Amazon Pivot/Layoff - How to answer 'reason for separation' on ESD weekly claim?

I went through a similar situation with Amazon last year. On your weekly claim, select "laid off due to lack of work" since that's essentially what happened. The 'Pivot' is just corporate language for downsizing. Don't overthink it - Amazon won't contest your unemployment since these were mass layoffs. Make sure to keep any documentation they provided you regarding the separation, especially if they called it a "reduction in force" or something similar in your paperwork.

ppl from my team got pivoted 2 and they all put laid off on the form. Amazon HR even sent instructions saying to chose that option for ESD. check ur exit emails maybe??

I process unemployment claims (not for ESD specifically, but similar systems). Be extremely careful about how you phrase this. If you select "quit" or anything that suggests voluntary separation, you'll trigger an adjudication process that can delay your benefits for weeks or months. Since this was a company-initiated separation, "laid off due to lack of work" is technically correct even if they called it something fancy like a "Pivot." If your claim does go to adjudication for any reason, you'll want to clearly explain that this was part of a company-wide reduction initiative where your position was eliminated. The key is emphasizing that you had no realistic alternative to continue employment.

Just went through this myself with Amazon in August. I selected "laid off" and my claim was processed without issues. However, there's a huge backlog with ESD right now so expect delays regardless. I had to call them repeatedly to check on my claim status - took me 42 attempts over 3 days to finally get through! Completely ridiculous. If you're struggling to reach ESD about your claim, I ended up using Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me through to an actual ESD agent in about 25 minutes instead of spending days redialing. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Totally worth it to avoid the frustration, especially when you're anxious about paying bills.

amazon is THE WORST with this stuff!!!! they did the same thing to me last year and called it a "career transition opportunity" when they were just firing people. such corporate BS. i put "laid off" and it was fine. don't let them trick you into saying you quit!!!!

Why is everyone saying to select "laid off"? That's not completely honest if they offered you another position but you didn't take it. I went through something similar and I selected "other" and then explained the situation truthfully. My claim took longer but was eventually approved. I'd rather take longer than risk having to pay back benefits later if they find out you weren't truthful.

UPDATE: I found the separation paperwork and it clearly states "involuntary separation due to business reorganization." I selected "laid off due to lack of work" on my weekly claim and included that exact language in the explanation box. My claim is now processing! Thanks everyone for your help. I'll update again when I find out if it's approved.

One more thing - make sure you're fulfilling the job search requirements while waiting! You need to document at least 3 job search activities each week. I almost lost benefits because I didn't realize I needed to be doing this from week one, even while my claim was still processing.

Does anyone know if Amazon contests unemployment claims from these Pivots? My friend works in HR there and she said sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. I'm scared they'll say something that contradicts what I put on my claim!!!!

FINAL UPDATE: My claim was approved! Benefits should start next week. For anyone else going through an Amazon Pivot or similar situation, definitely select "laid off due to lack of work" and then provide the exact language from your separation paperwork in the explanation. Thanks again everyone for your help during this stressful time.

Congratulations on getting your claim approved! This thread has been incredibly helpful for understanding how to navigate the Amazon Pivot situation. I'm actually going through something similar right now - was part of a "workforce optimization" at my tech company last month. They gave us the same kind of confusing language about it being a "mutual decision" but really our entire department was eliminated. Reading through everyone's advice here, I'm feeling much more confident about selecting "laid off due to lack of work" on my ESD claim. It's reassuring to see that being truthful about involuntary separation due to business reorganization is the right approach. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this kind of peer support makes such a difference when you're dealing with unemployment stress!

This entire thread is such a valuable resource! I'm bookmarking it for future reference since it seems like these corporate "restructuring" situations are becoming more and more common in tech. The advice about using the exact language from your separation paperwork is brilliant - I never would have thought to do that. It's also really helpful to see the timeline of how long things took and what to expect with ESD processing delays. For anyone else reading this who might be in a similar situation, it sounds like the key takeaways are: 1) Select "laid off due to lack of work" for involuntary separations, 2) Use your company's official separation language in explanations, 3) Document everything, and 4) be prepared for delays but don't let corporate euphemisms confuse you about what actually happened. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences!

