Will ESD cut my unemployment benefits if I accept an on-call part-time job?

You won't lose all your benefits! ESD has a specific formula for partial unemployment. You can work part-time and still receive some benefits as long as you report your hours and earnings accurately each week. They deduct 75% of your gross earnings from your weekly benefit amount. So if you earn $200 in a week and your WBA is $750, they'd deduct $150 (75% of $200) and you'd still get $600 in benefits that week. The important thing is to accurately report ALL hours worked and ALL earnings when you file your weekly claim. Never skip reporting even small amounts - that can lead to overpayment notices later.

U shud take the job! They cant deny u benefits just for working a little bit. I did Doordash while on unemplyment last year and just reported my earnings each week. My benifits just got reduced a little but I still got most of them.

TAKE THE JOB!!! I made the mistake of turning down part-time work because I was scared of losing my benefits and then ESD disqualified me for refusing suitable work!!! They said I should have taken the job and just reported the earnings. The system is DESIGNED to trap you - if you refuse work they can disqualify you, if you don't report it they'll say you committed fraud!!! So frustrating!!!!!

I had this exact situation in January 2025. I took an on-call retail job (10-18 hours/week) while on UI. Here's what I learned: 1. You MUST report all hours and earnings each week when you file your weekly claim 2. Your benefits will be reduced but not eliminated (as long as you don't earn more than your weekly benefit amount) 3. You still need to complete 3 job search activities each week 4. Being "on-call" but not getting called in still counts as "available for work" 5. If you miss a full-time job opportunity because you're scheduled for on-call work, you could potentially be disqualified For me, it actually worked out well because I got partial benefits plus the extra income from the part-time job.

I tried calling ESD last week about almost the same issue (I was offered contract work), and it took me THREE DAYS of calling to finally reach someone. They kept disconnecting me after waiting on hold forever. I finally found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an ESD agent in less than 30 minutes. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 - their website is claimyr.com. It was definitely worth it to get a clear answer about my situation instead of guessing.

They told me I could accept the contract work as long as I reported the hours and earnings each week. The agent explained that I'd still qualify for partial unemployment as long as I didn't earn more than my weekly benefit amount AND I remained available for full-time work. The key is being honest about everything and continuing to look for full-time employment.

One important detail: even if your on-call job doesn't schedule you any hours in a particular week, you still need to list them as an employer when you file your weekly claim. Just report zero hours and zero earnings for that week. This keeps everything accurate in the system so you don't run into problems later. Also, keep detailed records of all hours worked, pay received, and when you reported it. If ESD ever questions anything, having good documentation will save you a lot of headaches.

There's some confusion in this thread about how the calculation works. Here's the exact formula ESD uses: 1. They subtract $5 from your gross earnings 2. They subtract 75% of the remaining amount from your weekly benefit For example: If you earn $100 in a week and your weekly benefit is $500: $100 - $5 = $95 $95 × 75% = $71.25 $500 - $71.25 = $428.75 (your adjusted benefit) Total income: $100 + $428.75 = $528.75 So you actually end up with MORE total income than just receiving unemployment alone. Just make sure you always report accurately and maintain your job search activities.

Thank you all SO much for your advice! I'm going to accept the on-call position and make sure I report everything accurately. I'll keep searching for full-time work and completing my job search activities every week. It's a huge relief to know I can earn some extra money without losing all my benefits. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to share your experiences and knowledge!