Unemployment Benefits for Substitutes Not Working During the School Closure:
Puyallup School District is encouraging substitutes affected by recent school closures, due to Covid-19, to visit the Washington State Employment Security Department website for the most recent information regarding potential eligibility for unemployment. Eligibility is determined by the Employment Security Department, not the Puyallup School District.
Latest information from Employment Security Department:
Q. I am a part-time employee. Am I eligible for standby?
A. Under the emergency rules we put into place as a result of COVID-19, standby may be available to you if you’re unemployed because either:
- 1. Your employer shut down or decreased operations temporarily because an employee is sick and other employees have been asked to isolate or quarantine as a result of COVID-19; or
- 2. You or your family member received a request to isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19.
If you worked part time in the last 18 months, you must meet the minimum requirement of having worked 680 hours in your base year in order to have an unemployment claim.
Q. I am a substitute teacher who is no longer able to secure work with a school because of the closures. Am I eligible for unemployment benefits?
A. You may be eligible for unemployment. You must be able, available, and actively seeking other suitable work during each week you claim. Eligibility decisions are made on a case by case basis.
To apply for benefits please click here.
It is strongly suggested that employees state the following when filing for unemployment benefits:
Reason: Laid off due to school closure as a result of Covid-19
In addition, employees should request Standby. When selecting standby employees need to select a period of time less than 4 weeks (28 days) from the date of filing. We are aware current closure times are expected to be longer, however the ESD has been automatically denying the claim if the request goes beyond the 28 day period. Puget Sound Unemployment Pool will be monitoring these claims on behalf of PSD and will notify the district prior to the end of the 4 week date to allow the district to extend the claim.