Will having a baby affect my union layoff unemployment benefits?

Congratulations on your baby! Having a newborn doesn't directly affect your unemployment eligibility, but there are some important things to know. Since you mentioned you're on standby through your union, that's actually a different status than regular unemployment. With standby, you're temporarily laid off but expected to return to your employer, so the job search requirements are different. You still need to be "able and available" for work, but you don't have to do the 3 job search activities each week while on approved standby. When the baby comes, you should still file your weekly claims as usual. There will be a question asking if you were able and available for work - as long as you could have returned to your job if called, you can answer "yes" even though you're caring for your new baby at home while waiting for recall.

my brother had this same thing happn last year with his job at the shipyard. he just kept claiming like normal and didn't mention the baby stuff. nobody from esd ever asked him about it. but i think he was on standby too so maybe thats why? good luck with the baby!!!

Just to clarify some important details: Unemployment and parental leave are two separate programs in Washington. If you're on standby status with your union job, you continue filing for unemployment as normal until you're recalled. However, you might want to look into Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) which is different from unemployment. PFML allows you to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave to bond with a new baby. The catch is you can't collect both unemployment and PFML for the same week. So you'd need to decide which program makes more sense for your situation based on the benefit amounts. Regarding your standby status: Double-check your approval period. Standard standby is typically approved for 8 weeks, though construction workers can get up to 12 weeks. If your layoff might last longer than your approved standby period, you'll either need to request an extension or transition to regular unemployment with full job search requirements.

Yes, you can switch between programs, but timing is important. You would stop claiming unemployment for the weeks you're on PFML, then resume unemployment claims if your PFML ends and you're still on layoff. Just be very careful not to claim both for the same week as that would constitute fraud. One thing to keep in mind: Your PFML benefit might be higher than unemployment depending on your regular wages. PFML pays up to 90% of your average weekly wage (capped at $1,527 in 2025), while unemployment has a lower maximum benefit amount. I recommend calling ESD to discuss your specific situation. Unfortunately, their phone lines are notoriously difficult to get through.

Be VERY CAREFUL about the "able and available" question!!! The ESD system is designed to TRAP people and DENY benefits! When I had my second kid last year while on standby from my seasonal job, some ESD agent decided I wasn't "available" for work because I mentioned the baby during a routine verification call. Took me TWO MONTHS to get my benefits back and I had to go through a whole appeal process!!! The system is totally BROKEN!!

i think your asking two things. unemployment is separete from any parental leave. my cousin had a baby last yr while laid off and he just kept collecting regular unemployment. BUT he did say ESD asked him some questions during his adjudication about childcare and if he would be able to go back to work if a job became available. so just be ready to explain that you have childcare lined up or something if they ask

When I was in a similar situation (though not union), I found it helpful to review the handbook section on able and available requirements. From ESD's perspective, what matters is whether you could return to suitable work if offered - not whether you're at home with a baby. As long as you could make arrangements to return to work within a reasonable timeframe if recalled, you're still eligible. I'd suggest documenting your child care plan just in case they ask during any eligibility reviews. One other thing to consider: Washington state has some of the best parental benefits in the country. The PFML program mentioned above could potentially pay you more than unemployment for up to 12 weeks. You might want to run the numbers on both to see which makes more financial sense for your family. The PFML website has a benefit calculator to help with this.

isnt there somthing called paid family leave in WA now? might be better than unimployment checks

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! After reading all your comments, I think I'm going to: 1) Continue my unemployment claims until the baby arrives, 2) Look into PFML to see if that would give us better benefits for a few weeks, and 3) Make sure I have our childcare plan documented in case ESD asks about my availability to return to work. I really appreciate all the insights - this has been weighing on my mind a lot with everything else going on right now!