ESD denied standby status for construction worker during slow season - help with regular claim questions

Your husband needs to file EVERY week to keep his claim active, even during weeks he works some hours. For any week he works less than full time and earns less than his weekly benefit amount, he should report those earnings and may receive partial benefits. Regarding job searches - unfortunately once denied standby, he MUST complete the required 3 job search activities each week he claims benefits, even if he expects to return to full-time work soon. There's no way around this requirement without risking disqualification. The job search requirements apply to any week he files a claim, regardless of whether he's working part-time during that week. If he doesn't want to do job searches, he would need to not file for those weeks, but that could potentially create gaps in his claim.

we went thru this last yr with my bf who does roofing!! the job search thing is stupid but u can do easy ones like check worksource website or attend a zoom workshop. its not all actual applications. but yah u HAVE to file every single week even if its just partial. dont skip weeks or theyll close ur claim!!

Sounds like you're dealing with the same seasonal nonsense I dealt with when I was in construction. The ESD system is absolutely RIDICULOUS for seasonal workers who clearly aren't looking for new jobs! It's like they want to force people to quit stable positions just to check some bureaucratic box. The standby denial is happening more frequently since 2025 started - I think they changed some internal policy. Now everyone has to jump through the job search hoops even when it makes zero sense. Make sure your husband documents EVERYTHING. ESD loves to come back months later claiming "overpayment" because some form wasn't filled out perfectly.

To keep his claim active, your husband must file weekly claims consecutively without gaps. For your specific situation, here's what I recommend: 1. File every week regardless of hours worked. For weeks he works, report exact earnings. 2. For job search activities, he can do these without applying for jobs he won't take: - Register with WorkSource and complete their skills assessment (counts as one activity) - Attend an online WorkSource workshop (counts as another activity) - Review job postings in his field (document which ones he reviewed) - Network with professional contacts (document who he spoke with) These all count as valid job search activities without requiring him to apply for positions he won't accept. Make sure he keeps detailed records of all activities with dates, contact information, etc. The standby denial is likely because ESD has tightened requirements for the construction industry in 2025, especially for seasonal slowdowns that follow predictable patterns.

Have you guys tried calling ESD to ask them why they denied standby? It doesn't make sense if they've approved it before for the same situation. Sometimes they make mistakes or apply rules wrong. You might get it fixed if you can actually reach someone!

I had the same issue reaching ESD when they denied my standby status last month. After wasting days trying to get through, I found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes. They basically call ESD for you and then connect you when they get through. Saved me so much frustration! Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 When I finally got through, the agent told me exactly why my standby was denied and what specific documentation I needed to submit for reconsideration. Much better than guessing or waiting weeks for an eServices response.

To clarify about job search activities - WorkSource workshops and reviewing job postings do count, but make sure your husband documents everything properly. The ESD job search log requires specific information: - Date of the activity - Type of activity (application, workshop, etc.) - Company/organization name - Position or workshop title - Contact information - Result/outcome If he's audited and the job search log is incomplete, he could be disqualified and required to repay benefits. This happens more frequently with construction workers during seasonal slowdowns because ESD looks more closely at these claims.

Just went through this with my husband who's also in construction. One thing nobody mentioned - if he ends up picking up more hours and goes back to full-time before March, you don't have to keep filing. You can just stop filing weekly claims and the claim stays open for a year (benefit year), so if work slows down again, you can start filing weekly claims again without starting a whole new application process. But if you think there's any chance of needing even partial benefits, definitely file every single week. We missed one week thinking he wouldn't qualify due to earnings, and that was a mistake because his hours dropped again the following week.

One more thing - tell your husband to NEVER say he was "not available" or "not able" to work on his weekly claim, even if the weather was so bad they cancelled work. That will get him disqualified immediately. The correct answer is always that he was available and able to work, but the employer didn't provide hours. ESD's system is full of these little traps that can cause huge problems.