Will WA state pay me benefits if my (non-military) spouse relocates to East Coast?

by Dee
(Tacoma, Washington)

Will WA state pay me benefits if my (non-military) spouse relocates to East Coast?


My husband has been retired for a few years and recently was offered a job (he wasn't looking for) on the East Coast. This is a big decision. I have worked for the same local company for 8 years - so relocation for my job is not an option. Would I be able to collect benefits? Thanks



Hi Dee,

The following is copy and pasted directly from the footnotes of Table 5-2 in the nonmonetary issues comparison chartbook located at the USDOL.

WA – to relocate for the employment of spouse or domestic partner that is outside the existing labor market area, provided that claimant remained employed for as long as was reasonable prior to the move.

Sounds like you could .. doesn't it? The only thing it doesn't explain .. is what WA State has decided this means ..

provided that claimant remained employed for as long as was reasonable prior to the move.

This does matter .. because we don't all agree on what is "reasonable", but if you want to collect unemployment .. WA precedent would trump the rest of our opinions on it.

Whenever this question of moving to follow a spouse comes up .. I tell everyone to also read the text of the laws and the changes that were made.

Problem is, today .. the servers are timing out when I try to get to the page at DOLETA .. or I'd be linking directly to the WA changes sent to DOLETA for approval .. so WA could receive UI law modernization stimulus bribes ... ah .. I mean funds.

So, instead, you might try searching lower down on the comparison chartbook page under significant provisions of State UI Law