What are two types of unemployment Washington ESD recognizes - regular UI vs standby?

There are actually several types but the two main ones you're probably thinking of are regular unemployment insurance (UI) and standby unemployment. Regular UI is for people who are completely separated from their job and actively looking for new work. Standby is for people who are temporarily laid off but expect to return to the same employer within a specific timeframe.

wait im confused too - what about partial unemployment? isn't that a third type? i thought there was regular, partial, and standby

I went through this exact same situation last year and it was so confusing trying to reach Washington ESD to get clarification. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent who could explain the difference. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Basically they call Washington ESD for you and get you connected when an agent is available.

THE WASHINGTON ESD SYSTEM IS SO BROKEN!!! I've been trying to figure out my claim type for weeks and nobody can give me a straight answer. Why is this so complicated?? Other states make this way easier to understand.

For standby unemployment, Washington ESD requires a specific recall date in writing from your employer. If they just said 'hopefully in a few weeks' that's not definite enough. You'd need to file for regular UI and meet the job search requirements. You can always switch to standby later if your employer provides a definite recall date.

omg same situation here! got laid off but they said they'd call us back when business picks up. been so confused about this whole thing

Just to clarify the two main types for everyone: 1) Regular Unemployment Insurance (UI) - for permanent job separations, requires active job search, includes partial unemployment for reduced hours. 2) Standby Unemployment - for temporary layoffs with definite recall dates within 12 weeks, no job search required but you can't work elsewhere. Both have the same weekly benefit amount calculation.

so if i'm on standby and my employer doesn't call me back by the recall date, what happens then? do i automatically switch to regular UI?

I had to learn this the hard way - was on standby for 8 weeks waiting for my restaurant to reopen after renovations. When they pushed back the date again, I had to call Washington ESD to switch to regular UI. That's when I found out about Claimyr too because I couldn't get through on my own. Really wish I'd known about that service earlier.

Quick question - does the weekly benefit amount differ between regular UI and standby? Or is it calculated the same way?

this thread is so helpful! ive been wondering about this for weeks but was too embarrassed to ask because i thought everyone else already knew

I'm a former Washington ESD worker and I can tell you that the standby vs regular UI confusion is one of the most common issues people call about. The key thing to remember is that standby is pretty restrictive - you need that definite recall date in writing and you can't work anywhere else while you're on standby status.

Wait so what about seasonal unemployment? Like if you work at a ski resort or something? Is that different from regular UI?

I tried calling Washington ESD about this exact question last week and was on hold for 2 hours before giving up. Finally used that Claimyr thing someone mentioned and got through in like 20 minutes. The agent explained that most people should just file for regular UI unless they have a really specific recall situation with dates in writing.

Just want to add that you can also have a combination - like if you're on standby but your recall date gets pushed back, you can switch to regular UI for the extended period. It's not like you're locked into one type forever.

thanks everyone for this discussion! i feel like i actually understand the difference now instead of just guessing

For anyone still confused, I'd recommend checking out the Washington ESD handbook or calling them directly. But yeah, like others said, if calling doesn't work out, that Claimyr service seems to be pretty effective at getting you through to an actual person who can answer these questions.

Bottom line: Regular UI for most people (with job search requirements), Standby for specific temporary layoffs with written recall dates. When in doubt, go with regular UI since it's more flexible.

I just went through this same situation a few months ago and it was definitely confusing at first! One thing that helped me was understanding that if your employer is being vague about the callback timeline (like saying "maybe in a few weeks"), you're almost certainly better off filing for regular UI. The standby requirements are really strict - they need to give you an exact date in writing, and like others mentioned, you can't do any other work while you wait. I ended up going with regular UI even though my employer hinted they might call me back, and I'm glad I did because it gave me the flexibility to apply for other jobs and do some freelance work to make ends meet. The job search requirement isn't too bad - just 3 activities per week and you can count things like updating your resume or networking.