Can unemployment be denied in Washington - what are the main reasons?

Yes, unemployment can definitely be denied for several reasons. The main ones in Washington are: not earning enough wages in your base period, quitting without good cause, getting fired for misconduct, not being able and available for work, or not actively searching for work. Your cousin should definitely apply though - it's better to try and get denied than not apply at all.

The biggest reason I see claims get denied is the misconduct issue. If you were fired for attendance problems, policy violations, or performance issues, Washington ESD might consider that misconduct and deny your claim. But if you were laid off due to lack of work, downsizing, or business closure, you should be fine.

I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD when my claim got stuck in adjudication. Spent weeks calling and never got anyone. Finally found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that actually got me connected to an agent who could explain why my claim was taking so long. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

Don't forget about the work search requirements too. Even if you qualify initially, you can get your benefits cut off if you don't do enough job searches each week. In Washington it's 3 job search activities per week.

ugh the whole system is so confusing. I applied 2 weeks ago and still don't know if I'm approved or denied. My claim just says "under review" forever

Here's something people don't realize - you can be denied even if you technically qualify. I got denied because I couldn't prove I was actively looking for work during my first week. Make sure you start your job search immediately after filing, don't wait.

My brother got denied because he wasn't available for full-time work. He was only looking for part-time jobs because of his kid's schedule. Washington ESD requires you to be available for full-time work unless you have a really good reason.

The wage requirement catches a lot of people too. If you only worked part-time or didn't work the full base period, you might not have earned enough to qualify. Washington ESD looks at your earnings over 4 quarters, not just your last job.

Don't give up if you get denied! I got denied initially because my employer said I was fired for cause, but I appealed and won. The appeal process can take time but it's worth it if you believe you were wrongly denied.

Here's the thing - Washington ESD is really backed up right now. Even if you qualify, it might take weeks to get approved. I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it really helped me get through to someone who could speed up my claim.

Another reason for denial is if you're not a US citizen or don't have work authorization. Washington ESD requires you to be legally authorized to work in the US.

the worst part is when they deny you and don't even explain why clearly. I had to call like 50 times to get someone to tell me what was wrong with my claim

If you're on standby (temporarily laid off), different rules apply. You don't have to do work searches but you need to be ready to return to work when called back. A lot of people don't realize this and get denied for not following the right requirements.

Bottom line - your cousin should definitely apply. Even if there's a chance of denial, it's better to try than assume you won't qualify. The worst they can say is no, and you can always appeal if you think they made a mistake.

One more thing - if you had multiple jobs and only lost one of them, you might still qualify for partial unemployment benefits. Washington ESD has specific rules about this that a lot of people don't know about.