Self-Employment Assistance program (SEAP)

The Self-Employment Assistance program (SEAP) offers self-employment training and business counseling while you collect unemployment benefits.

Benefits of the Self-Employment Assistance program

If we approve your application to the Self-Employment Assistance program (SEAP), you:

  • Receive business training.
  • Do not have to look for work while you're in training.
  • Can create a job that interests you.
  • May be able to provide jobs for others.

The program does not directly pay for books, tuition or other school-related fees. But you can use unemployment benefits to pay for these needs.

How to qualify for the program

You need to meet all of the requirements below.

Qualify for regular unemployment benefits

Your first step is to apply for unemployment benefits. Learn about the basic eligibility requirements and how to apply for unemployment benefits.

Have a qualifying profile score or be eligible for Commissioner-Approved Training

If we approve your unemployment benefits, our computer system will give you a profile score. It determines your score using a formula that the federal government defines. We use the formula to determine if you are likely to run out of benefits before finding a job. We consider your:

  • Education level.
  • County where you live.
  • Primary occupation.
  • Other factors.

To qualify for SEAP, you need to have a score higher than 31.1 if applying in 2025 or 38.34 if you applied in 2024.

To learn more about the formula we use, see our worker profiling and reemployment services page.

If your score shows that you are likely to run out of benefits before finding a job, we will mail you a letter after you file your first weekly claim. It will tell you that you can participate in SEAP if you want to.

Washington state law also says you qualify for SEAP if you qualify for Commissioner-Approved Training (CAT).

Enroll in full-time training that we approve

All approved programs include:

  • Business training and counseling.
  • Technical help to set up, market and run a business (for example, setting up a business accounting system).
  • Activities related to setting up a business and becoming self-employed.

Some approved training programs offer financial aid, loans and business start-up funds. We do not offer these types of financial aid.

How to apply for the program

  1. Review training programs on our list of approved SEAP providers.
  2. Find the training providers' contact information on the webpage.
  3. Contact the training providers to discuss your training needs, budget, requirements, and expectations.
  4. Choose the training provider that works best for you.
  5. Enroll in training.
  6. Download the Self-Employment Assistance Program (SEAP) application (PDF, 200KB) or get a copy at a WorkSource office. Use the WorkSource locator to find an office.
  7. Work with the training provider to complete and review the application.
  8. Have the provider sign the 'Program provider certification' section of the application.

  9. Submit your application using the method that works best for you.
    Fax your completed application to 800-301-1796 or mail it to:

    Employment Security Department
    Attn: Training Benefits/SEAP Unit
    P.O. Box 9046
    Olympia, WA 98507-9046

After you apply

We usually process applications in 3 to 5 weeks. We will approve or deny your application and mail a decision to you.

In the meantime, you:

  • Need to be able and available to work full time.
  • May also need to actively look for work.
  • Need to accept any offer of suitable work.
  • Need to continue filing weekly claims for each week you want to receive benefits.
  • Need to work with your SEAP training provider for help and guidance. Call the Training Benefits/SEAP unit at 877-600-7701 if you have questions.

Your responsibilities while enrolled in the program

Before you enroll in SEAP, make sure you understand your responsibilities.

Make satisfactory progress in your training

Your training provider determines if you are making satisfactory progress. This includes all of the following:

  • Completing your coursework in a way that meets program graduation standards.
  • Being on track to finish your approved training within the time set in your approved training plan.

We will mail you a Satisfactory Progress Report form (PDF, 38KB) to complete when we need to track your progress. Your training provider must sign the form and confirm that you are:

  • Enrolled.
  • Attending classes.
  • Actively participating.
  • Passing certification exams within the time limit of your training.

File unemployment claims each week

During any week, if you earn more money from self-employment than you spend on that work, you need to report those net earnings on your weekly claim. Report the earnings the week you earned them, even if you received the pay later.

You also need to report any hours you work in self-employment, whether or not you earn net income from that work. If you work 40 or more hours in self-employment in a week, we do not consider you unemployed. You will not qualify for benefits that week.

Tell us before making any changes to your training plan

Work with your training provider to request any changes to your training plan. Contact us if you have questions about what we can approve.

You need to tell us if you:

  • Stop, suspend or complete your training.
  • Reduce your enrollment to less than full time.

If any of these things happen, you need to look for work to continue receiving unemployment benefits. You also need to be able and available to work.

If you do not meet all requirements while enrolled in the program

You will not qualify for the program anymore. We will need to remove you from the program. If we remove you, you cannot reenroll in SEAP in your current benefit year.

If you do not meet all SEAP requirements, you will also need to:

Getting benefits after completing your training

If you start your business by the time you complete training, congratulations! You can still get unemployment benefits if you:

  • Have benefits available on your claim.
  • Continue to file weekly claims for each week you want to receive benefits.
  • Can report on each weekly claim that you are able and available to work in a job other than self-employment.
  • Can report on each weekly claim that you are looking for a job where you can earn wages from work other than self-employment.
  • Can report on each weekly claim that you have not worked a total of 40 hours or more in a wage-earning job, self-employment or both. If you do work 40 hours or more, we consider you fully employed. You will not qualify for benefits that week.