Can PRN employees file for unemployment benefits with Washington ESD?

Yes, you can potentially file for partial unemployment benefits in Washington. Since you're still employed but getting reduced hours, you might qualify for what's called 'standby' status or partial benefits. You'll need to report your weekly earnings when you file your weekly claim, and Washington ESD will calculate if you're eligible for partial payments.

I tried calling Washington ESD about this exact situation last month and could never get through. Spent literally hours on hold just to get disconnected. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual agent in like 15 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Worth checking out if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your PRN situation.

PRN workers definitely can file for unemployment, but there are some specifics you need to know. Since you're 'as needed,' Washington ESD will look at your work history over the base period (usually your first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters). If you've earned enough wages during that time, you should qualify. The tricky part is that you'll need to be available for full-time work and actively job searching unless you're on standby status.

UGH this whole system is so complicated! I'm in a similar boat - working PRN at two different facilities and my hours are all over the place. Some weeks I make decent money, other weeks I'm scraping by. Why can't Washington ESD just have a simple answer for PRN workers???

One important thing to remember - when you file your weekly claims, you'll need to report ALL income from your PRN work, even if it's just a few hours. Washington ESD has a formula where they deduct a portion of your earnings from your weekly benefit amount. If you earn more than a certain threshold, you might not get any benefits that week, but you should still file the claim.

I worked PRN for almost a year before switching to full-time. Never thought about filing for unemployment during the slow periods. Wish I had known this was an option!

Quick question - do you have to actively look for other jobs if you're filing unemployment while still working PRN? I love my hospital and don't want to leave, just need help covering bills during slow periods.

For what it's worth, when I used Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD, the agent was really helpful explaining all this stuff. Way better than trying to figure it out from their website or automated phone system.

Wait I'm confused - if you're PRN doesn't that mean you can turn down shifts? How does that work with being 'available for work' for unemployment?

I worked PRN for years and never knew about partial unemployment. This thread is really eye-opening. Makes me wonder how many other PRN workers are struggling financially when they could be getting help.

Thanks everyone for all the advice! Sounds like I should definitely look into filing. The job search requirement is annoying but if it helps pay my bills during slow weeks it might be worth it. I'm going to try calling Washington ESD first and if that doesn't work I'll check out that Claimyr service someone mentioned.

One more thing - make sure you understand the waiting week requirement. I think Washington eliminated it during COVID but not sure if it's back now.

This whole conversation makes me want to apply too. My PRN hours have been terrible lately and I'm behind on rent. Healthcare work is so unpredictable!

Just wanted to add - keep really good records of your hours and pay if you file. Washington ESD might ask for documentation to verify your earnings.

Still seems weird to me that you can be employed and unemployed at the same time but I guess that's how modern work is these days

Final thought - even if your claim gets approved, remember that partial unemployment benefits are usually much less than full unemployment. But every little bit helps when your hours are inconsistent.

I work PRN at a surgical center and went through this exact process about 6 months ago when my hours dropped to almost nothing. One thing that really helped was keeping a detailed log of when I was available for shifts vs when shifts were actually offered. Washington ESD asked me about this during my phone interview - they wanted to make sure I wasn't turning down available work. Also, don't be discouraged if your first application gets flagged for review. PRN status can be confusing for the initial processing system, but once you talk to an actual person they usually understand the situation better. The partial benefits I received weren't huge but definitely helped bridge the gap during the really slow months.