Will Washington ESD know if I drive for Lyft while on unemployment?

Yes, you absolutely need to report any income from Lyft driving on your weekly claims. Washington ESD will likely find out anyway since Lyft reports earnings to the state. The good news is you can still work part-time and collect some unemployment - they just reduce your weekly benefit amount based on what you earn.

I drove for Uber while on unemployment last year and Washington ESD definitely knew about it. They cross-reference tax records and gig work gets reported. Just be honest on your weekly claims - I learned the hard way that trying to hide income leads to overpayment notices.

Pro tip: If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask questions about reporting gig work, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you actually reach an agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Way better than spending hours on hold.

Just want to clarify something important - when you report Lyft earnings, you need to report GROSS earnings, not net after expenses. Washington ESD doesn't care about your gas costs or car maintenance when calculating benefit reductions.

ugh why is everything so complicated with unemployment?? i just want to make enough money to eat while looking for a real job. the system is so messed up

Another thing to consider - make sure you're still meeting your job search requirements while driving for Lyft. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week, and gig work doesn't count toward that requirement.

I've been driving for DoorDash while on unemployment and Washington ESD has been fine with it as long as I report everything correctly. The key is being transparent on your weekly claims.

Wait, I thought you couldn't work at all while on unemployment? This is news to me...

Been there! I actually used Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD when I had questions about reporting gig work income. The agent explained everything clearly and it saved me a lot of confusion.

One more thing - if you're considering Lyft, make sure you understand the tax implications. You'll get a 1099 at the end of the year and need to pay self-employment taxes on that income.

honestly the washington esd system is so confusing, i wish they would just make it simple. why cant they have clear guidelines posted somewhere?

I've been driving for Lyft for 2 months while on unemployment and haven't had any issues. The key is accurate reporting on your weekly claims. Washington ESD actually makes it pretty straightforward once you know what to do.

Quick question - do you report Lyft earnings for the week you earned them or the week you got paid? Sometimes there's a delay with gig app payments.

I tried calling Washington ESD about this exact question last month and gave up after 3 hours on hold. Ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned and got through in 15 minutes. Game changer!

Just be aware that some weeks you might not make enough from Lyft to affect your benefits at all. Washington ESD has a threshold before they start reducing payments.

The bottom line is: be honest, report everything, and you'll be fine. Washington ESD isn't trying to trick you - they just want accurate information.

I went through this exact situation last year! Washington ESD definitely tracks gig work income through their data matching systems, so hiding it isn't worth the risk. I started with just weekend Lyft driving while job searching and it worked out fine. Just make sure to report your gross earnings (before expenses) on your weekly claims, and keep detailed records of when you worked versus when you got paid. The partial benefit system actually lets you supplement your income without losing all your UI benefits, which was a lifesaver for me during my job search.