Can you claim unemployment on maternity leave in Washington state?

Unfortunately, you typically can't collect regular unemployment benefits while on maternity leave because you have to be able and available for work to qualify for UI. Since you're still employed and not actively seeking work, Washington ESD would likely deny your claim.

You should definitely check if you qualify for Washington's Paid Family and Medical Leave program rather than unemployment. PFML is specifically designed for situations like yours - bonding with a new child. It's administered separately from Washington ESD unemployment.

I tried to get unemployment during my maternity leave last year and Washington ESD denied it immediately. They said I wasn't 'able and available' for work which is a requirement for UI benefits. But I did get approved for PFML which paid 90% of my wages for 12 weeks.

You definitely can't get regular UI while on maternity leave, but honestly trying to reach someone at Washington ESD to get a clear answer about your specific situation can be impossible with their phone lines always busy. If you really need to talk to someone there, I discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually get through to Washington ESD agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

The key requirement for unemployment is that you have to be actively seeking work and available to accept a job immediately. Being on maternity leave means you're not available for work, so you wouldn't qualify for UI benefits. PFML is definitely the right program for your situation.

Just to clarify - Washington's PFML covers up to 12 weeks for bonding with a new child and you can take it intermittently if needed. You have to have worked at least 820 hours in the qualifying period to be eligible though.

I made the same mistake when I had my baby 3 years ago. Tried to file for unemployment and got rejected. Wish I had known about PFML back then!

One thing to keep in mind - if your employment situation changes while you're on leave (like if you get laid off), then you might be able to file for unemployment once you're ready to return to work and actively job searching.

PFML applications can take a few weeks to process, so don't expect immediate payment. But it's retroactive to when your leave started if you're approved.

If you end up needing to contact Washington ESD about anything unemployment-related in the future (like if your job situation changes), I had success using Claimyr to get through their phone system. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

The Washington state PFML program is relatively new compared to unemployment insurance, so a lot of people don't know about it yet. It's a much better fit for family leave situations.

Also worth noting that you can sometimes combine PFML with accrued vacation time or sick leave if your employer allows it, which might help bridge any gaps in pay.

Don't feel bad about the confusion - the difference between unemployment insurance and family leave benefits isn't always clear. They serve different purposes even though they're both state programs.

If anyone else is reading this and wondering about unemployment during medical leave (not just maternity), the rules are similar - you generally need to be able and available for work to collect UI benefits.

Just wanted to add that Washington's PFML also covers care for family members with serious health conditions, not just bonding with new children. It's a pretty comprehensive program.

Hope your PFML application goes smoothly! The forms can be a bit confusing but it's worth taking the time to fill them out completely and accurately.

One last tip - keep all your documentation from your employer about your leave dates and the reason for leave. You'll need that for your PFML application.

Congratulations on your new baby by the way! Hope the PFML process goes quickly for you.

If you run into any issues with the PFML application or need to follow up on anything, the customer service for that program is generally much easier to reach than Washington ESD unemployment lines.

Final update from me - seriously consider having Claimyr in your back pocket if you ever need to deal with Washington ESD in the future. Their unemployment phone system is notoriously difficult to navigate, but that service made it actually manageable when I needed to resolve an issue with my claim.