ESD approved me then claim shows ineligible after work injury - still doing weekly claims?
Seriously confused about my ESD claim status right now. I was injured at a construction site back in August (8/30/2025) and had to get spinal surgery. After months of recovery, my doctor finally cleared me to return to work last week. Here's where it gets weird - my L&I payments have stopped, but I can't find work in my field right now with my restrictions. I applied for unemployment and had a phone interview with ESD. The agent told me I was 'definitely eligible' since I'm able and available for work within my medical restrictions. But when I log into my eServices account, my claim status shows 'ineligible'! The confusing part is they're still telling me I need to file my weekly claims. Makes zero sense! Has anyone dealt with this before? Is the system just slow to update? I'm stressing because my savings are almost gone and rent is due next week. Should I keep filing weekly claims even though it says ineligible?
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Oliver Zimmermann
Yeah the esd systems r so confusing man. same kind of thing happened to me last year. my claim said ineligible for like 3 weeks but i kept filing my weekly claims anyway because the lady on the phone told me to. Then suddenly it switched to paid and i got backpay for all those weeks at once. just keep doing ur weekly claims!!!
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Amina Toure
•Thanks for the quick reply. That gives me some hope! Did you ever find out why it showed ineligible for those weeks? I'm paranoid I'm doing something wrong.
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Natasha Volkova
This is actually pretty common with claims that transition from L&I to UI. What's happening is that your claim is showing as ineligible while they verify your wage information and determine your benefit amount. There are specific rules for workers coming off L&I claims. The most important thing is to KEEP FILING YOUR WEEKLY CLAIMS exactly as they instructed. If you're ultimately approved (which sounds likely based on your phone interview), you'll receive back payments for all weeks properly claimed during this determination period. Also, double-check that you're correctly reporting your work search activities. As a worker with medical restrictions, you still need to complete 3 job search activities each week, but they should align with work you're physically capable of performing. Document everything carefully.
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Amina Toure
•This makes so much sense, thank you! I wasn't sure if I was wasting my time with the weekly claims. And yes, I've been documenting all my job searches within my restrictions. Do you know roughly how long this verification process usually takes?
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Javier Torres
I've been through this exact situation! After my shoulder injury (warehouse work), I had the same L&I to unemployment transition issue. The system shows 'ineligible' during the adjudication period while they determine your benefit amount. Call ESD directly to check on the status - that's what I did after waiting 3 weeks. I struggled to get through to anyone until I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending hours on hold. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Once I spoke with an agent, they explained everything and even expedited my claim processing. The key thing is documenting your job searches properly - make sure you're looking for jobs that accommodate your medical restrictions and keeping detailed records.
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Amina Toure
•Thanks for the tip about Claimyr! I'll check that out if I don't see any update by the end of the week. The waiting and uncertainty is the worst part. Did your claim eventually switch from ineligible to eligible?
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Emma Davis
THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO CONFUSE YOU!!!! I spent 2 MONTHS with my claim saying "ineligible" while they kept telling me to file weekly claims. Then they denied me anyway and I had to appeal. The whole thing is a JOKE. They say one thing on the phone and do another in their stupid computer system. Don't get your hopes up. They'll probably make you prove you can't go back to your exact same job even with your back problems.
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CosmicCaptain
•I don't think that's entirely accurate. The system does have bugs, but there are specific rules for transitioning from L&I to unemployment. As long as OP has medical documentation of their restrictions and continues job searching within those restrictions, they should qualify. The initial ineligible status is typically just a temporary designation.
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Malik Johnson
Anyone know if the workplace injury affects the weekly benefit amount? I received less on UI than I did on L&I when I went through this last spring.
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Natasha Volkova
•Yes, UI and L&I calculate benefits differently. L&I typically pays around 60-75% of your gross wages tax-free, while UI has a standard calculation based on your highest-earning quarters and caps at a lower maximum. So most people do see a reduction when transitioning from L&I to UI. The current maximum weekly UI benefit is around $950, regardless of your previous earnings.
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Isabella Ferreira
I went through something similar after my own work injury in 2024. Here's what I learned: 1. The "ineligible" status is temporary during their review process 2. Keep filing weekly claims exactly as instructed - you'll get backpay if approved 3. Make sure you're clearly indicating you're able and available for work within your medical restrictions 4. Document ALL job search activities meticulously (even beyond the required 3 per week) 5. If your claim shows "adjudication" that means they're reviewing specific issues In my case, after about 4 weeks of showing "ineligible" while I kept filing weekly claims, the status changed and I received payment for all weeks. The ESD system isn't always intuitive but follow their instructions precisely and you should be okay.
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Amina Toure
•This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I've been documenting everything carefully. It's such a relief to hear from others who've navigated this successfully. I'll keep filing and hope for the best.
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