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The Shared-Work program

If you are facing a temporary decline in business, the Shared-Work program offers you an alternative to laying off workers.

The program allows you to reduce the work hours of your full-time employees, and the workers collect partial unemployment benefits to replace a portion of their lost wages. This translates into immediate payroll savings and prevents the loss of your skilled employees.

The 2012 customer survey showed that the program is helping businesses stay afloat, and nearly 100 percent of participating employers would recommend the program to other struggling businesses.

(You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the customer-survey PDF file. You can download this free software directly from Adobe.)

Participation

Any company, large or small, can participate as long as the company is registered in Washington for at least six months prior to applying for the program.

Your participating employees must:

Be full-time and hourly;
Be eligible for regular unemployment benefits; and
Be able and available to work all hours offered by the Shared-Work employer.

The Shared-Work program is not for slowdowns that are an expected part of an industry or business. The program cannot be used to support seasonal businesses during the off season or companies that traditionally use part-time employees.

Reductions in work hours

The work hours of your participating employees can be reduced by at least 10 percent, but not more than 50 percent to qualify for Shared-Work benefit payments. For example, the work schedule for a full-time employee who typically works 40 hours a week can be reduced by at least 4 hours, but not more than 20 hours.

Length of plan

A Shared-Work plan can last up to one year. If your request is for less than a year, it still counts as your one plan for the year. In most instances, it is best to open a plan for the full year so it will be available if you need it.

Similarly, employees can receive up to 52 weeks of Shared-Work benefits in each one-year plan as long as there is a balance available. The weeks do not need to be consecutive.

Administration

You will deal directly and exclusively with the Shared Work administrative unit in Olympia, Wash., on all matters about your plan and your participating employee’s unemployment claims.

The bottom line

The Shared-Work program saves you money and keeps your skilled work force intact.

Employees are spared the hardships of full unemployment and get more income than if they were fully laid off.

For more details see Shared-Work compensation plan - benefits and Shared-Work regulations.

Shared-Work forms and publications

Shared-Work forms are available online as Microsoft Excel or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files. You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDF files. You can download this free software directly from Adobe.

Select a link below to open a form, then select "Save As" to save a copy to your hard drive. If you prefer, place your cursor over the link and then right-click your mouse button to open the dialog window. Select "Save Target As" to save the document to your computer.

If you use Excel or PDF to complete the Shared-Work compensation plan application packet, you can use our new Web form link to upload your application.

Instructions for uploading the Shared-Work form:

Save the Shared-Work application packet to your hard drive. Please include your company’s name in the file name.
After completing the forms, please sign and date them. A signature for the collective bargaining agent is necessary, if applicable.
Scan or copy the original with signatures before you select the “Upload Shared-Work form” link below.
Select the “Browse” button to choose the completed document files to upload from your saved document.
When the named document you choose to upload appears in the text box, select the “Upload” button to send the document to the Shared-Work Unit.

If you are not able to use this process, you must fax the completed forms with signatures to the Shared-Work Unit at 800-701-7754.

Upload Shared-Work form

Shared-Work handbook (under revision)

Shared-Work plan application packet (Excel, 29 KB)

Shared-Work plan application packet (PDF, 49 KB)

Shared-Work participant status change request (PDF, 33 KB)

Shared-Work program brochure (under revision)