Amazon fighting my Washington ESD unemployment claim - anyone else deal with this?

Ugh yes Amazon contests a lot of claims. They have a whole department for this stuff. You'll probably win if you have any documentation showing it was a layoff not firing.

Amazon fights unemployment claims aggressively because it keeps their UI tax rates lower. If you were laid off due to business reasons, you should qualify for benefits. The burden is on them to prove misconduct, not on you to prove innocence.

I had a similar situation with Amazon last year. Took about 6 weeks to resolve but I eventually got approved. The key is responding to any requests for information from Washington ESD immediately. Also if you can't get through to them by phone, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me actually talk to someone. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ

Amazon is known for this crap. They'll claim anything to avoid paying out. Document everything - emails, texts, performance reviews, anything that shows you were a good employee.

wait so even if you get laid off they can still fight it?? I thought unemployment was automatic if you lose your job through no fault of your own

Amazon contested mine too when I left in 2023. They claimed I abandoned my job but I had given proper notice. Took 3 weeks but Washington ESD ruled in my favor. The adjudication process is slow but fair.

This is happening to my cousin right now with Amazon. They're saying he was fired for attendance but he was actually injured on the job and taking workers comp time. These big companies have no shame.

I used to work in HR and can tell you that Amazon has a policy of contesting most claims as a matter of course. It's not personal, it's just their standard procedure. Most of the time if it was truly a layoff the employee wins.

Just went through this exact situation. Amazon fought my claim for 4 weeks then suddenly dropped their contest. I think they do it to buy time and hope people give up. Don't give up!

If you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your adjudication status, I also recommend checking out Claimyr. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked for me when I couldn't get through on my own.

Amazon is the worst for this stuff. They have teams of people whose job is to fight unemployment claims. It's disgusting how they treat workers even after letting them go.

Keep filing your weekly claims even while the adjudication is pending! A lot of people don't know this but you have to keep certifying or you'll lose benefits for those weeks.

I had Amazon contest my claim too and won. The key is being prepared for the fact finding interview. They'll ask about the circumstances of your separation so have your story straight and any documentation ready.

Try calling Washington ESD early in the morning like 7:30am when they open. That's when you have the best chance of getting through.

Been there done that with Amazon. They'll probably drop the contest once they realize you have documentation. They're just hoping you don't fight back.

Update us on how it goes! I'm dealing with a similar situation with my former employer and your case might help me understand what to expect.

Don't let them intimidate you. Big companies like Amazon count on people being too overwhelmed to fight back. You got this!

Just remember that if Amazon had legitimate grounds to fire you for cause, they would have done it before the layoffs. The timing of their contest shows it's probably BS.

Make sure you're documenting all of this for your records. If you have to appeal to a higher level you'll want a paper trail of everything that happened.

One more thing - if you used that Claimyr service to get through to Washington ESD, let us know how it worked out. Always looking for ways to actually talk to a human there.

I went through something similar with Amazon about 8 months ago. They contested my layoff claim too, saying I had "performance issues" even though I was part of a clear RIF that affected my whole department. The adjudication took about 5 weeks but I eventually won. The key thing that helped me was getting a statement from my former supervisor confirming it was a layoff due to business needs, not performance. If you can reach out to your supervisor or any coworkers who witnessed the layoff situation, that could really strengthen your case. Also, keep checking your Washington ESD account online for any updates - sometimes they post decisions there before you get the letter in the mail.