ESD claim approved then suddenly changed to disqualified - need urgent help!

Unfortunately, this happens sometimes. 'Disqualified' usually means ESD found something after initial approval that made them reconsider eligibility. Common reasons include: 1. Employer contested the claim 2. Issue with job separation reason (they may have reclassified it from layoff to something else) 3. Unreported earnings were detected 4. Missing information on weekly claims 5. Job search requirements not meeting standards Your wife should receive a determination letter explaining the specific reason (usually within 7-10 days). Don't panic yet - she can appeal this decision within 30 days of the determination date. In the meantime, she should continue filing weekly claims while this gets sorted out.

I went through the EXACT same thing back in January! It's super frustrating. In my case, my claim went from approved to disqualified because my former employer claimed I quit instead of being laid off (which was absolutely NOT true). Definitely call ESD immediately to find out what's going on - don't wait for the letter. And yes, have your wife continue submitting weekly claims during this time. If she wins an appeal later, she'll get all those weeks paid retroactively. The appeal process is fairly straightforward but takes time. If the disqualification was due to employer testimony, she'll need documentation proving her version of events - emails about the layoff, termination notice, anything showing it was the company's decision.

@nervous_claimant Yes, I eventually won my appeal but it took almost 8 weeks to get resolved. The hearing itself wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. The judge was actually pretty understanding. Just make sure you have all your documentation ready and be honest about everything. Good luck!

The 'disqualified' status is just ESD's system talking. It doesn't always mean what you think it means. In some cases, it's a temporary status while they review additional information. Keep filing those weekly claims no matter what! And your wife should check her online account for any 'alert' messages that might explain what's happening. I've seen cases where an employer initially doesn't contest a claim, then changes their mind within the first 30 days. ESD then has to investigate, which puts payments on hold with that scary 'disqualified' label. I strongly recommend trying to reach an ESD agent directly. Calling early morning (right when they open) or late afternoon (about an hour before closing) sometimes works better. Be prepared to try multiple times.

ESD is THE WORST when it comes to communication!! They approve you then suddenly change their mind without even telling you why?? SO TYPICAL. I bet they're going to make her jump through 50 hoops to fix what is probably THEIR mistake. The whole system is designed to frustrate people into giving up!

I had success getting through to ESD using Claimyr. After spending days trying to call ESD directly with no luck, I found this service that gets you through to an actual ESD agent. Worked great for me when my claim had a similar issue. Just went to claimyr.com and watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3) to see how it works. Was connected to an ESD agent within about 40 minutes instead of spending weeks trying to get through. The agent was able to tell me exactly what was happening with my claim and what I needed to do to fix it.

check if theres a fact finding questionnaire on her account. i missed mine and got disqualified because i didnt see it. its in a weird spot on the website not in the regular messages. took me forever to find it but by then it was too late

While you're trying to reach ESD, your wife should start gathering documentation that might help her case: 1. Copy of the layoff notice or email 2. Any communication with HR about the downsizing 3. Final paycheck stub showing severance or layoff pay if applicable 4. Documentation of her job search activities 5. Any prior ESD correspondence showing approval Also, check if the disqualification applies to just one week or the entire claim. Sometimes it's just a specific week issue that can be easily fixed. And again, she MUST continue filing weekly claims during this time, even if they're showing as disqualified.

my cousin works at esd and she says they are super backed up right now because of some new system update. could just be a mistake caused by that. she says lots of claims are getting weird status changes temporarily

UPDATE FROM ORIGINAL POSTER? Did you manage to find out what happened or reach someone at ESD? I've been following this thread because I'm worried the same thing might happen to me.