First weekly claim shows 'disqualified' with no reason - is my entire UI claim denied?

A 'disqualified' weekly claim doesn't necessarily mean your entire UI claim is denied. There are several common reasons this might happen:\n\n1. You answered a question in a way that triggered automatic disqualification (like saying you weren't able and available for work)\n2. You didn't meet the job search requirements (3 activities per week)\n3. You reported earnings that exceeded your benefit amount\n4. There's an ongoing adjudication issue affecting payment\n\nYou should check the 'Decisions' tab in your eServices account - that's where formal disqualification notices appear. Also look at your 'Messages' section for any correspondence from ESD. If there's nothing there, you definitely need to speak with an ESD agent to find out why.

Thanks for explaining! I checked both the Decisions and Messages tabs but there's nothing there at all. I'm pretty sure I answered that I was able and available for work, and I definitely reported my 3 job search activities. I didn't report any earnings since I haven't worked. Should I file my next weekly claim while trying to figure this out or wait until this is resolved?

Happened to me last month!!! My first 2 weeklys got disqualified then suddenly got fixed without me doing anything. ESD system is MESSED UP. Did u answer NO to being able to work? Thats the #1 reason for getting disqualified I think. Or maybe u didnt list enough job search activities?? U need 3 EVERY WEEK no matter what.

I'm pretty sure I said YES to being able to work, and I definitely listed 3 activities (2 applications and 1 workshop). That's why I'm so confused! Did you ever find out why yours were disqualified before they got fixed?

Nope never found out! ESD just fixed it and then I got a random deposit for the back pay. The system is so weird sometimes it just glitches and then fixes itself. Keep filing ur claims tho!!

This is a very common issue. The 'disqualified' status without explanation usually means there's an issue with your claim that requires adjudication, but the specific reason hasn't been properly communicated to you.\n\nImportant steps to take:\n\n1. Continue filing your weekly claims on time while this is being resolved\n2. Check if there are any alerts on your dashboard that need to be addressed\n3. Look in the 'Upload a Document' section to see if they're requesting any verification documents\n4. Call ESD as soon as possible to find out the specific reason\n\nI've seen many cases where a simple explanation from an agent can resolve the issue immediately. Sometimes it's just a matter of clarifying one of your answers. Don't assume your entire claim is denied - it's more likely just an issue with this specific week.

Thank you for the detailed advice. I've checked everywhere in my account and don't see any document requests or alerts. I've been trying to call ESD for two days now but keep getting disconnected due to high call volume. Is there any other way to reach them besides the main unemployment number?

When I had this exact problem getting through to ESD was impossible until I used Claimyr. It's a service that holds your place in the ESD phone queue and calls you when an agent is available. Saved me from spending hours redialing. I watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3) and decided to try it after two weeks of failed call attempts. Got through to ESD in about 45 minutes instead of days of trying. In my case, the disqualification was because I accidentally checked a box saying I refused work - the agent fixed it right away once I explained. Their website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out.

is that service legit? seems sketchy to use some random service when dealing with unemployment stuff

It's completely legit. They don't access your ESD account or anything - they just connect you with ESD's phone system when an agent is available. It's basically just a sophisticated call-back service.

Thanks for the suggestion. At this point I'm desperate enough to try anything that might help me talk to an actual person at ESD. Two days of constant redialing is driving me crazy.

just want 2 say dont panic yet. my husband had 3 disqualifieds in a row last year and it turned out he wasnt filling out the job search correctly. they want REAL specific info for each application. once he called and found out what he was doing wrong and fixed it they actually paid him for all those weeks retroactive. ive heard the esd phones r impossible tho good luck

That's reassuring to hear. I thought I was being detailed with my job search entries, but maybe I missed something specific they're looking for. Really hope I can reach someone to explain what's going on.

The ESD system is deliberately designed to disqualify as many people as possible!!! Don't let them get away with it. They WANT you to give up. I had to appeal THREE TIMES before I finally got my benefits last year. The whole system is rigged against workers and they hope you'll just go away rather than fight for what you deserve. The \

While I understand your frustration, I don't think the system is deliberately designed to disqualify people. It's more that the antiquated computer systems and understaffing create these issues. In most cases I've seen, there's a legitimate reason for the disqualification that can be resolved once you reach an agent. The OP should definitely keep pursuing this, but understanding it's likely a technical or communication issue rather than intentional obstruction will help approach it constructively.

