Will I still get partial ESD benefits working 20 hrs/week at $21/hr?

Yes, you can potentially still receive partial benefits, but it depends on your earnings. When you work part-time, ESD uses what's called the "earnings deduction" formula. They subtract 75% of your gross earnings from your weekly benefit amount. So in your case: - 20 hours × $21 = $420 gross weekly earnings - 75% of $420 = $315 earnings deduction - $312 weekly benefit - $315 earnings deduction = -$3 Unfortunately, since your earnings deduction ($315) is higher than your weekly benefit amount ($312), you wouldn't receive any UI benefits for weeks you work this schedule. But if your hours vary week to week, you might qualify some weeks.

Ughhh I HATE this system!! I had almost the exact same situation last year and it's literally designed to keep you poor!! You'll make $420 from the part-time job but lose $312 in benefits, so you're only gaining $108 by working 20 hours!? That's like $5.40 an hour for your time when you factor in what you're losing. THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!!!

dont forget you still gotta do the 3 job search activities evry week even if you get the part time job unless you get approved for standby

Have you tried calling ESD to ask? They can give you the exact calculation based on your specific claim info. I tried for TWO WEEKS to get through to someone about my partial benefit question and finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an agent. They have this video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Saved me hours of redial hell and the ESD agent was able to tell me exactly what I'd get with my part-time hours.

I was in your situaton last month! took the part time job and ya didnt get any more unemployment BUT i still file every week just in case my hours go down. my boss sometimes only gives me 15 hours and those weeks i do get a small payment from esd. better than nothing right?

One important thing no one has mentioned: even if you don't receive monetary benefits, accepting part-time work while continuing to file can extend your benefit year. Your weekly claims during weeks you work part-time don't count against your maximum benefit amount if you receive zero payment. This means those benefits remain available for later use if needed. Also, remember that in Washington state, you must report your gross earnings for the week in which you earned them, not when you get paid. Be sure to accurately report hours and earnings each week to avoid overpayment issues later.

If you're on the edge of qualifying, sometimes it helps to precisely calculate your earnings deduction. The 75% rule means you can earn up to 133% of your weekly benefit amount before benefits zero out completely. In your case, with a $312 weekly benefit, you could earn up to about $416 and still receive some partial benefit. At $420, you're just barely over the threshold. If your hours were reduced even slightly (like 19.75 instead of 20), you might qualify for a small amount.

im confused... if your getting $21 an hour why dont you jus take the job? thats good money