UnionUnemployment between calls for union dispatch members: the job-search rule by state
In some states, mostly yes. Texas, Wisconsin, Washington, Oregon and Minnesota let a member in good standing meet the job-search rule through the hall, each with its own conditions. Michigan still wants 3 work-search activities a week, but contacts through the hall count. In Georgia we found only an exemption from registering with the state job service, not from the weekly job contacts. Confirm with your state's unemployment agency before you count on it.
General information, not legal advice. Confirm the rule with your state's unemployment agency for your own claim.
Checked against the sources below on .
How the hall rule works
Every state asks people on unemployment to look for work each week. Several states count dispatch through a union hiring hall as that search, for members in good standing who follow the hall's rules 1,3,7,10,11. The details differ. Wisconsin and Washington also want the union itself signed up with the state agency 3,7.
The table only covers states where we read the rule on the state's own site. Rules change, and how a rule applies to you is up to the agency. Confirm with your state's unemployment agency before you count on it.
The rule by state
| State | The rule, in one sentence | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | Members in good standing of a union with a nondiscriminatory hiring hall, who keep in contact with the hall and use its placement services, don't have to do the regular work search 1,2. | 40 TAC §815.28(a)(1)(E)(vi) | Oct. 18, 2026 |
| Wisconsin | The 4-actions-a-week search is waived for a laid-off member who routinely gets work through union referral, is registered with the union and in good standing, but only if the union has an agreement with the Department of Workforce Development 3,4. | Wis. Admin. Code DWD 127.02(4) | Oct. 18, 2026 |
| Michigan | If you must seek work only through the hall, you don't register with Michigan Works!, but you still report at least 3 work-search activities a week, and contacts through the hiring hall count 5,6. | MCL 421.28(6)(d) and (7) | Oct. 18, 2026 |
| Washington | If your union is in ESD's Referral Union Program, being registered with the union, eligible for and seeking dispatch, and following its dispatch rules meets the weekly job search 7,8. | WAC 192-180-010(3)(c) | Oct. 18, 2026 |
| Oregon | A member in good standing of a union that doesn't allow non-union work meets the search by staying in contact with the union and being ready to report when dispatched; if that union doesn't dispatch, the normal 5 activities a week apply 10. | OAR 471-030-0036(5)(c) | Oct. 18, 2026 |
| Minnesota | Seeking work only through the union counts where hiring in your occupation and area goes through the union, and construction members limited to signatory contractors can seek work only with them, if you're in good standing, registered with the union and following its rules 11. | Minn. Stat. §268.085, subd. 16(e) | Oct. 18, 2026 |
| Georgia | Hiring-hall members in good standing, with proof of membership and union registration, don't have to register for work with the state, but we found no rule excusing them from the 3 new job contacts a week 12,13. | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 300-2-4-.02(4)(d) | Oct. 18, 2026 |
As written, none of these rules limits how many weeks the hall rule lasts 1,3,5,8,10,11,12. If your state isn't in the table, we haven't confirmed its rule on the state's own site yet. Ask your hall and your state's unemployment agency.
Before you file
- Get on the out-of-work list before you file. Wisconsin's agency suggests it, so the waiver starts from the day you file 4.
- Keep your dues paid. Wisconsin counts a member as in good standing when dues are up to date and membership isn't suspended 4. Michigan counts a member who is current on dues and payments 6.
- Answer the union questions on your claim. Michigan's claim asks whether you're required to seek work only through a union hiring hall 6.
- Think before you turn down a dispatch. In Washington, refusing a dispatch may be treated as refusing suitable work, and you have to report weeks you weren't available for dispatch or refused one 9.
- Travelers, check first. In Wisconsin, a traveler on an approved union's list doesn't get the waiver if their own union isn't approved 4. In Washington, paying only a fee to be on a union's out-of-work list means you do the normal job search 9.
A short call while you're on a claim means reporting that week's work and pay. Pick your trade and log each day: the app keeps every week's hours and gross pay, so the numbers are there when you file your weekly claim. Free for a month.
Between jobs? Open the job-call board: public union hall job calls from across the US in one place, rebuilt every night.
Questions
Do I have to job search on unemployment if I'm on the out-of-work list?
It depends on the state. Texas, Wisconsin, Washington, Oregon and Minnesota let a member in good standing meet the rule through the hall, with conditions. Michigan still wants 3 activities a week, but hall contacts count. Check with your state's agency.
Does my union have to be signed up with the state?
In Wisconsin and Washington, yes: the union must have an agreement with, or be enrolled by, the state agency. The Texas, Oregon and Minnesota rules don't say that, but each has its own conditions.
Can I turn down a dispatch while on unemployment?
Be careful. Washington says refusing a dispatch may be treated as refusing suitable work, and you must report it. Other states have their own suitable-work rules, so ask your agency first.
I'm a traveler on another local's list. Does the hall rule cover me?
Not always. In Wisconsin, a traveler on an approved union's list doesn't get the waiver if their own union isn't approved. In Washington, paying only a fee to be on the out-of-work list isn't enough.
Sources
The numbers in the text point here. Each page was read on the day shown. Rules and amounts change, so check the source before you count on any of it.
- 40 TAC §815.28, work search requirements, as amended (Texas Register, May 1, 2026, proposed text) Texas Secretary of State, Texas Register, checked
- 40 TAC §815.20 and §815.28 adopted without changes (Texas Register, August 7, 2026) Texas Secretary of State, Texas Register, checked
- Wis. Admin. Code DWD 127.02(4): work search waiver, union referral Wisconsin Legislature, checked
- UCB-19313-P: What members of trade unions should know about unemployment benefits Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, checked
- MCL 421.28: eligibility, work search Michigan Legislature, checked
- Fact sheet: work search requirement for union members Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency, checked
- Referral Union Program Washington Employment Security Department, checked
- WAC 192-180-010(3)(c): job search for referral union members Washington State Legislature, checked
- WAC 192-210-120: what referral union members must do and report Washington State Legislature, checked
- OAR 471-030-0036(5)(c): union members who may not seek non-union work Oregon Secretary of State, checked
- Minn. Stat. §268.085, subd. 16(e): actively seeking suitable employment Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes, checked
- Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 300-2-4-.02: claimant registration for work and job referrals Georgia Secretary of State, Rules and Regulations, checked
- Learn about work search requirements Georgia Department of Labor, checked
Independent guide. Not affiliated with any union or government agency.