Will Washington ESD know if I work another job while on unemployment?

Thanks for the heads up! So I report it on my weekly claim form right? Do I report the hours worked or just the gross pay amount?

Both - you need to report the hours worked AND the gross earnings for that week. Washington ESD will then calculate how it affects your weekly benefit amount.

Wow that's scary! How did they find out? Was it immediate or did it take a while?

took about 6 months before i got the overpayment notice. they cross-reference your social security number with employer wage reports

That's helpful! My weekly benefit is $540, so I could earn up to $180 without it affecting my benefits at all?

Exactly right. Washington ESD calls this the 'earnings deduction' - you get to keep some work income as an incentive to take part-time work while job searching.

wait this doesnt sound right, i thought ANY work reduced your benefits

No, that's a common misconception. Washington ESD specifically allows partial earnings without penalty to encourage people to take available work.

That sounds useful! I've been trying to call Washington ESD for days but keep getting disconnected.

how much does something like claimyr cost? seems like it might be worth it if it actually works

The service was definitely worth it for me - saved me hours of trying to get through. Check out their site for details, but it was much less stressful than the endless phone tree.

That's what I'm worried about! I definitely don't want to get in trouble, I just need help understanding what exactly to do.

honestly the system isnt that confusing if you just read the instructions carefully. they explain the reporting requirements pretty clearly

Easy for you to say! When you're stressed about bills and job hunting, everything feels overwhelming. The penalties are scary.

Perfect, thank you! So I do this every week I work, even if it's just a few hours?

Correct. Every single week you work any hours at all, report it on that week's claim. Better to over-report than under-report.

That's reassuring! Are you still required to do the job search activities even when working part-time?

yep still gotta do the job search stuff and keep your log. working part time doesnt excuse you from that requirement

The part-time job is pretty flexible, mostly evenings and weekends. I should still be available for interviews and full-time work during regular business hours.

That sounds fine then. Just make sure you can honestly answer 'yes' to the availability questions on your weekly claims.

what if the part time job wants you to work during the day sometimes? does that disqualify you?

It depends on how often and whether you can still accept full-time job offers. Occasional day shifts probably won't be an issue, but regular daytime availability requirements might be problematic.

Did they give you any tips beyond just reporting the income? I want to make sure I don't miss anything.

The agent mentioned keeping your own records of what you report, in case there are any discrepancies later. Screenshot your weekly claim submissions or print them out.

Oh wow, I wouldn't have thought of that distinction. So if I work Monday-Friday but don't get paid until the following Tuesday, I report it for the week I actually worked?

exactly right. its based on when the work was performed, not when payment is received

You should report that on your next weekly claim and explain it was work from a previous week. Washington ESD allows corrections, and it's better to self-report than get caught later.

Will they penalize me for reporting it late? I'm scared to bring attention to it now.

They're usually more lenient if you voluntarily correct the error rather than waiting for them to find it. Call them or use one of those services like Claimyr to ask about the best way to handle it.

Part-time work doesn't count toward your job search requirement. You still need to complete the required number of job search activities each week, which is typically 3 for most claimants.

ugh that seems like a lot when youre already working some hours. guess i better keep applying to jobs then

yeah the job search thing is annoying but they do check those logs sometimes during audits

Same here! This has been super helpful. I feel much better about taking the job now that I understand the reporting requirements.

Great idea! I'll definitely do that. Better safe than sorry with Washington ESD.

i learned this the hard way during an overpayment dispute. thankfully i had kept records and was able to prove i reported everything correctly

That's exactly what I was thinking - getting it straight from Washington ESD would make me feel a lot more confident about doing this right.

same, sometimes you just need to hear it from an actual washington esd person to feel comfortable proceeding