How long can I get unemployment benefits?
Your claim is good for a “benefit year,” which is 52 weeks, beginning with the week you file your application. You cannot file a new claim in Washington until your benefit year is over, even though you may have received all of your benefits. Most claims receive between 13 to 26 weeks of benefits.
Can I backdate my unemployment benefits claim for one week?
You may backdate your claim by one week when you apply for benefits online. If you request to backdate your claim by more than one week, we will ask you to provide additional information.
Can I volunteer while I am job searching and collecting unemployment benefits?
See full answerYes</STRONG>, volunteering will not affect your unemployment benefits as long as you meet the regular work-search and availability requirements. You can make a positive difference in your life and in your community by volunteering your time and skills to help others. Volunteer work builds experience for your resume and expands your list of community employment contracts. It may even be seen as a positive reflection on your personal values.
The skill sets you use and learn in volunteer work could turn into a job offer or a career change in the future. Volunteering will not affect your unemployment benefits as long as you meet the regular work-search and availability requirements. For more information about volunteering, go to www.volunteerwashington.org or www.serve.gov.
How long will unemployment benefits last in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic?
The funds are available for any weeks of unemployment beginning after Dec. 26, 2020, and ending on or before March 14, 2021. You don’t need to apply separately to receive this supplemental amount.
How many weeks of COVID-19 unemployment insurance benefits am I entitled to?
The amount and duration of benefits you can receive also depends on the law in the state where you last worked. The state will determine your eligibility for any additional federal benefits. Contact your state unemployment insurance agency for more information.
What is the maximum Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits (PEUC) eligibility in weeks?
No PEUC is payable for any week of unemployment beginning after April 5, 2021. In addition, the length of time an eligible individual can receive PEUC has been extended from 13 weeks to 24 weeks.
How do I file an unemployment benefits claim in Washington state if I did not work there?
You cannot file a Washington state unemployment claim if you did not work in Washington during the base year. The only exceptions to this rule are if you were in the military or worked for the federal government.
To file an unemployment claim, you must file your claim with one of the state(s) where you worked in the last two years. Contact each state where you worked to find out your claim options for those states.
What should I do if the reason for my job separation is not listed in the drop-down list of online application?
You have a limited number of options to tell us why you are no longer employed. Choose the one that best describes your situation. When you select a reason, you may be asked to provide more detail. If you cannot locate a description that best describes your situation, you might want to call the claims center to apply for unemployment benefits.
Can I collect unemployment benefits if I quit my job during the COVID-19 pandemic?
There are multiple qualifying circumstances related to COVID-19 that can make an individual eligible for PUA, including if the individual quits his or her job as a direct result of COVID-19. Quitting to access unemployment benefits is not one of them.
Can I remain on unemployment if my employer has reopened?
No. As a general matter, individuals receiving regular unemployment compensation must act upon any referral to suitable employment and must accept any offer of suitable employment. Barring unusual circumstances, a request that a furloughed employee return to his or her job very likely constitutes an offer of suitable employment that the employee must accept.
Can you get workers compensation due to coronavirus disease in Washington?
Workers exposed to COVID-19 must submit the appropriate accident report form before the insurer (L&I or the self-insured employer) can pay for treatment or time-loss benefits. The same is true if the worker is unable to work during the quarantine period or is ill from the virus.
What is the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program for COVID-19?
See full answerTo qualify for PUA benefits, you must not be eligible for regular unemployment benefits and be unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work because of certain health or economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The PUA program provides up to 39 weeks of benefits, which are available retroactively starting with weeks of unemployment beginning on or after January 27, 2020, and ending on or before December 31, 2020.
The amount of benefits paid out will vary by state and are calculated based on the weekly benefit amounts (WBA) provided under a state’s unemployment insurance laws.
Am I eligible for regular unemployment compensation?
See full answerEach state sets its own unemployment insurance benefits eligibility guidelines, but you usually qualify if you:
- Are unemployed through no fault of your own. In most states, this means you have to have separated from your last job due to a lack of available work.
- Meet work and wage requirements. You must meet your state’s requirements for wages earned or time worked during an established period of time referred to as a “base period.” (In most states, this is usually the first four out of the last five completed calendar quarters before the time that your claim is filed.)
- Meet any additional state requirements. Find details of your own state’s program.
How does severance pay, pay in lieu of notice or continuation pay affect my unemployment benefits?
See full answerSeverance payments do not usually affect your unemployment benefits. However, pay in lieu of notice or continuation pay with full benefits that are guaranteed can affect your benefits. Report any separation-related payment you receive or are entitled to receive to the claims center.Payments are considered severance pay when:
The payments are not assigned to any period after your date of separation from your employer.
You are not on call or in any way required to be available to your employer in order to receive these benefits.
Your fringe benefits do not continue to accrue (vacation, retirement, sick, etc.).
You accept a new job and it does not affect your severance pay.
Can you quit and get coronavirus unemployment benefits?
There are multiple qualifying circumstances related to COVID-19 that can make an individual eligible for PUA, including if the individual quits his or her job as a direct result of COVID-19. Quitting to access unemployment benefits is not one of them.
Individuals who quit their jobs to access higher benefits, and are untruthful in their UI application about their reason for quitting, will be considered to have committed fraud. If desired, employers can contest unemployment insurance claims through their state unemployment insurance agency’s process.
What if an employee refuses to come to work for fear of infection?
Your policies, that have been clearly communicated, should address this.
What can I do if my employer is planning a layoff due to COVID-19 pandemic?
Your employer may qualify for the Shared Work Program.
How can I get information about stress due to COVID-19 in Washington state?
If you need someone to talk to about stress due to COVID-19, call Washington Listens at 1-833-681-0211. Someone is available to talk from Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. TTY and language access services are available.
How long can you be contagious after you test positive for COVID-19?
Even though a person is less likely to transmit the virus later in the course of illness, it’s still possible. Research shows that people continue to shed virus that can be cultured in a laboratory — a good test of the potential to pass along the virus — for about eight days on average after testing positive.
Could you still be contagious after 5 days with COVID-19?
If after five days you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication, and your symptoms are improving, or you never had symptoms, you may end isolation. But if you’re still getting a positive test after six to 10 days, Arwady said you could still be contagious.
What is the Washington state COVID-19 hotline?
Call the COVID-19 hotline at 1-800-525-0127, then press #. Language assistance is available.
Is COVID-19 contagious after 5 days?
Does the COVID-19 virus live for long on clothing?
Research suggests that COVID-19 doesn’t survive for long on clothing, compared to hard surfaces, and exposing the virus to heat may shorten its life. A study published in found that at room temperature, COVID-19 was detectable on fabric for up to two days, compared to seven days for plastic and metal.
How many days are you contagious with COVID-19?
Those who do get infected with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 will likely remain infectious no longer than 10 days after symptoms begin. Individuals with severe-to-critical illness stemming from a COVID infection likely aren’t infectious 20 days after symptoms first began.