SEAP eligibility requirements for self-employment while on ESD unemployment - who qualifies?

I went through SEAP in 2025 and it was soooo worth it! Yes, you need to already be on regular UI and be identified as likely to exhaust your benefits. They'll send you a letter if you're eligible, but not everyone gets selected. It uses your regular UI benefits, same amount and duration, but the difference is you DON'T have to look for jobs - instead you work on building your business. There's a separate application after you get the letter, and you have to take entrepreneurial training. It's pretty competitive to get in though.

i didnt qualify cause my base year wages werent high enough, they said i wasnt gonna run out of benefits before getting a job. but my friend did SEAP and she had to attend alot of small biz workshops. its basically same money but diff requirements

To qualify for SEAP, you must: 1. Be eligible for regular UI benefits (not extensions or special programs) 2. Be profiled by ESD's system as likely to exhaust your benefits 3. Receive a formal invitation letter from ESD 4. Be planning to establish a business in Washington state 5. Have not previously participated in SEAP 6. Complete mandatory entrepreneurial training The SEAP uses your regular UI benefits, same weekly amount and total benefit year. The key difference is you're excluded from job search requirements since starting a business becomes your approved activity. You cannot simply apply without being selected by ESD's profiling system first. It's designed for those who might struggle to find traditional employment before benefits end.

I successfully completed SEAP in early 2025. Beyond what others mentioned, one critical thing to know is that you MUST be fully available to participate in their required training programs (usually 8-12 weeks). You'll need to attend workshops through WorkSource or Small Business Development Centers. If construction management is your background, your business plan needs to demonstrate how you'll transfer those skills to your new venture. They evaluate your plan heavily. Also be aware that while you're developing your business, you still have to be able and available for full-time work technically - it's just that your business development activities satisfy the work search requirements. If you haven't received an invitation yet, I'd recommend calling ESD directly to ask about your profile status, but good luck getting through to anyone these days.

ESD is SO MISLEADING about SEAP!!! I spent WEEKS trying to apply after my coworker got in, only to find out you can't apply directly. Their website barely explains the selection criteria, and when I finally got through to someone, they just said "the computer system selects based on various factors" which tells me NOTHING! Also, even if you get selected, there's limited spaces! My letter came 9 weeks into my claim, but by then the current cohort was full and I had to wait another 6 weeks for the next one to start. By that time I'd already found part-time work and wasn't eligible anymore. The whole system is designed to LOOK helpful while actually limiting how many people can participate!

I've been trying to reach ESD about my adjudication issues for 3 weeks with no luck - their phone lines are always busy and they never respond to messages. Then I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an ESD agent in under 25 minutes! The agent actually was super helpful about SEAP too and explained that selections happen around the 4-6 week mark of your claim usually. If you're struggling to get through to ask questions, check out their video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 to see how it works. Their website is claimyr.com - way better than waiting on hold for hours just to get disconnected.

One important correction to some information shared above: SEAP selection is not entirely random or based on a "secret algorithm." The profiling system uses factors including: - Your occupation and industry - Local labor market conditions - Your education level - Your wage history - Your claim duration so far The system identifies claimants who statistically may have more difficulty finding employment before benefits exhaust. Selections typically happen between weeks 4-8 of your claim, but not everyone will be selected even if they seem to meet criteria. The program has limited funding and capacity. If you're interested in self-employment but don't get selected for SEAP, you can still pursue your business while on UI, but you must continue meeting regular job search requirements and report any income.

my neighbor did SEAP last yr and said the training was actually pretty good, they help u with business plans + marketing + all the legal stuff. he's still running his little IT company now. but he was on UI for like 3 months b4 getting picked

Yes, you can absolutely research your business idea while collecting regular UI! Just make sure you're still doing your required 3 job search activities each week and documenting them properly. Research alone isn't considered self-employment. What you can't do on regular UI is actively operate the business - things like: - Getting business licenses - Actively marketing your services - Spending significant time on business setup during hours you'd normally work - Turning down suitable work to focus on your business Basic planning, research, and education don't violate UI requirements as long as you're still genuinely seeking employment. Document everything carefully in case you're ever questioned. If you want to move beyond research into actual business formation before being selected for SEAP, that's when you might run into issues with your regular benefits.

I'm actually in a similar situation - laid off from my marketing job 7 weeks ago and have been considering freelance consulting. Reading through everyone's experiences here is super helpful! It sounds like SEAP is pretty competitive and selective, which is frustrating since it seems like such a great opportunity. @Lorenzo McCormick - your point about what you can/can't do while on regular UI is really important. I've been worried about even taking online courses related to potential business ideas, but it sounds like research and education are okay as long as I'm still doing my job searches. Has anyone here actually gotten rejected from SEAP after being invited? I'm curious what the approval rate is once you get that initial letter. Also wondering if certain types of businesses are more likely to get approved than others - like are they looking for businesses that fill gaps in the local economy? Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this is way more info than I could find on the ESD website!

I went through the SEAP selection process in 2024 and wanted to share some additional insights that might help. I was selected around week 6 of my claim, and the approval process after getting the invitation took about 2 weeks. One thing I wish I'd known earlier is that they really value applicants who can demonstrate market research in their business plan. Even though you can't actively start your business before SEAP approval, you CAN gather data about your target market, analyze competitors, and develop financial projections. This groundwork really strengthened my application. For construction management background like yours, @Brielle Johnson, emphasize how your project management skills, client relations experience, and industry knowledge translate to running a handyman/consulting business. They want to see clear connections between your work history and your proposed venture. Also, the training component is intensive but genuinely valuable - I learned things about business operations, marketing, and financial management that I never would have figured out on my own. The networking with other SEAP participants was a bonus too. Keep up with your regular job search requirements while you wait to hear about selection. Good luck!

I'm currently in week 3 of my unemployment claim after being laid off from my retail management position, and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea SEAP even existed until stumbling across this discussion. Reading everyone's experiences, it sounds like the selection process is pretty opaque and competitive. I've been considering starting an online boutique since I have experience in retail buying and customer service, but now I'm wondering if I should focus more on documenting my qualifications and market research while I wait to see if I get selected. One question for those who've been through the process - do they give you any feedback if you're NOT selected? Like, do they tell you why you didn't qualify or is it just radio silence? I'm trying to manage my expectations here since it sounds like not everyone gets picked even if they seem to meet the basic criteria. Also, has anyone tried reaching out to WorkSource centers for general small business guidance while waiting for potential SEAP selection? I'm wondering if getting some preliminary advice might help strengthen a future application if I do get invited. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - this is way more useful than anything I could find through official channels!

I'm in week 8 of my claim and just received my SEAP invitation letter yesterday! Reading through this thread has been so helpful in understanding what to expect. For those still waiting - don't give up hope. I was starting to think I wouldn't get selected since I'm in construction like @Brielle Johnson, but apparently they do consider our industry. A few things I learned from my initial call with the SEAP coordinator: - The business plan doesn't have to be super detailed in the application, but you need to show you've thought it through - They really want to see how your existing skills transfer to the new business - Local market need is important - they asked specific questions about competition in my area For anyone doing research while waiting, I found the SCORE mentorship program really helpful for getting free business advice. Also, the SBA website has tons of resources for market analysis and financial projections. I'm nervous about the approval process after the invitation, but feeling more confident after reading @Gael Robinson's experience. Will definitely emphasize the project management angle in my application. Thanks everyone for sharing - this community is way more helpful than the official ESD resources!