of review? Like they'd question whether I'm really looking for full-time work?

Possibly, or they might want to verify your earnings reports. As long as you're honest and have documentation you'll be fine

Your employer doesn't need to know details about your unemployment claim. Just focus on doing your job well and reporting your earnings accurately to Washington ESD

Good to know, I was worried they might try to interfere somehow

Exactly! I think I've got a good balance now where I'm earning about $300 a week from part-time work plus getting reduced UI benefits

That sounds like a sweet spot! You're probably bringing in more total income than just unemployment alone

When is the deadline each week? I usually file my weekly claim on Sunday

You have until the following Saturday to file for the previous week, but don't push it. Filing consistently on the same day each week is the safest approach

I used Claimyr too when I had questions about my standby status and part-time earnings. Worth it to avoid the phone tree nightmare

I might try this if I run into any issues. Better than spending whole days trying to get through

Totally agree! It's giving me time to be selective about the full-time positions I apply for instead of just taking the first thing that comes along

Exactly the point of the program. Good luck with your job search!

Oh that's interesting, I hadn't thought about training programs. Does that affect your job search requirements?

Some approved training programs can actually substitute for your job search activities. Worth looking into if there's something you want to learn

Glad we could help! Just remember to keep detailed records of everything and you'll be fine

Yes, thank you all! This community is so much more helpful than trying to navigate the Washington ESD website alone