Who qualifies for partial unemployment benefits in Washington - confused about eligibility

That's a relief! Do I still need to look for other jobs while getting partial benefits?

Yes, you still need to meet the job search requirements - typically 3 job search activities per week. But since you're already employed, some of those can be things like asking your current employer about additional hours.

How long did it take for your claim to get approved? I'm worried about the adjudication process.

Mine was pretty straightforward since I had clear documentation that my hours were reduced by my employer. Took about 2 weeks to get my first payment.

Oh wow, I didn't know about the $5 rule. So if my benefit would be $200 and I earn $206 in a week, I get nothing?

Exactly. But if you earn $205 or less, you'd still get a small partial payment. It's frustrating but that's how the system works.

I had the same problem until someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows exactly how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

Never heard of it but I'm desperate at this point. Does it actually work for getting through to real agents?

Yeah, it connects you with actual Washington ESD staff. Way better than sitting on hold for hours or getting hung up on.

Good to know! What day of the week do you file? Is there a deadline?

you can file starting sunday for the previous week, deadline is saturday night. I always do mine sunday morning so I dont forget

What if someone hasn't worked long enough to have a full base period? Like if they just started working 6 months ago?

They might qualify under the alternative base period, which uses the most recent 4 quarters. Washington ESD will automatically check this if you don't qualify under the standard base period.

You can look for either, but you need to be genuinely available for full-time work if it's offered. The job search activities can include asking your current employer about more hours, applying for second jobs, or looking for full-time positions elsewhere.

That makes sense. I'll start keeping a log of my job search activities just in case they ask.

Do they contact your employer directly? I don't want to cause problems at work.

They might for verification purposes, but it's routine and employers expect it. Your boss should understand since they're the ones who reduced your hours.

Yikes, I hadn't thought about that. Should I give my manager a heads up that I'm filing?

It's not required, but it might be good to mention it casually. Frame it as needing help while business is slow, not as something they did wrong.

There's no waiting week in Washington anymore. That was eliminated a few years ago. You can get paid starting from your first eligible week.

Oh great! I was dreading having to wait an extra week for my first payment.

That's awesome! I've been trying to get through for days about my adjudication issue. Might have to check that out.

Yeah, way better than the endless busy signals and hold music. The agent was actually helpful too, not rushed like I expected.

So if my weekly benefit is $250 and I earn $100, I'd get $150 from unemployment?

Not quite - you'd get $155 because of the $5 disregard. So they subtract $95 from your $250 benefit.

Got it! That actually makes a big difference over time.

Can you choose to have taxes taken out automatically?

yes when you file your initial claim theres an option to have 10% withheld for federal taxes. I always do this to avoid a big tax bill later

Same time limits apply - you can collect for up to 26 weeks in Washington, whether it's partial or full unemployment. The clock starts ticking from when you first file your claim.

Good to know. Hopefully business picks up before then and I can get back to full-time hours.

That's smart advice. I'll start keeping better records of everything.

Yeah, better to have it and not need it than the other way around. My sister had to provide her work schedule changes during an interview.

That's really helpful! So I could potentially go back and forth between partial and no benefits as my hours change?

Exactly. As long as you're within your benefit year and haven't exhausted your benefits, you can file whenever your hours drop below full-time again.

Thanks for the encouragement! I was feeling a bit awkward about filing while still employed, but you're right that it's designed for situations like this.

Absolutely! Partial unemployment exists specifically for people whose hours have been cut through no fault of their own. You've earned these benefits through your previous work.

Right? The agents they connect you with actually seem to know what they're talking about, unlike some of the responses I've gotten through the online messaging system.

Definitely. It was worth it just to get clear answers instead of guessing whether I was doing everything correctly.

You're right, I think I've been overthinking this. I'll file this weekend and see what happens.

good plan! the online application isnt too bad and they walk you through everything step by step

Perfect summary! This thread has been incredibly helpful. I feel much more confident about filing now.

Glad we could help! Partial unemployment can be confusing at first but it's a great safety net while you're dealing with reduced hours.

That's a great point about SharedWork programs! I hadn't heard of that option before. Do you know if there's a way to find out which employers in Washington participate in those programs, or is it something you have to ask your employer directly? It sounds like it could be a win-win situation if multiple people at my store are dealing with the same hour cuts.

You'd need to ask your employer directly about SharedWork programs - they have to apply to participate in it through Washington ESD. From what I understand, the employer has to demonstrate that it's a temporary reduction due to business conditions and that it affects multiple employees. It's definitely worth bringing up with your manager since it sounds like your whole store is dealing with reduced hours due to slow business. If they're not already enrolled, they might be interested in looking into it as an alternative to individual partial unemployment claims.

This is really valuable information about SharedWork programs! I had no idea this was even an option. Given that my manager mentioned business is slow and they can't give anyone full hours right now, this could actually be perfect for our situation. I'm going to bring this up with my manager tomorrow and see if they'd be interested in looking into it. Even if they're not able to set it up quickly, I can still file for partial unemployment in the meantime. Thanks for mentioning this - it's exactly the kind of alternative solution I didn't know existed!

I actually participated in a SharedWork program at my previous job during the 2020 slowdown and it worked really well. The process took about 2-3 weeks for our employer to get approved, but once it was set up, we all had our hours reduced by 20% and got unemployment benefits to make up most of the difference. The nice thing was that everyone kept their health insurance and other benefits since we were all still technically employed full-time. Your manager would need to submit a plan showing how many employees would be affected and for how long, but Washington ESD was pretty responsive when businesses were struggling. Definitely worth suggesting, especially since it sounds like multiple people at your store are in the same boat!