Striking workers will need to seek jobs to qualify for WA unemployment benefits

The briefing

Washington will require striking workers to meet the state's job search rules to receive unemployment benefits, starting Sunday, after the U.S. Department of Labor said the state's waiver did not conform with federal law. The change applies to all new claims during a strike and follows a 2025 law that has already paid 151 people a total of $565,714. The shift lands as roughly 16,000 Boeing engineers could strike Oct. 7 after rejecting a contract offer.