You may be asking yourself “Can I still get unemployment while I’m working?” It’s possible. OESC will make a week-by-week decision about whether your part-time work disqualifies you from benefits. Each week when you file, you have to report 2 things: your hours worked and your GROSS earnings. But you still have to meet all the other filing requirements each week, including looking for work.
You MUST Report Your Hours & Earnings EVERY Week
Sometimes people don’t want to report that they worked because they fear it will “mess up” their claim. But you can cause yourself bigger problems if you don’t report that you’re working. Employers report their newly hired employees to a database which is crossmatched against active unemployment claims. If your claim is matched with a new hire report, your claim will be flagged for investigation. You’ll more than likely end up with an overpayment. And depending on how long you’ve been working without reporting and collecting unemployment, your overpayment could be classified as fraud.
Report The Number of Hours You worked
Every week when you file your claim, report the number of hours you worked for the week. You may also be asked to report your normal hours – or the number of hours you worked each week BEFORE you filed for unemployment. OESC defines “full-time” work as 32 hours per week. So as long as you worked less than 32 hours during the week you’re claiming, you clear the first hurdle to collect benefits while working.
Report Your GROSS Earnings for The Week You Worked
The second hurdle involves your earnings. You must report your GROSS earnings (before taxes) each week that you work. Earnings must be reported on the week you EARN the money, not when you’re paid. You do not have to report the money again when you’re paid. Each week that you work less than 32 hours, the claim system will compare your reported earnings to your weekly benefit amount. You can earn your weekly benefit + $100 before you are denied for the week. The first $100 you earn each week will not reduce your benefit, but after that, your benefits will be reduced dollar-for-dollar, and you will receive the difference. For example, if you work 10 hours and earn $75 for the week, you receive your full benefit amount. If you work 20 hours & earn $150, you will receive $50 less from your weekly benefit.
Your Next Step
Keep track of your hours and earnings each week if you’re working part-time. But keep looking for other work too! If you have questions about this or anything else, please schedule a call to discuss it with me, or send me a message on my Facebook page.
