Anyone try ESD's Self-Employment Assistance Program (SEAP)? Worth applying?

I went thru SEAP about 9 months ago and overall it was SO worth it for me. Instead of applying for jobs I didn't want, I could focus 100% on starting my bookkeeping service. The application itself wasn't hard, but there are specific requirements: 1. You need to be "profiled" as likely to exhaust benefits - this happens automatically in their system, you can't request it 2. You MUST complete an approved entrepreneurial training (cost me $375 but was tax deductible) 3. You have to submit a solid business plan that they approve 4. Weekly reports showing 40hrs of business development activities (not optional) I believe only 5% of claimants get selected as "likely to exhaust benefits" so that's the biggest hurdle. I'd recommend calling ESD directly to see if you qualify before getting your hopes up.

I completed the SEAP program in 2023 and it was a game-changer for me. Just to clarify some points: - The "likely to exhaust benefits" determination is based on an algorithm ESD uses that considers your work history, industry, age, and other factors. You can't apply for this designation - it's automatically assigned when you file your initial claim. - If you qualify, you'll see a notification in your eServices account AND they'll mail you a letter about SEAP eligibility. - The approved training programs vary in cost ($250-800) but you MUST complete one to stay in the program. - You still have to complete weekly claims, but instead of listing job searches, you report your business startup activities. - You get your full UI benefit amount for the entire benefit year (or until you start making money). Honestly, it's an awesome program if you qualify, but most people don't get the "likely to exhaust" designation. I'd recommend calling ESD to check your status.

i tried to get into the SEAP program last yr but wasnt eligible. something about not being "likely to exhuast benifits" whatever that means. ended up just doing regular unemplyment and working on my side business anyway. just had to do the stupid job search requirements which was annoying but whatever.

Hi there - I work with unemployment claimants regularly as a career counselor. The SEAP program is excellent but EXTREMELY competitive. A few important notes: 1. The "likely to exhaust benefits" designation is determined by ESD's WPRS (Worker Profiling and Reemployment Services) system at the time of your initial claim. Only about 5-8% of claimants receive this designation. 2. You cannot apply for SEAP unless you receive this designation first. 3. In addition to completing the entrepreneurial training, you must submit a comprehensive business plan and financial projections. 4. You must be within the first 13 weeks of your claim to be eligible. If you're having trouble reaching ESD to check your status (which is common), you might want to try Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have a service that can connect you to an ESD agent quickly instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 that shows how it works. This can save you a lot of time when trying to determine if you're eligible for specialized programs like SEAP.

THE SEAP PROGRAM IS A JOKE!!! Don't waste your time. I applied in 2025 and was told I qualified, spent $500 on their required "training program" and then they suddenly decided I wasn't eligible anymore!!! Had to fight for months to get reimbursed for the training. The whole thing is a scam to funnel money to their approved training providers IMO. Just start your business and do the minimum job search requirements to keep getting benefits. That's what I did and my business is doing fine now no thanks to ESD!!!

I'm in SEAP right now (3rd month) and it's been pretty good. The weekly reporting is kind of a pain - you literally have to document 40 hours of business-building activities EVERY week. Some weeks that's easy, other weeks I'm stretching to find stuff that counts. One thing to know - if your business starts making money while you're in SEAP, you still have to report earnings just like regular unemployment, and your benefits get reduced accordingly. So it's not like you can be profitable AND collect full benefits. Also, I found out you can't be in standby status AND in SEAP, so if you have any chance of being recalled to your old job, you might have to choose between that possibility and doing SEAP.

Has anyone here done SEAP for a consulting business? I'm wondering if that type of business qualifies or if they're looking for more traditional startups with physical products. I was laid off from management consulting and thinking about going independent.

To answer some of the questions that have come up in this thread: 1. The 40 hours of activities can include: market research, website development, networking, product development, training related to your business, meeting with potential clients, creating marketing materials, bookkeeping, and business planning. 2. They do NOT make exceptions to the "likely to exhaust benefits" rule - it's built into the federal funding requirements. 3. Consulting businesses are eligible and actually have a good success rate in the program. 4. The designation usually appears in your account within 2-4 weeks of filing your initial claim. 5. You must apply for SEAP within the first 13 weeks of your claim. If you don't qualify for SEAP, another option is to use your regular unemployment while fulfilling job search requirements AND working on your business part-time. Just be careful not to exceed the earnings limit that would reduce your benefits.

I'm currently going through the SEAP application process after being selected as "likely to exhaust benefits" - got the notification in my eServices account about 3 weeks after filing my initial claim. A few things I've learned so far: The entrepreneurial training requirement is no joke - I'm enrolled in a $425 program through SCORE that's actually really comprehensive (business planning, financial projections, marketing strategies, etc.). While expensive upfront, it's been genuinely helpful for structuring my business idea. One thing nobody mentioned - they also require you to meet with a business counselor at least once during the program. Mine was through the Small Business Development Center and was actually super valuable for refining my business plan. The application itself took me about 2 weeks to complete properly. The business plan section is detailed - they want market analysis, competition research, financial projections for 2 years, and a clear path to profitability. It's basically like applying for a business loan. Still waiting to hear back on my approval (submitted 10 days ago), but the whole process has already pushed me to think more seriously about my business structure than I would have on my own. Even if I don't get approved, the exercise has been worthwhile. For those not eligible, I'd honestly recommend doing the entrepreneurship training anyway if you're serious about starting a business - the knowledge is worth the investment even without the SEAP benefits.

