ESD disqualified my military unemployment claim because I applied from out of state - need urgent help

This is definitely incorrect on ESD's part. Military personnel have special rules that allow you to file in the state of your last duty station regardless of where you physically are when filing. It's covered under UCX (Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers) guidelines. You need to call the ESD military claims specialist line directly at 800-318-6022. Make sure you have your DD-214 Member Copy 4 ready when you call. They'll need to manually review and override the automatic disqualification. Don't file an appeal yet - that takes weeks. Get someone on the phone first.

my brother had the same thing happen when he got out of the army last yr. he filed from texas but his last base was JBLM. what worked for him was sending a secure message through the esd account explaining the military exemption and attaching his dd214. took bout a week but they fixed it without having to talk to anyone

why would u even apply in WA if u moved to idaho?? shouldnt u be applying in idaho now since thats where u live??

I had the same issue when I got out of the Air Force in 2024. ESD's automated system often flags military claims incorrectly when they're filed from out of state. I wasted weeks trying to call their regular number with no luck. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual ESD agent. They have a service that gets you a callback from ESD, and it worked within a day. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 When I finally got through, I specifically asked for a Military Claims Specialist and explained the UCX rules. The specialist immediately saw the error and fixed my claim on the spot. My back payments were released within 48 hours.

It's definitely legit - I was skeptical too, but they just help you get through the phone system. All the actual claim discussion is directly with ESD agents. For my military claim issue, it was worth it because I was about to miss rent while waiting to get through.

THEY DO THIS TO EVERYONE!!! esd is DESIGNED to make it hard for u to get benefits u EARNED!!! i bet they hope u just give up and don't appeal which is exactly what they want! always appeal always fight them!!!

For military claims specifically, you need to reference UCX (Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers) in all communications with ESD. Make sure your DD-214 specifically shows Washington as your last duty station. The most efficient solution is: 1. File a secure message through your eServices account with "MILITARY UCX CLAIM INCORRECTLY DISQUALIFIED" in the subject line 2. Attach a copy of your DD-214 (Member Copy 4) 3. Specifically cite that under 5 U.S.C. 8521-8525, you're eligible to file in Washington as your last duty station 4. Continue filing your weekly claims while this gets resolved 5. If you don't get a response within 5 business days, then pursue getting through by phone I've helped dozens of veterans with this exact issue, and referencing the specific UCX laws drastically speeds up resolution.

When I transitioned from the Marines six years ago I had a similar situation but with California. What nobody told me was that I also needed to fax (yes, fax!) a copy of my DD-214 to their military department separately. Might be worth asking if Washington has a separate fax line for military documentation!

Update: Good news! The secure message worked. I sent exactly what was suggested, with the UCX reference and attached my DD-214. Got a response this morning saying they've reviewed my military service and removed the disqualification. Claim is now showing as pending payment instead of disqualified! Thanks everyone for the help. For any other military folks reading this in the future - definitely reference UCX specifically and have your DD-214 ready.

Congratulations on getting this resolved! This is such a valuable thread for other military members who might face the same issue. I'm bookmarking this for future reference. It's frustrating that the system doesn't handle UCX claims properly from the start, but at least there's a clear path to resolution. Thank you for updating us with the outcome - that really helps the community!