Call on state leaders to create a relief fund for undocumented workers

“With this pandemic, individuals get $1200, couples get $2400, everybody gets unemployment, but what about immigrants?...We’re not ghosts, we are human beings.“

—Norma, King County

“If we don’t get any unemployment benefits from the state, we’re going to be in deep trouble.”

—Juan, Seattle

We need $100M in emergency pandemic relief for undocumented workers. Washington State is home to more than 250,000 undocumented immigrant workers, but federal rules exclude them from unemployment and stimulus programs. They’re facing this crisis without a safety net.

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“The unemployment system is in crisis. We urge you to prioritize getting money into workers’ hands as quickly as possible.

We are calling on Governor Inslee and Employment Security Department Commissioner LeVine to address the crisis in our unemployment system by taking three bold steps to create a more accessible system which quickly qualifies workers for benefits and immediately begins providing support:

  1. Confirm baseline eligibility within 7 days.

  2. Immediately pay the minimum benefit as soon as baseline eligibility is determined.

  3. Make the system work equitably for everyone.

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what's going on with unemployment?

Have you filed for unemployment? Run into issues with applying or long wait times & confusing systems? Whether you made it through the system or not, please report what happened for you to make sure workers get what we need during the crisis.

Nearly 600,000 workers in Washington — and millions across the country — have filed for unemployment in the last week.

Our state & the federal government have beefed up unemployment to get workers through the crisis. But many of us still aren't getting the benefits we need — and in a moment like this, it's vital that the systems we're using work for us.

That's why we're crowdsourcing reports from workers who have applied for unemployment. Whether you were denied, accepted, or haven't been able to get through the system at all, your experience matters, and sharing it is a huge way to help make sure workers get what we need.

Washington's Employment Security Department plans to update their application system on Sunday. They will be starting up the new "expanded unemployment" program for workers who aren't usually eligible (like independent contractors) and sending an additional $600/week to all workers receiving unemployment.

But we already know that many workers are struggling to get through the system as it is — so it's important for us to learn as much as we can about what workers have experienced so far, and keep an eye on this new system as it rolls out.

If you have ten minutes to spare, you can help. Report on your experience filing for unemployment if you've applied.

And whether you're still working or out of a job, share that link online (Twitter / Facebook) or with coworkers & friends who have applied. Together, we can make sure we're holding our state accountable to get workers through this crisis.

What gig economy companies and government agencies can do to protect workers’ health during the coronavirus response

The single most valuable thing gig companies can do to address the crisis is to pay workers more money. Improving workers’ economic security is the best long-term solution to ensuring everyone can make thoughtful decisions weighing potential risks to health and potential loss of income. There also additional immediate steps gig companies can take to slow the spread of the virus and mitigate the potential impact on workers:

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