Just wanted to share my recent experience with this exact situation! I was on Training Benefits for a dental assistant program and started working 15 hours/week at a retail job. The key is being super transparent with ESD from day one. When I started working, I called them directly to let them know and they actually appreciated the heads up. They walked me through exactly how to report my earnings and even helped me calculate what my weekly benefits would look like. One tip: keep a simple spreadsheet tracking your weekly hours and gross pay - it makes filling out the weekly claims so much easier and helps you plan ahead to make sure you don't accidentally earn too much in any given week. The combination of Training Benefits plus part-time income actually worked out great financially and I was able to complete my program without any issues!

I'm in a similar boat - just got approved for Training Benefits for a cybersecurity program and was offered a part-time remote job. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! One thing I wanted to add is that if you're doing an online/hybrid program like mine, make sure ESD knows your exact class schedule including any virtual components. I had to submit my detailed course schedule as part of my approval process, and I think having that documentation upfront will help if there are any questions later about work conflicts. Also, for anyone else reading this - the ESD website has a benefit calculator tool, but as others mentioned, it doesn't always work perfectly. I've found it helpful to do the math manually using the formula Connor shared (subtract $5, multiply remainder by 0.75, subtract from weekly benefit amount) and then double-check with the online tool if it's working. Planning to start my part-time work next week and feeling much more confident after reading everyone's experiences here!

One last tip - keep detailed records of your reduced hours and earnings. If Washington ESD ever questions your claim, you'll have documentation to back it up.

Just wanted to add that Washington state is actually pretty generous with partial unemployment compared to other states. The fact that you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount plus $5 before losing all benefits makes it really worthwhile for people with reduced hours. I've helped several coworkers navigate this process and it's definitely worth filing even if you think your earnings might be too high - let Washington ESD do the math for you.

The bottom line is that every situation is different. What worked for someone else might not apply to your specific circumstances. The only way to know for sure is to file and let Washington ESD review your case. Don't assume you're not eligible without trying.

As someone who's been through this process, I want to add that timing really matters when you file. Washington ESD uses a "base period" that looks at wages from 12-18 months ago, not your most recent work. So even if you've been contracting for years, if you had W-2 wages during the right timeframe, you could still qualify. I'd recommend gathering all your wage statements from the past 2 years before you apply - you might be surprised what qualifies. Also, if you do get approved, remember that you'll need to report any contract income you earn while collecting benefits. It doesn't necessarily disqualify you, but it will reduce your weekly benefit amount.

I went through something similar in 2023 - the identity verification process is definitely frustrating when it comes after you've already moved on from unemployment. One thing that helped me was also sending the documents via certified mail to create a paper trail, in addition to the fax. The address is Washington State Employment Security Department, PO Box 9046, Olympia, WA 98507-9046. Also, when you call to confirm they received your documents, ask specifically for the reference number they assign to your identity verification case - this makes it much easier to track progress when you call back. The whole process took about 3 weeks for me once they confirmed receipt. Hang in there - it's a pain but it does get resolved eventually!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - filed my claim in January and got hit with an identity verification issue from 2022 that I never knew about. It's so frustrating how they can hold up your current benefits for something that happened years ago when you weren't even actively claiming! I submitted my documents through both the online portal and fax about 10 days ago. Based on what everyone is sharing here, it sounds like I'm looking at another 2-3 weeks of waiting. The financial stress is real - I've already had to ask family for help with rent this month. One thing I learned from calling them (after using that Claimyr service someone mentioned - it really does work!) is that they process identity verification appeals in the order they receive them, so there's no way to expedite unless there's a true emergency situation. The agent also told me to keep detailed records of all my communication attempts in case I need to escalate later. Thanks for sharing your experience - it helps to know I'm not alone in this mess!

My sister had an overpayment of around $22k after the pandemic benefits ended. She won her appeal saying she wasn't at fault but still got stuck with the bill. She ended up having to set up a payment plan for like $50/month which basically means she'll be paying it forever. The whole system is ridiculous! By the way, has anybody tried contacting their state representatives about this stuff? I've heard sometimes they can help push things along with ESD?

I went through something very similar and it's absolutely maddening! What helped me was understanding that ESD has this bizarre two-track system - the appeal process determines fault/fraud, while the waiver process is purely about financial ability to repay. They're completely separate even though it makes no logical sense. A few things that made a difference in my case: - I got my state senator's office involved (seriously, call them!) - I resubmitted my waiver with way more documentation than I thought was necessary - Most importantly, I found out there's a difference between the standard waiver review and requesting a "conference" where you can actually speak to a decision-maker The conference option isn't well-publicized but you can request it in your appeal. Having someone actually listen to your situation rather than just reviewing paperwork on a checklist made all the difference for me. Also, make sure you're appealing the waiver denial and not just the overpayment itself - sounds like you might be mixing up the processes which is super easy to do since ESD doesn't explain any of this clearly. Don't give up! The system is designed to be confusing and exhausting, but persistence does pay off eventually.