Can travel nurses get Washington ESD unemployment benefits between assignments?
I'm a travel nurse and just finished a 13-week assignment at a hospital in Spokane. My next contract doesn't start for 3 weeks and I'm wondering if I can file for unemployment benefits during this gap? I've been working in Washington for the past 8 months on different assignments but I'm not sure if travel nursing counts as regular employment for Washington ESD purposes. Has anyone in healthcare or travel work dealt with this before?
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Margot Quinn
Yes, travel nurses can definitely qualify for unemployment benefits in Washington! Since you were working in the state and paying into the UI system, you should be eligible. The key is that you need to be available and actively seeking work during your claim period.
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Raúl Mora
•That's good to know! Do I need to be looking for permanent nursing jobs or can I just be looking for my next travel assignment?
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Margot Quinn
•You can look for travel assignments, but Washington ESD requires you to be available for suitable work. Make sure you're documenting your job search activities properly.
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Evelyn Kim
I'm also a travel nurse and filed for unemployment last year between contracts. Washington ESD approved my claim without any issues. Just make sure you have all your pay stubs and contract information ready when you file.
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Raúl Mora
•How long did it take for your claim to get approved? I'm worried about any delays since I have rent to pay.
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Evelyn Kim
•Mine was approved pretty quickly, maybe a week or two. But I've heard some people have issues getting through to Washington ESD if there are any questions about their claim.
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Diego Fisher
•If you have trouble reaching someone at Washington ESD, I recently found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to agents. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling!
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Henrietta Beasley
Wait, I thought travel nurses couldn't get unemployment because you're technically self-employed or independent contractors? I'm confused about how this works.
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Margot Quinn
•That's a common misconception! Most travel nurses are W-2 employees of their staffing agencies, not independent contractors. As long as you're getting a W-2 and taxes are being withheld, you're eligible for UI benefits.
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Henrietta Beasley
•Oh that makes sense! I didn't realize there was a difference. Thanks for clarifying.
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Lincoln Ramiro
One thing to watch out for - if you turn down any suitable nursing assignments during your claim period, Washington ESD might question your availability for work. Make sure you can justify any jobs you decline.
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Raúl Mora
•Good point. What counts as 'suitable work' for a travel nurse? Do I have to take any nursing job offered or can I be selective about location and specialty?
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Lincoln Ramiro
•Generally it needs to match your skills and experience level. You don't have to take a job that requires you to relocate if travel isn't part of your normal work pattern, but you can't be too picky about location if you're a travel nurse.
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Faith Kingston
I had a friend who's a travel respiratory therapist and she had problems with her unemployment claim because Washington ESD thought she quit her job voluntarily. You might want to make sure your staffing agency provides documentation that your assignment ended as scheduled, not that you quit.
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Raúl Mora
•That's a great point! I do have my contract showing the end date. Should I submit that with my initial application?
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Faith Kingston
•Definitely keep it handy. You might not need it right away but if they have questions during adjudication, you'll want proof that you didn't quit voluntarily.
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Emma Johnson
Just file online through the Washington ESD website as soon as possible. Don't wait! The sooner you file, the sooner your waiting week starts. Travel healthcare workers are just like any other employees when it comes to unemployment benefits.
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Raúl Mora
•Thanks, I'll file today. Is there anything specific I should put for 'reason for separation' since it was just the end of my contract?
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Emma Johnson
•I would put 'lack of work' or 'temporary layoff' since your assignment ended through no fault of your own. Don't put 'quit' even though you technically finished your contract.
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Diego Fisher
ugh the washington esd phone system is THE WORST if you need to talk to someone about your claim. I literally called 200+ times last month trying to get through
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Evelyn Kim
•I had the same problem! That's actually why I ended up trying Claimyr - it automatically redials for you so you don't have to sit there hitting redial all day.
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Diego Fisher
•Wait really? How does that work exactly?
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Evelyn Kim
•You just give them your info and they keep calling until they get you connected to an actual person. Way better than doing it yourself.
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Liam Brown
As long as you earned enough wages in Washington during your base period, you should qualify. Travel nurses usually make good money so you'll probably meet the earnings requirement easily.
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Raúl Mora
•What's the base period exactly? I've been working in Washington since March of last year.
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Liam Brown
•It's the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file now in 2025, it would be looking at your 2024 earnings mostly.
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Olivia Garcia
Make sure you keep track of all your job search activities! Washington ESD requires you to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep a log. Since you're looking for travel assignments, you might want to contact multiple agencies each week.
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Raúl Mora
•Do contacts with travel nursing agencies count as job search activities?
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Olivia Garcia
•Yes, definitely! Contacting agencies, applying for specific assignments, updating your profile on nursing job boards - all of that counts.
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Faith Kingston
One more thing - if you're planning to travel out of state for your next assignment, make sure you notify Washington ESD. You need to be available for work in Washington while claiming benefits here.
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Raúl Mora
•What if my next assignment is in Oregon? Do I need to close my Washington claim?
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Faith Kingston
•You'd probably need to stop claiming once you start work in Oregon, but you should check with Washington ESD about the rules for interstate claims.
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Noah Lee
I've been a travel nurse for 5 years and have filed for unemployment in multiple states. Washington is actually one of the easier ones to deal with. Just be honest on your application and keep good records.
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Raúl Mora
•That's reassuring! I was worried it would be complicated because of the travel aspect.
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Noah Lee
•Nah, it's pretty straightforward. The state doesn't care that you're a travel worker as long as you paid into the system and meet the other requirements.
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Henrietta Beasley
Quick question - do travel nurses have to register with WorkSource like other unemployed people?
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Margot Quinn
•Yes, you still need to register with WorkSourceWA and maintain an active profile. It's part of the work search requirements even if you're primarily looking through healthcare staffing agencies.
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Ava Hernandez
File your claim but also start looking for your next assignment right away. The healthcare staffing market changes quickly and you don't want to be without work longer than necessary.
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Raúl Mora
•Already started! I have a few agencies I work with regularly so hopefully something will come up soon.
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Diego Fisher
One last tip - if your claim goes into adjudication for any reason and you need to speak with someone urgently, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier is really helpful. Sometimes Washington ESD needs clarification about travel work arrangements and it's faster than waiting weeks for a callback.
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Raúl Mora
•Good to know! Hopefully I won't need it but I'll keep that in mind if any issues come up.
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Emma Johnson
Best of luck with your claim! Travel healthcare workers deserve unemployment benefits just like everyone else. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
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Raúl Mora
•Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice! I feel much more confident about filing now.
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Omar Fawzi
I'm a new travel nurse just starting out and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I had no idea that travel nurses could qualify for unemployment benefits between assignments. I was worried about those gap periods when I don't have contracts lined up. Reading about everyone's experiences makes me feel much more prepared for when I eventually need to file. Thanks for sharing all this valuable information - it's exactly what newcomers like me need to know!
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Freya Andersen
•Welcome to travel nursing! It's such a relief to know about unemployment benefits early in your career. I wish I had known this when I started - I stressed so much about gaps between assignments. One thing I'd add for new travel nurses is to always keep copies of your contracts and pay stubs organized from day one. It makes filing for unemployment so much easier when you have everything documented. Also, don't be afraid to ask your recruiter about the process - good agencies will actually help explain how it works since they want you to feel secure between assignments!
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