What happened?

On May 19, 2025, Governor Bob Ferguson signed Senate Bill 5041 into law, allowing certain workers in Washington state to receive up to six weeks of unemployment benefits if they are out of work due to a strike or employer lockout.

Overview:

Unemployment Benefits for Striking Workers

• Eligibility:
  
  • Workers may qualify for benefits starting 15 to 21 days after a strike begins unless the strike ends before that time.
  • The strike must be legal, and workers must not be directly involved in organizing or funding it.

• Benefit Limits: Benefits are capped at six calendar weeks.

• Repayment: If a strike is later ruled illegal or workers receive retroactive pay, they must repay any unemployment benefits received.

• Employer Impact:
  
  • Employers will be charged for benefits paid to striking workers, which may affect their unemployment insurance tax rate.Employers can make voluntary payments to reduce the impact on their tax rate.
  • Employers will be notified about mediation services available throughout the state.

• Oversight: The Employment Security Department must submit annual reports to the Legislature on strike activity and its financial impact on the unemployment insurance trust fund.

Source References

• WA SB 5041 – Concerning unemployment insurance benefits for striking or lockout workers
• Senate Democrats Press Release

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