I'm so grateful this thread exists! I'm currently dealing with a similar situation at Microsoft where they called it a "strategic workforce alignment" but eliminated my entire product team. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring. I was initially panicking about how to answer the separation question because HR kept emphasizing that we had "options" to interview for other roles, but realistically those positions required completely different skill sets and there were maybe 5 openings for 50+ people. Based on all the advice here, I'm confident now that "laid off due to lack of work" is the correct choice since my original position was eliminated. The tip about using exact language from separation paperwork is gold - mine says "position elimination due to organizational restructuring" so I'll include that verbatim. It's honestly disgusting how these big tech companies try to manipulate the language to make it seem like layoffs are somehow our choice. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and outcomes - this community support means everything when you're facing financial uncertainty!

This thread has been incredibly helpful for so many people dealing with these corporate layoff situations! I've been working in unemployment advocacy for several years and I'm consistently amazed at how companies try to manipulate language around involuntary separations. Just wanted to add a few additional tips for anyone else who might stumble across this thread: 1) Always keep copies of ALL separation documentation - not just the main paperwork, but any emails, WARN notices, or internal communications about the layoffs 2) If your claim does get flagged for review, don't panic. ESD adjudicators are generally familiar with these mass corporate "restructuring" situations and can usually see through the euphemisms 3) Washington state has some of the strongest worker protections for unemployment benefits, so don't let companies intimidate you into thinking you're not eligible The fact that so many people found success by being straightforward about their involuntary separations shows the system is working as intended. Companies can dress up layoffs with fancy language all they want, but ESD cares about the actual facts: was your position eliminated? Were you given a real choice to continue in equivalent employment? If the answers are yes and no respectively, you were laid off, period. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - threads like this are invaluable for helping people navigate these stressful situations!

This thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - got caught up in Intel's "workforce rebalancing" initiative last month. They made it sound like we had input in the decision, but really they just eliminated entire divisions and told us we could "explore other opportunities within the company" (which turned out to be like 3 openings for 200+ people in completely unrelated departments). Reading everyone's experiences here gave me the confidence to select "laid off due to lack of work" on my ESD claim. My separation paperwork uses the phrase "involuntary separation due to business restructuring" so I included that exact wording in the explanation field just like others suggested. It's honestly disgusting how all these tech companies use the same manipulative playbook - Amazon's "Pivot," Microsoft's "strategic workforce alignment," Intel's "workforce rebalancing" - they're all just fancy ways to say layoffs while trying to make us feel like it was somehow our choice. Don't fall for it! If your position was eliminated, you were laid off, regardless of what corporate buzzwords they use. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories and timelines. It really helps to know what to expect and that other people have successfully navigated this process. Fingers crossed my claim gets approved as smoothly as some of yours did!

This entire discussion has been incredibly eye-opening and helpful! I'm currently going through a similar situation with my company's "operational efficiency initiative" (yet another corporate euphemism for layoffs). What really stands out to me from reading everyone's experiences is how consistent the pattern is across different companies - they all use fancy language to make involuntary separations sound voluntary, but the legal reality remains the same: if your position was eliminated, you were laid off. The advice about using exact language from separation paperwork is brilliant and something I never would have thought of. I'm also really grateful for the tip about documenting job search activities from week one - that could have been a costly oversight! One thing I wanted to add for future readers: if anyone is hesitant about selecting "laid off" because their company made the separation sound voluntary, remember that unemployment law focuses on the actual facts, not the corporate spin. If you didn't have a genuine choice to continue in your same role with equivalent pay and responsibilities, then it's an involuntary separation regardless of how it was presented. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and outcomes - this community support makes navigating unemployment so much less stressful!

This thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm currently dealing with my company's "strategic realignment" (another fancy term for layoffs) and was completely confused about how to handle the ESD claim. Reading through everyone's experiences has given me so much clarity and confidence. What really strikes me is how all these companies - Amazon, Microsoft, Intel, and others - use the exact same playbook of making involuntary separations sound like employee choices. It's clearly a coordinated strategy to try to reduce unemployment claims, but it's so encouraging to see that being honest about the actual facts works. The key takeaways I'm getting from this thread are: 1) Focus on the reality that your position was eliminated, not the corporate spin, 2) Use the exact language from your separation paperwork, 3) "Laid off due to lack of work" is correct for position elimination regardless of euphemisms used, and 4) Document everything and don't let fancy terminology confuse you about what actually happened. Thank you to everyone who shared their timelines and outcomes - it's such a relief to see successful claims and know what to expect. This community support is amazing during such a stressful time!

