ESD wants interview after contacting governor's office - quit before firing - what to expect?

yep they'll ask about why he left the job. he should be SUPER honest about being told he was going to be fired. quitting instead of being fired can be tricky with ESD but if he can show he had no real choice it might be ok

I've helped several clients through similar situations. This is called a "quit in lieu of discharge" case. The interview will focus on establishing that your husband had a reasonable belief he would be terminated if he didn't resign. They'll ask questions like: 1. Who told him he would be fired? (Manager's name/position) 2. What exact words were used? 3. Was there a specific date mentioned for the termination? 4. Were any reasons given for the planned firing? 5. Were there any witnesses to this conversation? The key is that your husband must establish he quit ONLY because termination was imminent and unavoidable. If ESD determines your husband would have been fired anyway, they'll likely approve benefits. Document everything you can remember from that conversation now, so the details are fresh for the interview.

the guvnors office trick worked?? ive been trying to reach ESD for 3 weeks straight with no luck. Just get the recording saying call volume is too high and then it HANGS UP ON ME!!!

The interview after contacting the governor's office is standard procedure. They're trying to expedite your husband's claim since it's been flagged by the governor's office as requiring attention. This is actually a good sign! Regarding the "quit before firing" situation: This falls under what ESD calls "quit in lieu of discharge" which does NOT disqualify you from benefits if you can establish: 1. He was definitively told he would be fired 2. The termination was imminent and certain 3. Quitting was just a formality The burden of proof is on your husband, so he should be prepared with dates, names, and exact words used. The employer will be interviewed separately and will likely contest the claim (they almost always do to protect their UI tax rate). I recommend your husband mention phrases like "I was told my employment would be terminated" rather than just saying "I quit" during the interview. Language matters with these determinations.

I had an interview after contacting my state rep (not governor but similar). They were super nice and mostly wanted to understand why my claim was taking so long! It wasn't an eligibility interview at all, just trying to move things along. BUT!!!! If they do ask about the job separation, your husband should NEVER EVER say he quit first!!! Always say "I was told I would be fired on X date, and was given the option to resign instead." I had a disaster happen when I said "I quit" and then tried to explain why. The interviewer immediately checked the "voluntary quit" box and it was a nightmare to fix later. First words should always be about being told he would be fired!!!

When I had my eligibility interview (not after governor contact but still) they asked me like 5 questions, took less than 10 minutes. But they do record it all. My old boss totally tried to fight my claim but I had text messages proving what happened. Tell ur husband to bring ANY proof he has!!

THE EXACT SAME THING happened to me 2 months ago!!!! My boss told me "we're restructuring and your position won't exist after Friday" but said I could resign instead of being terminated. I was denied benefits initially because I said I resigned. Had to appeal and go through a whole hearing. MAKE SURE he emphasizes he was GOING TO BE FIRED no matter what, and quitting was just to save face.

BTW the governer trick is hit or miss. my brother tried it and nothing happened for weeks. but my neighbor got a call THE NEXT DAY!! so weird how it works sometimes

Just to add one more important point: If your husband's employer does contest the claim and says he quit voluntarily without mentioning they were going to fire him, your husband should immediately request the full employer response records and appeal if necessary. By law, ESD must share what the employer stated as the reason for separation. If there's a discrepancy, your husband can request a fact-finding interview where both parties are present. In "quit in lieu of discharge" cases, employers sometimes try to avoid admitting they were going to terminate to prevent unemployment claims. Be prepared for this possibility.

I went through something very similar last year! After contacting the governor's office, I got a call within 3 days from an ESD specialist. The interview was actually pretty straightforward - they mainly wanted to understand why my claim had been delayed so long and what the separation issue was. For the "quit before firing" situation, definitely have your husband emphasize that termination was inevitable and imminent. I had almost the exact same scenario - my manager told me "we're letting you go tomorrow, but you can resign today if you prefer." I made sure to say those exact words during my interview. One tip: have him write down the timeline of events with specific dates and times if he can remember them. The interviewer asked me things like "what date did this conversation happen?" and "what time of day?" Having those details ready made me sound more credible. Also, don't be surprised if they schedule a follow-up interview with his former employer. That's standard procedure when there's a separation dispute. The good news is that most of these cases do get resolved in favor of the claimant if you can clearly establish the termination was going to happen regardless. Good luck to your husband! The fact that the governor's office escalated it is actually a positive sign that ESD is taking his case seriously.