Washington Administrative Code

(1) A conditional payment is:(a) Payment issued to you after you have already received benefits but during a period in which the department questions your continued eligibility for benefits; or(b) Payment issued when you have provided reasonable evidence of authorization to work …

For purposes of this title:(1) "Domestic partner" means:(a) Two adults who have registered as a domestic partnership with the Washington secretary of state; or(b) A legal union of two persons of the same sex that was formed in and is legal in any state or jurisdiction.(2) "Domest…

For purposes of unemployment insurance taxes only:(1) Wages. Includes all payments for personal services performed by an employee for an employer including the cash value of all remuneration paid in any medium other than cash including salaries, commissions, vacation pay, dismiss…

For the purposes of RCW 50.04.145 and 50.24.130.Definitions:(1) Same work. Means work performed in the same trade or craft (i.e. carpenters, electricians, etc.).(2) At the same time. Means occurring concurrently as opposed to the case of one contractor replacing another in the sa…

(1) "Isolation" means the same as the definition in WAC 246-100-011.(2) "Quarantine" means the same as the definition in WAC 246-100-011.[Statutory Authority: RCW 50.12.010, 50.12.040, 50.04.030, 50.20.010, 50.20.010 (1)(a), (1)(e) and (1)(c), 50.20.050 (1)(b)(ii) and (2)(b)(ii),…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, no employee or agent of the department may refuse to accept your claim, a signed appeal, or a petition properly filed under WAC 192-04-170 relating to any program administered by this department regardless of the employee …

(1) How do I apply for benefits? You may apply for benefits by:(a) Using the department's online services; or(b) Calling the unemployment claims center; or(c) If you have a physical or sensory disability, or are in unusual circumstances that make filing by telephone or internet d…

Starting after the week ending March 7, 2020, through the week ending September 4, 2021, and any other week where the one week waiting period is fully paid or fully reimbursed by the federal government, you will not be required to serve an unpaid waiting week before you receive u…

(1) What is an "interstate claimant"? An "interstate claimant" is a person who files a claim for one state's unemployment benefits from another state. The state that pays your claim is called the " paying state." For example:(a) You are an interstate claimant if you live outside …

(1) What is "standby?"(a) "Standby" means you are temporarily unemployed because of a lack of work but:(i) You expect to return to your previous full-time or part-time work with your regular employer within four weeks; or(ii) You expect to begin full-time work with a new employer…

If you are a partially unemployed worker as defined in WAC 192-180-013, you may apply for unemployment benefits up to five weeks after your hours are reduced without the application being considered late.[Statutory Authority: RCW 50.12.010, 50.12.040, and 50.12.042. WSR 05-19-018…

When you apply for benefits, the information you provide must be sufficient for the department to confirm your identity to its satisfaction.(1) If we can verify your identity with this information, we will file your application for benefits.(2) If we cannot verify your identity, …

(1) If you have stopped claiming for more than four consecutive weeks for any reason, you must reopen your claim.(a) You may reopen your claim:(i) By using the department's online services; or(ii) By calling the unemployment claims center.(b) You must reopen your claim before the…

The department will promptly issue payment once it determines that you are eligible for benefits.(1) An appeal by an employer concerning your eligibility for benefits will not prevent payment.(2) If benefits are allowed to you as the result of an appeal decision, the department w…

(1) General rule. A benefit year begins on Sunday of the calendar week in which you file your application for benefits. However, an application may also be backdated for good cause or for the convenience of the department.(2) Definitions. As used in this section:(a) "Good cause" …

Once your current benefit year expires, you are not eligible for a new benefit year unless you have returned to work and earned at least six times the weekly benefit amount on your new claim.Example: You separate from one job on December 29, 2008, and from a second job on Februar…

(1) What is a combined wage claim? A combined wage claim is a claim based on wages earned in two or more states. For purposes of this section, "state" means the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.(2) Where can I file a combined wage c…

(1) You will be allowed to cancel your claim within thirty days of the date you applied for benefits if no payment has been issued to you on the claim. The department will advise you of the advantages and disadvantages of canceling a claim.(2) At his or her discretion, the commis…

No. Chapter 5.50 RCW requires that an oath, certification, verification or declaration must be signed or sworn to by the person making it. (Exception: An estate executor or administrator may file a claim for the last completed calendar week prior to a claimant's death.)(1) You ar…

"Disaster" means an event or set of circumstances which:(1) Demands immediate action to preserve public health, protect life, protect public property, or to provide relief to any stricken community overtaken by such occurrences; or(2) Reaches such a dimension or degree of destruc…

(1) The department will provide you with information necessary for filing your weekly claims for benefits.(2) The department will provide assistance to any person who needs help in filing claims.(3) You will be responsible for following written information provided by the departm…

(1) The department will publish and post on its website an information booklet for unemployment insurance claimants that provides basic information on the laws, rules, and procedures for unemployment insurance benefit claims. Single copies of the booklet will be available to the …

(1) When you file an application for benefits, the department will give you a presentation of benefit rights. At a minimum, the presentation of benefit rights will include information regarding:(a) Your statement of wages and hours (monetary determination);(b) Instructions on fil…

Whenever we have a question regarding whether you (the claimant) are eligible for benefits, we will give you adequate notice before making a decision. "Adequate notice" means we will tell you:(1) Why we question your eligibility for benefits;(2) That you have the right to a fact-…