This thread has been a goldmine of information! I'm currently dealing with my company's "organizational optimization" (seriously, do they all use the same thesaurus?) and was completely lost on how to handle the unemployment claim. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring - it's clear that no matter what fancy language they use, if your position was eliminated, you were laid off. What I find particularly helpful is seeing the actual timelines and outcomes people shared. It gives realistic expectations about the process and shows that being straightforward about involuntary separation works. The tip about using exact wording from separation paperwork is genius - mine says "reduction in workforce due to business needs" so I'll definitely include that language. It's honestly infuriating how these companies try to manipulate the narrative around layoffs, but this community proves that we don't have to let them gaslight us. If anyone else is going through similar corporate "initiatives," just remember: they can call it whatever they want, but eliminating your position is eliminating your position. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - this support makes all the difference when you're stressed about finances!

This entire thread has been such a comprehensive resource for anyone dealing with corporate layoff euphemisms! I'm currently navigating my own company's "talent restructuring" (yet another creative way to say layoffs), and reading through all these experiences has been incredibly validating. It's clear that regardless of what fancy terminology these companies use - Pivot, strategic workforce alignment, workforce rebalancing, operational efficiency initiative, strategic realignment, organizational optimization, talent restructuring - the legal reality is the same: if your position was eliminated and you weren't given a genuine equivalent alternative, it's an involuntary separation. What's been most helpful is seeing the consistent success stories when people simply focused on the facts rather than the corporate spin. The pattern is clear: select "laid off due to lack of work," use the exact language from your separation paperwork, and don't let euphemisms confuse you about what actually happened. It's also reassuring to know that ESD adjudicators are experienced with these corporate games. For anyone else who finds this thread in the future, the key lesson seems to be: trust the legal definition of layoffs, not the company PR department. If they eliminated your position, that's a layoff, period. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this community support is invaluable during such uncertain times!

This thread has been absolutely incredible to read through! I'm not currently dealing with a layoff situation myself, but as someone who works in HR consulting, I see these corporate "restructuring" situations all the time and it's so frustrating how companies try to manipulate the language around involuntary separations. What really stands out to me is how consistent the advice has been across everyone's experiences: focus on the actual facts (position elimination = layoff), use your separation paperwork's exact language, and don't let corporate euphemisms confuse you about what legally happened. The success stories here prove that ESD sees right through these fancy terms when people are straightforward about the reality of their separation. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread to share with future clients who might face similar situations. The peer support and practical guidance here is invaluable - from the specific ESD process tips to the emotional validation that these "voluntary" separations are anything but voluntary. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and helped create such a comprehensive resource for navigating these increasingly common corporate layoff tactics!

This thread has been such a lifeline for me! I'm currently going through what my company calls a "business transformation initiative" (adding yet another euphemism to the collection), and I was completely overwhelmed trying to figure out how to handle my ESD claim. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring and educational. What really resonates with me is how universal this experience has become - it seems like every tech company has their own fancy term for layoffs, but the legal reality remains the same. My separation paperwork says "position discontinuation due to operational changes," which based on all the advice here, I'll include verbatim when I file my claim. The consistency of successful outcomes when people simply focused on the facts rather than corporate messaging gives me so much confidence. I was initially second-guessing myself because HR kept emphasizing how this was about "aligning talent with future business needs" and made it sound like we had agency in the decision, but clearly that's just more manipulation. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their timelines, documentation tips, and outcomes. This community support during such a stressful and uncertain time is invaluable. I feel so much more prepared to navigate the ESD process now, and I'll definitely update with my own experience to help future people in similar situations!

This thread has become such an incredible resource! I'm currently dealing with what my company is calling a "workforce modernization" (because apparently they haven't run out of creative euphemisms yet), and I was completely stressed about how to handle my ESD claim. Reading through all these experiences has been both validating and incredibly helpful. What strikes me most is how every single company seems to use the same playbook - fancy terminology to make layoffs sound voluntary, emphasis on "opportunities" that aren't really opportunities, and language designed to make employees question whether they're eligible for unemployment. But the consistent message throughout this thread is crystal clear: if your position was eliminated, you were laid off, regardless of what they call their "initiative." My separation paperwork uses the phrase "role elimination due to strategic priorities," so based on all the excellent advice here, I'll include that exact language when I file. It's so reassuring to see that being straightforward about the facts leads to successful claims, even when companies try their best to muddy the waters with corporate speak. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences, timelines, and outcomes. This community has turned what felt like an overwhelming bureaucratic maze into something much more manageable. I'll definitely pay it forward by sharing my own experience once I get through the process!