ESD claim says 'invalid' - New claim needed for 2025 after gaining more work hours?
I'm really confused about my unemployment situation and hoping someone can help. I filed for unemployment in September 2024 but got denied because I didn't have enough work hours in my base year. The thing is, I worked consistently all last summer (June-August 2024), and now that it's January 2025, I think those hours should count toward my eligibility. I tried filing weekly claims on my existing claim, but the system keeps showing 'invalid' status with zero explanation. There's no letter or message telling me what this means or what to do next. Do I need to file a completely new claim now that it's 2025 and those summer hours might count? Or is there some way to restart/update my existing claim? The ESD website isn't clear about this situation at all.
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Rachel Clark
You definitely need to file a new claim. The 'invalid' status means your current claim isn't active/valid for benefits. Since you were denied in September, and you've worked more since then, those hours will now be part of your base year for a new claim. The base year for a January 2025 claim would include Q4 2023 through Q3 2024, so your summer 2024 work should count now. Go to the ESD website and start a new application - don't try to reactivate the old one.
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Chris King
•Thank you!! This makes so much sense. I was worried about creating duplicate claims or something. Will filing a new claim automatically stop the old one from showing up in my account? Or will I end up with two different claims showing?
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Zachary Hughes
same happened to my husband last yr... the invalid means ur claim is dead basically.. gotta do a whole new 1
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Chris King
•Thanks for confirming! Did your husband have any issues with the new claim linking to his existing account? I'm worried about ending up with a mess in the system.
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Mia Alvarez
The term "invalid" specifically means the claim exists in the system but isn't eligible for payment. You absolutely need to file a new initial claim. Your base year will shift to include those summer 2024 hours, which could make you eligible now. When you file your new claim, make sure to list ALL employers from the last 18 months, not just the summer job. Important: The system will initially show both claims, but only the new one will be active. Also, if you've been filing weekly claims on the invalid claim, those weeks are lost - you'll need to start with the week you file your new claim.
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Chris King
•Oh wow, so I've been wasting my time filing those weekly claims on the invalid one? That's frustrating! Is there any way to retroactively claim those weeks once my new claim is approved? Or are they just gone forever?
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Mia Alvarez
•Unfortunately, those weeks are gone. ESD doesn't allow retroactive claims beyond the current week when filing a new initial claim. That's why it's important to file your new claim immediately. Start your new claim today, then file your weekly claim for this week when the system allows (usually Sunday-Saturday).
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Carter Holmes
u should of got a letter explainin why u were denied! check ur eservices messages or call them. i was denied first time to and had to wait till my base period changed. its super annoying how they calculate those quarters!!
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Sophia Long
•The ESD messaging system is so unreliable! I've had important notices never show up in my eServices inbox but then get mailed weeks later. Always check both places.
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Angelica Smith
Have you tried calling ESD directly? I was in a similar situation last year where my claim showed 'invalid' after I had gained enough hours for eligibility. Spent days trying to get through on the phone until I found Claimyr (claimyr.com). They got me connected to an ESD agent in about 25 minutes instead of spending hours redialing. The agent was able to look at both my denied claim and work history, then guided me through exactly what to do for my situation. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Totally worth it because the agent could see all my specific details and confirm whether my summer hours would count.
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Logan Greenburg
•I tried Claimyr last month when I had issues with my standby status. Got through to ESD in like 20 minutes when I had been trying for DAYS on my own. The agent actually fixed my issue right there on the phone. No more confusion.
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Chris King
•That sounds promising! I tried calling ESD yesterday but got disconnected after waiting 40 minutes. I'll check out that service if I run into more problems after filing the new claim. Thanks for the suggestion!
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Zachary Hughes
they NEVER explain anything clearly!!!! my claim was "inactive" which is different than "invalid" and I had to figure it out all by myself because nobody at ESD ever answers!!!!
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Sophia Long
•Their terminology is so confusing! Invalid, inactive, disqualified, denied - they all mean different things but they barely explain the differences anywhere.
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Logan Greenburg
Just double checking - did you get an actual determination letter for your September claim saying you were denied for insufficient hours? Or are you just assuming that's why it was denied? Sometimes claims get denied for other reasons like job separation issues.
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Chris King
•Yes, I did get a determination letter back in September. It specifically said I didn't have enough hours in my base year to qualify. It showed my hours and they were just under the minimum requirement.
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Logan Greenburg
•Great, that's important! Then yes, file a new claim now. The letter should have mentioned something about potentially qualifying in the future once your base year includes more recent quarters. The system won't automatically reconsider you - you have to initiate a brand new claim.
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Rachel Clark
One more important thing - when you file your new claim, you'll need to have your employment information ready for all jobs in the last 18 months. That includes employer names, addresses, phone numbers, employment dates, and why you're no longer working there. Also be prepared to verify your identity again through ID.me if you haven't used your ESD account recently.
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Chris King
•Thank you for the reminder! I do have most of that information saved from my previous application, but I'll make sure to update everything. I did the ID.me verification already for my first claim - will I need to do it again?
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Rachel Clark
•If you've already successfully completed ID.me verification for your ESD account, you shouldn't need to do it again. However, keep your ID.me login information handy just in case. The system sometimes requests reverification if it's been several months since your last login.
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