DSHS told my husband to file for ESD unemployment despite not working for 5 years - is this crazy?

That DSHS worker gave you terrible advice. Regular unemployment benefits through ESD require you to have worked and earned wages in Washington during your \

EXACTLY THIS!!! I spent 6 months fighting with DSHS because a caseworker told me something similar. They gave me completely wrong information. Unemployment is for people who LOST JOBS and are ABLE TO WORK, not for people with health issues who haven't worked in years!! Your husband needs to apply for disability not unemployment!!

There's literally no way your husband would qualify for unemployment with a 5 year gap in work history. Unemployment is specifically for people who lost their job through no fault of their own AND are able and available to work right now. It sounds like he might not meet either criteria if he has serious health issues.\n\nI think the DSHS person might have been confused about which program to recommend. Or maybe they were thinking of a different benefit entirely?

That's what I thought! I was sitting there thinking \

My partner is on disability and DSHS kept telling us to apply for all kinds of things we didnt qualify for. They just go down a checklist honestly, i wouldnt take it personally. In my experience they just want to say they told u abt all possible options.

This is exactly right. DSHS caseworkers often recommend applying for multiple programs even when eligibility is questionable. Their job is to inform you of all possible resources, not to pre-screen for eligibility. Unemployment requires recent work history and the ability to work - it sounds like OP's husband may not meet these requirements. The caseworker should have explained this better.

I had a bizarre experience with DSHS last year where they recommended my elderly mother apply for unemployment after she hadn't worked in 10+ years due to retirement! When I questioned it, they backtracked. I think sometimes they just have a standard list of programs they mention to everyone without really considering individual circumstances.

If you're struggling to reach someone at DSHS to get clarification, you might want to try Claimyr (claimyr.com). I used them when I was dealing with confusing information between DSHS and ESD. They help you get through to actual agents instead of waiting for hours or days. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3\n\nIt was especially helpful when I needed to talk to someone who could actually explain which benefits I was eligible for after getting contradictory information.

Thanks for the suggestion! I've been trying to get back in touch with DSHS for clarification but keep getting the runaround. I'll check this out if I can't get through in the next couple days.

did the dshs worker maybe say HE COULD FILE, not that he would qualify? sometimes they just tell u to file so u get the rejection letter to prove u tried for other benefits applications

This is an excellent point! Sometimes benefit programs require you to show proof that you've applied for and been denied other benefits before they'll approve you. It's possible the DSHS worker wants your husband to get a formal denial from ESD as documentation for some other program.

Omg that actually makes sense! She WAS asking about documentation for another program we were discussing. I wonder if that's what she meant - just to get the rejection letter as proof. That would explain why she seemed so sure about it despite it making no sense.

Let me clarify some important information about ESD unemployment eligibility:\n\n1. You must have worked 680 hours in your base year (typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters)\n\n2. You must be able and available for work\n\n3. You must have lost your job through no fault of your own\n\nIf your husband hasn't worked in 5 years due to health issues, he would not qualify under standard ESD rules. The DSHS worker may have been thinking of other programs or benefits that might be more appropriate for your situation. If your husband's health prevents him from working, Social Security disability programs would be more appropriate to explore.\n\nI recommend calling DSHS back and asking for clarification about exactly which program they were recommending and why.

My guess is the DSHS worker was trying to check all boxes for your husband's case. The fact is that he needs to have a documented denial from unemployment before he qualifies for certain other benefits. It's a ridiculous system but that's how it works sometimes.\n\nMy husband had to do the same thing when he applied for disability - prove he'd been denied for unemployment first, even though everyone knew he wouldn't qualify. Just part of the paperwork trail they require.

Thank you!! This makes so much more sense now. The DSHS worker did mention something about needing to