r/UnemploymentWA • u/blossom_247 • Nov 26 '25
RESOLVED Can I be out of state but still available?
I'm going to be visiting family in another state for 3 weeks. It's unstructured time so I could easily work while there. In my field of work it's the norm to work remotely and I need remote work as an accommodation due to well documented disabilities anyway. I see in the guidance you would typically put unavailable if you're out of state for similar reasons, would this be an exception to that guideline? And if so, is there anything I should do to make sure my claim doesn't get questioned?
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u/SoThenIThought_ Admin for WEBA.Law, WA Unemployment Benefits Nov 26 '25
No. You can't. But for the reminder that the money that you have to repay because of the travel as per the travel vacation guidance...
Is payable later in the claim so you don't actually lose that money definitely even worse though. No one on earth can force you read this but you really should
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u/blossom_247 Nov 26 '25
I did read through it but "to be available for work, an individual must be ready, able, and willing, immediately to accept any suitable work which may be offered" seems in my circumstance to be fulfilled since any work I might be offered would be remote anyway
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u/SoThenIThought_ Admin for WEBA.Law, WA Unemployment Benefits Nov 26 '25
There is no exemption for remote work. They log IP addresses and adjudicate based on the laws provided so there is not an exception in the way that you expect it to be, and not the way that the rest of us expect it to be: there's not exception for remote work
friendly reminder that the money that isn't paid is payable later in the claim. You do not lose this money so there is no real Advantage to possibly jeopardizing the entire claim just to get one or two weeks of benefits that are payable later in the claim
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u/blossom_247 Nov 26 '25
Ok understood. Separately, wouldn't that cause issues if someone used a VPN?
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u/Ok_Plate_7722 Nov 26 '25
Many systems are good enough to tell if you are using a vpn. Even if your location logged into a vpn states WA, the use of a vpn could get your claim flagged for investigation. After the massive unemployment fraud wave in 2020–2021, Washington ESD publicly announced it adopted advanced identity-verification and fraud-prevention systems, specifically ThreatMetrix and some other systems.
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u/blossom_247 Nov 27 '25
Interesting, good to know. I'll have to be careful about that as I often run a VPN just for privacy
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u/SoThenIThought_ Admin for WEBA.Law, WA Unemployment Benefits Nov 27 '25
Yes and this is why there's entries in the compilation of resources post, in the able and available section about that
Are you currently capable of working in a modified capacity?
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u/blossom_247 Nov 28 '25
Yup absolutely. To elaborate a little further, my disability means I can't drive and I need to lay down regularly and limit exertion. The combo makes daily in person work pretty much impossible (trust me I've tried), but everything in my work can be done easily from a laptop in bed
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u/supasta83 Nov 26 '25
Limiting ones self to remote work is in* itself a refusal to work
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u/blossom_247 Nov 27 '25
I'm not limiting myself out of preference, I am regularly unable to leave the house due to well documented disabilities. All suitable work for me (which is legally what I would need to accept) would be remote or very flexible hybrid.
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u/hgreis Nov 26 '25
WA cares that you’re able and available for suitable work and can start right away, not strictly where you’re sitting. If your work is normally remote and you can interview and start immediately while you’re visiting, you’re usually fine, just document it. I’d note in your weekly claim that you were out of state but available for remote work, and keep records of any applications or interviews. If you’re hunting remote roles, wfhalert is decent, it emails verified remote jobs like admin or support so you’re less likely to run into scam or ghost listings.