Everyone's situation is different with ESD. When I applied after being laid off from my third job in a year, they ended up asking about ALL of my previous jobs and why I left each one. The adjudicator told me they're supposed to only look at the most recent job, but sometimes they look back further if they see a pattern they're concerned about. Just something to be aware of.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! I'm going to go ahead and apply, making sure to be honest about all my job separations but focusing on the details of my most recent firing (no training, trying my best, etc.). I'll gather whatever documentation I can about the performance issues too. I'll update here if I run into any issues or if I get approved. Fingers crossed!

Something important to note - since you mentioned this is a suspension rather than a traditional layoff, your case might have additional complications. ESD often treats suspensions differently depending on the reason. If the suspension is for misconduct, you might be disqualified. But if it's due to a labor dispute or union-related issue where you're not at fault, you should be eligible. Make sure you've clearly documented the nature of the suspension. The adjudicator will likely contact both you and your employer to get statements, which is part of why it takes so long. The union connection adds another layer of complexity they need to investigate. As for the document upload question - I work with unemployment cases regularly, and those prompts DO stay in the system even after successful upload. It's just poorly designed UI. As long as you can see your document in the "Uploaded Documents" section, you're fine.

UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know that I took the advice to call ESD directly. After being unable to get through for three days, I tried the Claimyr service mentioned above. Got through to a real person in about 35 minutes! The agent told me my claim was actually just waiting for one final verification from my employer, who hadn't responded to their requests. They're sending another request and said if my employer doesn't respond within 48 hours, they'll make a determination based on the information they already have. Fingers crossed this gets resolved soon! Thanks for all the help.

I HATE how they keep changing the rules!!! During covid we had all these extensions and now NOTHING?? I exhausted my benefits in January and have been living on credit cards since then. The whole system is designed to force us to take garbage jobs that don't even pay enough to cover rent. What happened to all the BILLIONS in the unemployment trust fund?? They just don't want to pay it out!!!

One other thing to consider - make sure you file your final weekly claim even after receiving the notice that your benefits are exhausting. Sometimes people miss out on their final week of benefits because they stop filing when they get the exhaustion notice. Also, if you do decide to pursue training benefits, you'll need to act fast. The approval process can take several weeks, and ideally, you want that approval before your regular UI ends. WorkSource can help with the training program approval process as well.

Great point about the contact info. I still have mail forwarding set up from my WA address, but I should make sure they have my current direct address and phone number from the start.

Thanks everyone for the advice! Sounds like I should just file online and be prepared for the wait. I'll make sure I have all my documentation ready, explain my out-of-state situation clearly, and maybe try that Claimyr service if I get stuck in adjudication. Definitely saved me from wasting money on a flight!

Also, in case it helps ease your stress a little - if you win your appeal, you will receive all back payments for the weeks you've been claiming. While it doesn't help with immediate bills, you will eventually get the full amount you're entitled to if the judge rules in your favor. I'd recommend checking your appeal status on the OAH portal as well: https://www.oah.wa.gov/ They have a separate system from ESD where you can sometimes see updates on your case status.

One important thing to remember is that if your employer doesn't show up for the hearing (which happens fairly often), that significantly increases your chances of winning. But don't count on that - still be fully prepared. Also, make sure you understand exactly why ESD denied your claim. In your case, it sounds like they believe you voluntarily quit rather than being laid off. You'll need to focus specifically on proving that aspect of your case with documentation or witness statements if possible.