Bottom line - read all your correspondence from Washington ESD carefully, follow the rules exactly, be honest about everything, and don't be afraid to ask for help if you're confused about something.

The main disqualifications in Washington state are: 1) Being fired for misconduct (like theft, repeated policy violations, or excessive unexcused absences), 2) Quitting without good cause connected to work, 3) Not being able and available for work (due to health issues, school, childcare problems, etc.), 4) Refusing suitable work without good cause, 5) Not actively searching for jobs (you need 3 job contacts per week), 6) Not reporting income correctly, and 7) Fraud or providing false information. Each situation is evaluated individually, so even if you think you might be disqualified, it's worth applying and letting Washington ESD make the determination. If you do get disqualified, you have 30 days to appeal the decision.

If you mistakenly answered the school attendance question incorrectly, call ESD immediately to correct this. It's better to voluntarily correct the record than have them discover it later. As for your next steps: 1. File your appeal now - you only have 30 days from the denial notice 2. Simultaneously apply for the Training Benefits Program using form ESD 13-056 3. Continue filing weekly claims, answering all questions accurately 4. Gather documentation of your class schedule and a statement from your school confirming evening-only attendance 5. Prepare a written statement explaining how your class schedule does not interfere with your availability for full-time construction work The approval process for Training Benefits can take 2-4 weeks, but if approved, payments can be backdated to when you applied, assuming you've filed all your weekly claims.

I went through something similar when I was taking welding certification classes at night while collecting benefits. Here's what worked for me: I called ESD (took forever to get through) and explained that my classes were specifically to IMPROVE my construction skills, not change careers. They told me I could either appeal based on availability OR apply for training benefits. I chose the training route because it was less risky - once approved, you don't have to job search as long as you maintain good grades. The whole process took about 3 weeks but I got all my back pay. Pro tip: if your community college program is on their approved training list, the CAT application goes much faster. Check the ESD website for the list before you apply!

thanks everyone for all the tips! i feel way more confident about keeping proper records now. going to start a detailed spreadsheet this week

I've been tracking my job search activities for about 8 months now and one thing I learned the hard way is to also document any follow-up activities. Like if you apply somewhere and then call a week later to check on your application status - that phone call counts as a separate work search activity! I wish I had known this earlier because I was doing tons of follow-ups but not counting them. Also, if you attend any virtual job fairs or webinars about job searching/career development, those count too. The key is just being really detailed about everything you do that's related to finding work.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info. I bookmarked this thread in case I run into payment issues in the future. Nice to have a roadmap of what to check.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation - my adjudication was resolved two weeks ago and payments show as 'paid' but I haven't received anything yet. Based on what I'm reading here, I'm going to call my bank first to see if they're holding the deposits, then try that Claimyr service if needed. It's reassuring to know there are actual solutions and that Washington ESD is working on the system glitches affecting post-adjudication payments. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

Thanks everyone for all this info. Sounds like I need to focus on getting better and wait until I'm medically cleared before thinking about unemployment. Really appreciate everyone taking the time to explain this stuff.

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago with a knee injury. The frustrating part is that Washington ESD is very strict about the "able and available" requirement - even if you feel like you could do some work, if you're officially on STD, they consider you unavailable. I tried to argue that I could do desk work while my knee healed, but they denied my claim because I was receiving disability payments. The good news is that once your doctor clears you to return to work (even with restrictions), you can file immediately if your employer doesn't have suitable work available. Keep all your medical documentation and communication with your employer - you'll need it when you're ready to file. Hang in there, the 60% from STD is tough but focus on healing properly so you don't re-injure yourself.