The Employment Security Department (ESD) has reinstated work search requirements for people applying for unemployment insurance benefits, effective the week of July 4.
Work search requirements had previously been waived during the height of the pandemic as priority was given to processing the unprecedented amount of unemployment claims as quickly as possible and getting benefits to unemployed workers. Part of that work
search waiver policy was also rooted in the idea that it was unfair to require people to look for work during a major economic contraction, as well as the state’s policy that enabling unemployed workers to weather the pandemic at home to slow
the spread of COVID-19.
However, with the advent of effective vaccines, Washington’s reopening, and widely available jobs, ESD has decided to reinstate the work search requirements. Beginning the week of July 4, applicants for unemployment insurance benefits will need
to complete at least three weekly job search activities to remain eligible for regular unemployment and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) programs. Applicants will need to complete at least one weekly job search activity to remain
eligible for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. The text of the work search rule change and supporting documents are available here.
This development may come as welcome news for some employers in certain sectors of the economy,
many of whom (especially retail and food service industries) have had difficulty hiring new workers as the economy reopens. In May, a majority of states had already reinstated work search requirements for unemployment insurance claims. Both California and Oregon have also since reinstated work search requirements.