If your employer initiates a round of layoffs and gives you the option to opt in, you are now entitled to unemployment insurance benefits — just like workers who are laid off involuntarily.
For years, confusing court rulings left this unclear. Even though most employers and workers assumed opt-in layoff volunteers qualified for benefits like anyone else, many workers were denied.
In 2026, with WEBA’s advocacy, the Washington State Legislature passed HB 2264 (codified as RCW 50.20.055), clarifying that workers who opt in to a layoff pool receive the same unemployment benefits as other laid-off workers. The bill passed unanimously in both chambers.
We’re proud to advocate for workers — in court and in the legislature.