Do teachers get Washington ESD unemployment during summer break?

Unfortunately, teachers in Washington typically can't get unemployment during summer break. There's something called the 'reasonable assurance' rule that prevents school employees from collecting UI benefits between school years if they have reasonable assurance of returning to work.

I'm in the same boat - been teaching for 8 years and never been able to collect unemployment over summer. It's frustrating because we're not getting paid but we're also not eligible for benefits.

Actually, there are some exceptions to the reasonable assurance rule. If your contract terms for next year are significantly different (like major pay cut or different position), you might still be eligible. Also, substitute teachers often have different rules.

I tried calling Washington ESD about this exact question last summer and could never get through to anyone. Spent hours on hold just to get disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me actually reach an agent - turns out I wasn't eligible anyway, but at least I got a real answer. Check out claimyr.com if you're having trouble getting through to them.

My sister is a teacher and she always works summer school or tutoring jobs to make ends meet during the break. Have you looked into summer employment options?

One thing to keep in mind is that even if you think you might not be eligible, it doesn't hurt to apply. Washington ESD will make the official determination. The worst they can do is deny your claim.

This whole system is so confusing! Why can't they just have clear rules about who qualifies?

Here's the key question for your situation: Are you guaranteed the same or similar position when school starts again? If yes, you probably won't qualify. If there's any uncertainty about your job for next year, you might have a case.

I know someone who taught part-time and was able to get partial unemployment over summer because they didn't have reasonable assurance of the same hours. It really depends on your specific contract situation.

Been there! The reasonable assurance thing is so frustrating. We're basically forced to save up all year to survive the summer or find other work.

Just to follow up on my earlier comment about Claimyr - I ended up using them again this year for a different Washington ESD issue and they're really helpful for getting through to actual people. Saved me so much time compared to trying to call on my own.

Don't give up hope completely! I've heard of rare cases where teachers got approved, especially if there were budget cuts or uncertainty about positions. Every situation is unique.

My advice would be to document everything about your job change from English teacher to librarian. That role change might be significant enough to overcome the reasonable assurance issue.

Whatever you decide, make sure to apply as soon as possible if you're going to do it. Washington ESD claims can take time to process and you don't want to lose out on potential benefits while waiting.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! I learned a lot from this thread. Going to apply and hope for the best with my role change situation.

Just want to add another perspective - I'm a substitute teacher in Washington and I was actually able to collect unemployment last summer because subs typically don't have that "reasonable assurance" of work. So the rules definitely vary depending on your exact employment situation. Since you're switching from teaching to librarian, that role change might work in your favor. The key is that it's a different job classification with different duties, even though it's in the same district. I'd definitely encourage you to apply - worst case they say no, but you might be surprised!