What to do with Washington ESD unemployment when you get a job - need help stopping benefits

Congratulations on the job! You need to report this on your next weekly claim filing. There's a specific question about job offers and start dates. Don't just stop filing without reporting the job first or Washington ESD might think you're avoiding reporting work. Once you start working, you'll stop being eligible for benefits.

definitely report it on your weekly claim, there's usually a section asking about job offers and when you start work. once you start the job you won't be able to certify as available for work anymore so your benefits will stop automatically

I had this same situation last year and couldn't get through to Washington ESD on the phone to ask questions. Spent hours trying to call but kept getting the busy signal or got disconnected. Eventually found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that helped me get through to an actual person at Washington ESD. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Really saved me from stressing about whether I was doing everything right.

Make sure you understand the difference between a job offer and actually starting work. If you just got an offer but haven't started yet, you might still be eligible for this week's benefits depending on your start date. Washington ESD looks at when you actually become unavailable for other work.

ugh i hate this part of the unemployment system. like why make it so confusing? just got a part time job and had to figure out all this reporting stuff too. seems like they make it complicated on purpose

The key thing is to file your weekly claim this week and answer all the questions honestly about your job situation. When you start working full-time Monday, you won't be able to certify that you're able and available for work anymore, so your benefits will end naturally. Don't overthink it - just be truthful on your weekly certification.

had this happen to me twice. first time i panicked and called washington esd but couldnt get through. second time i just reported it on my weekly claim and everything worked out fine. they stop your benefits automatically once you report full time work

One more thing to keep in mind - if for some reason the job doesn't work out in the first few weeks, you can potentially reopen your unemployment claim. Don't delete any of your Washington ESD account information or paperwork just yet. Give it at least a month to make sure the job is stable.

also make sure you keep track of your last day of unemployment benefits for tax purposes. youll get a 1099-G form from washington esd next year showing how much you received in unemployment compensation

Wait, I'm confused. Do you report job offers or just when you actually start working? I have an interview next week and don't want to mess up my benefits if I get an offer.

Actually if anyone else is having trouble reaching Washington ESD about employment questions, I mentioned Claimyr earlier but wanted to add that they were really helpful when I needed to talk to someone about partial work reporting. Sometimes you just need to speak with an actual person to make sure you're doing everything correctly.

this is why i always screenshot my weekly claim submissions. that way if there are any questions later about when i reported what, i have proof of what i submitted and when

Congrats on the job! Just to add to what others said - make sure your employer knows you were receiving unemployment benefits if it comes up during onboarding. Some employers ask about it and it's better to be upfront. Nothing wrong with having been on unemployment.

I made the mistake of not reporting a job offer once because I thought it might fall through. Got a nasty letter from Washington ESD about it later. Even if you're not sure the job will work out, report it anyway. Better to over-report than under-report.

honestly the washington esd weekly claim questions are pretty straightforward. they ask about work, job offers, availability, etc. just answer them truthfully and youll be fine. the system is designed to catch these transitions

One thing that helped me was reading through the Washington ESD handbook on their website. Has a whole section about returning to work and what you need to report. Might be worth checking out if you want all the details in writing.

just wanted to say good luck with the new job! its always nerve wracking starting somewhere new but youll do great. and dont stress too much about the unemployment stuff - sounds like you have good advice here

To summarize for the OP: file your weekly claim this week, report your job offer and start date, then once you start working full-time you won't be eligible for benefits anymore. Washington ESD will handle stopping your claim automatically. Keep your records and don't stress about it - you're doing the right thing by asking questions.

Actually one more thing - if you're starting a job that might have a probationary period, you might want to ask Washington ESD about that too. Some people keep their claim open during probation just in case, but I'm not sure what the rules are on that.

For anyone else reading this thread who needs to talk to Washington ESD about work-related questions, I'll mention Claimyr one more time. Really helped me when I was confused about partial work reporting. Their service connects you with Washington ESD agents without the usual phone hassles. Check out claimyr.com if you're having trouble getting through.