To claim unemployment benefits, you need to be:
- Able and available to work.
- Actively seeking suitable work, unless we told you otherwise.
- Signed up with a WorkSource employment center, if you live in Washington.
- Signed up with a local employment center, if you live outside of Washington.
If you go on vacation or take a break from being available for or seeking work:
You need to report it when you file your weekly claim. You will not be eligible for benefits during that time. We do not consider you able and available to work when you are on vacation.
Learn more about basic eligibility requirements and about how to submit your weekly claims.
How to track your job search activities
Each week you submit a claim you need to complete 3 job search activities.
Keep a written log of your job search activities. We recommend using our job search log (PDF, 151KB), but you can use anything similar. If you do use your own method, take a look at our log first. Make sure your document:
- Includes all the information our log requires.
- Is written or typed clearly.
Reviews of job search activities
We conduct random reviews of job search activities. We may ask for your job search log at any time, even after you have stopped submitting your weekly claims. Keep these records for at least 30 days after the end of your benefit year or 30 days after you stop receiving benefits, whichever is later.
We might deny your benefits if:
- Your log is missing or not complete.
- Your activities are not on our list of approved activities (see below).
- You are not making a genuine attempt to find suitable work.
If we deny benefits, you will need to pay us back for all weeks you did not meet job search requirements.
How we request proof of your job search activities
If we have a question about your job search, we'll send you a letter to schedule a review of your job search activities. Read the letter carefully to see if your interview is by phone or in person. We will need to see your job search log.
Job offers
You need to accept an offer of suitable work. If you turn down a job offer, the employer can report it to us and we may deny your benefits. Learn more about refusing job offers.
Approved job search activities
Information on this page includes approved job search activities. You need to complete 3 activities each week.
You cannot repeat the exact same activity have it count. For example, you can't watch the same video multiple times, or apply for the same job multiple times and have it count.
You can do similar activities and count them, such as watching different videos relevant to your job search in the same week. Or you can apply for different jobs at the same company, and each application will count.
Contacting an employer
When you ask about or apply for a job, you are contacting an employer. You need to take all steps necessary to apply for the job to count it as a job search activity.
If you ask about a job and find that the employer is not hiring, you can count that contact only if you did not know the employer was not hiring. You should note that in your job search log.
Ways you can contact an employer
- Email or other online means.
- Mail.
- Phone.
- An in-person or virtual meeting (such as Zoom).
- An employer's self-service kiosk.
- Fax.
WorkSource activities
WorkSource offices provide employment and training services to job seekers. Use the WorkSource locator to find an office near you.
Online WorkSource activities
| Activity | How to document the activity |
|---|---|
| Set up a WorkSource job seeker account. | A screenshot of or link to your profile. |
| Upload your resume to WorkSource and make it searchable for employers. | A screenshot of or link to your resume. |
| Join a virtual workshop sponsored by WorkSource. |
|
| Complete the WorkSource career profile tool. | A screenshot of proof of completion. |
| Participate in a Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) initial or follow-up appointment. | Name of activity, date, and where or how completed. |
In-person WorkSource activities
| Activity | How to document the activity |
|---|---|
| Join an in-person workshop sponsored by WorkSource. | Name, date and location of the workshop. |
| Meet with a WorkSource specialist or career coach to learn about Title I-B services. |
|
| Participate in a WorkSource-sponsored job fair, job club or hiring event and contact at least one employer. |
|
| Participate in a Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) initial or follow-up appointment. | Name of activity, date, and where or how completed. |
Hiring events, job fairs and clubs, and internships
| Activity | How to document the activity |
|---|---|
| Attend an in-person or virtual job fair or hiring event. Make contact with at least one employer. |
Your registration letter or email from a job fair representative. Include all of these:
|
| Prepare and practice a 30-second introductory speech about yourself and your skills to use at job fairs or during an interview. |
|
| Participate in a private or community job club. |
A letter or email from the club leader or sponsor. |
| Participate in private-sector paid or unpaid work experience or internship. | A letter from the employer. |
| Complete a virtual or remote job shadowing. | Copy of a letter or email from the person you shadowed. |
| Participate in private on-the-job-training (OJT). |
|
Job search websites and assessments
| Activity | How to document the activity |
|---|---|
| Set up or update your account on a job search website and search for job openings. Examples include Indeed, LinkedIn or Glassdoor. | A screenshot of or link to your account page. |
| Set up or update your account, and post your resume and a cover letter on a site like Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com or Indeed.com. | A screenshot of or link to your account page. |
| Complete an online interest inventory like Strong, My Next Move or Myers/Briggs. | A screenshot of your results. |
| Complete an ACT WorkKeys assessment. | A screenshot of your results. |
Educational videos and credentials
| Activity | How to document the activity |
|---|---|
| Watch an online video on a job search topic, such as how to write a cover letter. | A screenshot of the video launch page. |
| Get a National Work Readiness Credential. | A screenshot of proof of completion. |
| Complete LinkedIn Learning certified courses. Or use a similar online learning platform to take courses that issue certificates of completion. | A receipt for the course or a screenshot of proof of completion. |
| Conduct labor market research on our site. | Take a screenshot of the information. |
Instructor-led courses
Each day of classes or courses taught by an instructor count as 1 job search activity.