When you file your weekly claim for benefits by telephone, you will receive a verbal notice if there is a question about your eligibility for benefits. When you file your weekly claim for benefits by using the department's online services, a statement will be displayed online tha…

Before any decision is made regarding your eligibility for benefits, you will be given an opportunity to be heard. "Opportunity to be heard" is an offer to hold a fact-finding interview to resolve our questions about your (the claimant's) eligibility for benefits.(1) At the inter…

Whenever an individual files an initial application for unemployment benefits, or reopens a claim after subsequent employment, a notice will be sent to the applicant's most recent employer as stated by the applicant. Any employer who receives such a notice and has information whi…

(1) Whenever an individual files an initial application for unemployment benefits, a notice will be sent to:(a) The claimant's last employer, and(b) Any prior employer where it has been less than ten weeks since the job separation or the individual has not earned at least ten tim…

The department will send notices to employers required by RCW 50.20.150 and WAC 192-130-060 as follows:(1) The department will send the notice to the last employer of the claimant in the following order:(a) If the employer requests that the department send correspondence related …

(1) The department will send an eligibility decision based on a job separation issue to the following:(a) The last employer, if the claimant was separated from employment for reasons other than lack of work;(b) A previous employer from whom the claimant has a potentially disquali…

(1) The department will not make a decision on a separation issue (RCW 50.20.050 or 50.20.066) until both the employer and the claimant have had an opportunity to present information and rebuttal, if necessary and appropriate, about the separation.(2) If an employer does not resp…

(1) How do I file my weekly claim for benefits? You may file your claim using the department's online services or by calling the department's claims center. If you have a physical or sensory disability or are in unusual circumstances that make filing by telephone or online diffic…

(1) Your password or personal identification number (PIN) is your electronic signature on all claims filed and its use is equivalent to your signature on written forms.(2) Security of the password or PIN is your responsibility. You are responsible for any payments made as a resul…

You may be instructed to report in person for any reason the department deems necessary, such as to receive reemployment services. If you do not report in person, you will be ineligible for benefits under RCW 50.20.010 (1)(a) for the week unless:(1) You have returned to full-time…

(1) "Failure to respond" means you do not report in person when directed to do so, or do not provide all requested information by the date indicated in a written request for information.(2) If the request for information requires you to report in person and you respond in writing…

(1) If you do not report in person when directed to do so, and do not provide information to explain why you did not report in person, the department will presume you failed to report in person without good cause and benefits will be denied under RCW 50.20.010(1).(2) This denial …

(1) The department will presume that you are disqualified from or ineligible for benefits if you provide information indicating you are potentially disqualified from or ineligible for benefits, or fail to provide necessary information and do not respond to a request for specific …

(1) The department will presume you are not unemployed under RCW 50.04.310 if you:(a) Report that you had work and earnings for one or more weeks;(b) Fail to provide employer name and address; and(c) Do not respond to a request for information.(2) Further, the department will pre…

(1) If you do not respond to a request for information about a refusal of an offer of work, the department will presume you refused an offer of suitable work without good cause.(2) The department will deny benefits under RCW 50.20.080. This denial will continue for seven weeks an…

(1) The department will presume you failed to apply for suitable work without good cause if:(a) You have been directed by the department to apply for work;(b) The department is advised that you have failed to comply as directed; and(c) You do not respond to a request for informat…

(1) The department will presume you are unemployed as a result of a labor dispute and directly interested in or participating in the dispute if you do not respond to a request for information about a labor dispute.(2) The department will deny benefits under RCW 50.20.090. This de…

(1) If you report that you were not able to work or not available for work in any week or do not report whether you were able to work or were available for work, and do not provide details regarding your ability to or availability for work as requested, the department will presum…

(1) If you report that you were not actively seeking work in any week or do not report whether you made an active search for work and subsequently fail to report complete job search details and other information when requested, the department will presume you are not actively see…

(1) If you have been issued a job search directive as provided in WAC 192-180-010, do not report a job search that meets the requirements outlined in the directive, and you do not provide additional job search information as requested or you respond with information that does not…

(1) If you ask to file a claim late as defined in WAC 192-140-005 and do not respond to a request for an explanation of why the claim was filed late, the department will presume that the claim was filed late without good cause and benefits will be denied under RCW 50.20.010 (1)(b…

(1) Written directives.(a) The commissioner may direct you in writing to schedule a time to report in person for reemployment services. The written directive will contain a deadline by which you must schedule and participate in reemployment services.(b) If you fail to schedule a …

(1) Imposter fraud occurs when someone files a claim using another individual's name or Social Security number without the individual's knowledge or consent.(2) If the department discovers it has reason to suspect your claim is impacted by imposter fraud, the department will:(a) …

(1) If you do not respond to a request for information about a discharge from work and if you:(a) Have not given the department enough information to identify or contact the employer, the department will presume the employer discharged you for misconduct connected with your work.…

(1) If you do not respond to a request for information about a voluntary quit from work the department will presume you have voluntarily quit work without good cause under RCW 50.20.050, unless available evidence shows that your separation from work was for another reason.(2) If …

(1) If you or another party notifies the department that you are in school and you do not respond to a request for information regarding school attendance, the department will presume that you are registered for academic instruction of 12 or more credit hours and have a limited a…