This is such a comprehensive thread - thank you all for sharing your experiences! I'm in a similar situation (laid off from marketing role, want to start freelance graphic design business) and had no idea SEAP even existed until I stumbled across it on the ESD website yesterday. @Elijah Knight - really appreciate you sharing the current application process details. The $425 training cost is steep but sounds like it's actually valuable content, not just a hoop to jump through. How long is the SCORE program? And did you have to pay upfront or can you get reimbursed if approved for SEAP? I'm about 5 weeks into my claim and haven't seen any SEAP notification in my eServices account yet, which probably means I didn't get the "likely to exhaust" designation. Kind of bummed because this program sounds perfect for what I want to do, but based on everyone's feedback it seems like the selection criteria is pretty rigid. For those who didn't qualify - did you end up starting your businesses anyway while on regular unemployment? I'm wondering if it's realistic to build a client base while still meeting the job search requirements, or if that's just setting myself up for failure on both fronts.

I'm currently 8 weeks into regular unemployment and wish I had known about SEAP earlier! Reading through everyone's experiences here is both encouraging and frustrating - encouraging because it sounds like an amazing program for those who qualify, but frustrating because I clearly missed the boat on the "likely to exhaust benefits" designation. For what it's worth, I've been building my freelance writing business on the side while doing the standard job search requirements, and it's definitely manageable but not ideal. I spend about 2-3 hours a week on job applications (mostly just to meet the requirement) and the rest of my time on business development. The biggest challenge is that I can't be as aggressive with client outreach as I'd like because I have to be available for potential job interviews. One question for those who went through SEAP - do you think the business planning and training components would be worth pursuing independently? I'm wondering if I should invest in one of those SCORE programs even without the SEAP benefits, especially since it sounds like they really help with the fundamentals. Also, has anyone here had success transitioning off unemployment once their business started generating consistent income? I'm curious about the logistics of that transition and whether ESD gives you any flexibility during that process.

Just wanted to jump in here as someone who's been watching this thread develop - there's so much valuable information being shared! I'm about 3 weeks into my unemployment claim after being laid off from a marketing coordinator position, and like many of you, I'm interested in starting my own business (digital marketing consulting). I haven't received any SEAP notification in my eServices account yet, which based on everyone's timeline info probably means I won't qualify. But honestly, reading through all these experiences has been incredibly educational regardless. A few observations from lurking here: - The SEAP program sounds amazing but extremely competitive and complex - Even those who didn't qualify seem to be finding ways to build businesses alongside regular unemployment - The entrepreneurship training programs sound valuable even without SEAP benefits For those of you building businesses on regular unemployment - how are you balancing the job search requirements with networking and client development? I'm worried about the optics of being "available for work" while actively trying to build a client base. Don't want to jeopardize my benefits but also don't want to waste this opportunity to focus on my business goals. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences - this thread is like a mini masterclass in navigating unemployment while pursuing entrepreneurship!

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm currently 2 weeks into my unemployment claim after getting laid off from a software engineering position, and I had never heard of SEAP until finding this discussion. I've been toying with the idea of starting a freelance app development business, so this program sounds like it could be perfect - if I qualify. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like the "likely to exhaust benefits" designation is the biggest hurdle and largely out of our control. I'm going to keep checking my eServices account over the next couple weeks to see if I get any notifications. One thing I'm curious about - for those who went through the entrepreneurship training (whether through SEAP or independently), did it cover the legal/regulatory aspects of starting a business? Things like business registration, tax implications, liability insurance, etc.? That's honestly the part that intimidates me most about going independent. Also wondering if anyone has experience with tech/software businesses specifically in SEAP? Most of the examples I'm seeing here are service-based businesses, but I'm not sure if there are different considerations for software products vs consulting services. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world insight you can't get from the official ESD website!

I'm about 6 weeks into my unemployment claim after being laid off from a project management role, and like many others here, I just discovered SEAP exists through this thread! I've been considering starting a business coaching consultancy, but clearly missed the window for the "likely to exhaust benefits" designation. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both inspiring and educational. It's interesting how many of us are in similar boats - wanting to use this unemployment period to pivot toward entrepreneurship but running into the SEAP eligibility barriers. For those successfully building businesses while on regular unemployment, I'm curious about one practical aspect: how do you handle the "available for work" requirement when you're actively trying to build a client base? I'm worried about potential conflicts if I'm in client meetings during business hours but then get called for job interviews. Has ESD given anyone grief about this, or do they generally understand that networking and business development can happen alongside job searching? Also, based on all the positive feedback about the entrepreneurship training programs, I'm seriously considering enrolling in one independently. Even without SEAP benefits, it sounds like the structured approach and business planning guidance could be worth the investment. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences - this thread is turning into an amazing resource for people navigating unemployment while pursuing business goals!

I'm about 10 weeks into my claim after being laid off from a UX design role, and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! Like many others here, I completely missed the SEAP opportunity (never even knew it existed until reading this), but I've been successfully building my freelance design business while meeting the regular unemployment requirements. A few practical tips I've learned for balancing business development with job search requirements: 1. I treat industry meetups and design conferences as networking for BOTH potential clients AND potential employment - they count toward job search activities while building my business network 2. I schedule most client calls during lunch hours or after 5pm to avoid conflicts with potential interviews 3. I'm upfront with potential clients that I'm currently between positions but actively building my practice - most people respect the hustle The hardest part honestly has been the mental shift from "looking for a job" to "building a business" while still having to apply for positions I don't really want. But reading everyone's experiences here has been so encouraging! @Elijah Knight - I'd love to hear how your SEAP application turned out! And for those considering the SCORE training independently, I actually did their free business mentoring program and it was surprisingly helpful even without the paid course. Might be worth exploring as a lower-cost starting point. This thread should honestly be pinned - it's become the most comprehensive resource I've found on navigating unemployment while pursuing entrepreneurship in Washington!