| Activity | How to document the activity |
|---|---|
| Complete an instructor-led English as a Second Language (ESL) course or class. |
|
| Complete an instructor-led Adult Basic Education (ABE) course or class. |
|
| Complete an instructor-led General Educational Development (GED) course or class. |
|
| Complete an instructor-led occupational skills or computer course. | A receipt for the course or a screenshot of proof of completion. |
| Complete an instructor-led computer literacy course or class. | A receipt for the course or a screenshot of proof of completion. |
Self-paced courses
One of the self-paced courses below counts as 1 job search activity for the week.
| Activity | How to document the activity |
|---|---|
| Complete a self-paced English as a Second Language (ESL) course or class. |
A receipt for the course or a screenshot of proof of completion. |
| Complete a self-paced Adult Basic Education (ABE) course or class. |
A receipt for the course or a screenshot of proof of completion. |
| Complete a self-paced General Educational Development (GED) course or class. | A receipt for the course or a screenshot of proof of completion. |
| Complete a self-paced occupational skills or computer course. | A receipt for the course or a screenshot of proof of completion. |
| Complete a self-paced computer literacy course or class. | A receipt for the course or a screenshot of proof of completion. |
App-based driving or delivery work
| Activity | How to document the activity |
|---|---|
| Set up a new account or activate one you already have for app-based work platforms (for example: Uber, Lyft, Doordash, Instacart or others). |
A screen shot, picture or copy of:
|
| Other activities to demonstrate ongoing and active efforts to work on app-based platforms (for example: Uber, Lyft, Doordash, Instacart, or others). | Screen shots demonstrating ongoing and active efforts to log-in to app-based platforms and be available for work. |
Private career coach or placement agency
| Activity | How to document the activity |
|---|---|
| Sign up with a private career coach or service. | A screenshot of your agreement. |
| Register with a permanent placement agency, recruiter or headhunter service. | A screenshot of your agreement or registration. |
| Complete a job search webinar or course sponsored by a placement agency. | A screenshot of your course completion. |
Programs and services
These activities all relate to Title I-B of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
| Activity | How to document the activity |
|---|---|
| Enroll in WIOA Title I-B program and develop an Individual Employment Plan. | The activity name, the date and where or how you completed it. |
|
Enroll in WIOA Title I-B program and receive at least one basic or individualized career service. Examples are completing a WorkForce preparation, financial literacy or short-term pre-vocational course. |
The activity name, the date and where or how you completed it. |
| Enroll in WIOA Title I-B incumbent worker training. | The activity name, the date and where or how you completed it. |
| Enroll in WIOA Title I-B paid or unpaid work experience or internship. |
The activity name, the date and where or how you completed it. Each day counts as one activity. |
| Enroll in WIOA Title I-B on-the-job training. |
The activity name, the date and where or how you completed it. Each day counts as one activity. |
Vocational rehabilitation
| Activity | How to document the activity | Who is eligible |
|---|---|---|
|
Complete 1 of the following with the Department of Services for the Blind (DSB):
|
A copy of your email or letter from the counselor. The email or letter should document your participation in each activity, including dates. |
People who are eligible for services from DSB. |
|
Complete 1 of the following with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR):
|
A copy of your email or letter from the counselor. The email or letter should document your participation in each activity, including dates. |
People who are eligible for services from DVR. |
Exceptions to the job search requirement
You need to look for work unless we tell you otherwise. If we approve an exception, we'll notify you in writing that we waived your job search requirements.
We may waive job search requirements if:
- We approved you for partial unemployment.
- You are an active apprentice in an approved electrical program.
- You are part of a strike, lockout or labor dispute.
We also may waive job search requirements if we approved you for 1 of the following:
- SharedWork.
- Standby, as part of a temporary layoff or furlough.
- The Self-Employment Assistance Program (SEAP).
- A training program, such as Commissioner-Approved Training or Training Benefits.
- The classroom portion of mandatory apprentice training.
Union referrals
If you are dispatched through a full-referral union, you do not need to seek work outside your union. Your union refers its members to jobs by referral, dispatch, or classroom training.
You need to:
- Be able, available for dispatch.
- Comply with your union’s dispatch requirements or.
- Attend mandatory classroom apprentice training.
Survivors of domestic violence or stalking
If we determine you left work because you are a survivor of domestic violence or stalking, you need to complete only 1 approved activity per week to remain eligible for benefits.