You're being naive. I WORKED WITH 6 different people who all had similar experiences. Wake up! They denied my coworker for 4 months with no explanation until she got her state rep involved then MAGICALLY it was fixed in 2 days. That's not a \

One more thing to check - look at your monetary determination letter in your eServices account (usually under \

I found my monetary determination letter and it shows I qualify for $754/week, so that seems OK. You make a good point about my employer - maybe they're contesting it? I was told it was a layoff due to department restructuring, but who knows what they told ESD. I'll definitely keep filing my weekly claims. Thanks for the advice.

my sister works for a bank and they laid her off and said the same thing but then contested her unemployment claiming

Oh no, I hadn't even considered that possibility. I had good performance reviews, but who knows what they might say to avoid the unemployment claim. How did your sister find out they were contesting it?

she got a letter from esd saying her employer disputed the claim reason and then she had to do a phone interview with an adjudicator to explain her side. check ur esd messages and mail

Based on everything you've shared, it sounds like one of two things is happening:\n\n1. Your claim has an adjudication issue that hasn't been properly communicated to you (possibly employer-related)\n2. There was a technical error or misunderstanding in how you completed your weekly claim\n\nEither way, speaking with an ESD representative is your best next step. Continue filing weekly claims, document everything carefully, and keep all evidence of your job search activities. If this does turn into an appeal situation, having thorough documentation will be crucial.\n\nOnce you speak with ESD, if they tell you there's an adjudication issue, ask for the specific issue code and estimated timeframe. This will help you understand what's happening and when to expect resolution.

Thank you so much for all this information. I'm going to try reaching ESD again tomorrow morning right when they open. If I can't get through after a few more attempts, I might try that Claimyr service someone mentioned. I'll update here once I find out what's going on with my claim.

I had a similar experience last year - filed my first weekly claim and got the dreaded 'disqualified' with zero explanation. Turns out I had accidentally selected 'No' to the question about being ready and willing to accept work (I thought it was asking if I had refused any work offers). The key thing is to keep filing your weekly claims even while this is unresolved - you can get back pay for any weeks that get approved later. I know calling ESD feels impossible, but try calling right at 8am when they open, or even better, call the automated system at 7:30am and wait on hold until they open at 8. Sometimes you can get through faster that way. Also double-check every single answer on your weekly claim before submitting. The questions are confusingly worded and it's easy to accidentally trigger a disqualification. In my case, once I got through to an agent, they fixed it immediately and I got all my back pay within a week. Don't panic - this is fixable!

I went through this exact same situation a few months ago! The "disqualified" status with no explanation is so frustrating and scary when you're depending on those benefits. In my case, it turned out I had made a simple mistake when reporting my job search activities - I listed the same company twice by accident (once with their full name and once with their abbreviation) and the system flagged it as fraudulent reporting. What really helped me was keeping a detailed log of exactly what I entered for each weekly claim. When I finally got through to ESD, the agent was able to walk through my responses and immediately spot the issue. She corrected it on the spot and I received all my back pay within 5 business days. Don't give up on calling - I know it's awful, but that direct conversation is usually the fastest way to resolve these issues. Also, make sure you're checking your physical mailbox too, not just the online messages. Sometimes ESD sends important notices by regular mail that don't show up in your eServices account right away. Keep filing those weekly claims no matter what - you don't want to lose any potential benefit weeks while this gets sorted out!

I'm going through this exact same thing right now! Filed my first weekly claim on Sunday and woke up today to see "disqualified" with absolutely no explanation. Like you, I'm pretty sure I answered everything correctly - said yes to being able and available for work, reported my 3 job search activities (2 applications and 1 networking event), and didn't report any earnings since I haven't worked. What's really frustrating is that my initial claim was approved and I have a monetary determination showing I qualify for benefits, so this weekly disqualification makes no sense. I've been calling ESD since 8am this morning and keep getting the "due to high call volume" disconnect message. Reading through everyone's responses here is actually making me feel a lot better though - it sounds like this happens pretty frequently and often gets resolved once you can actually talk to someone. I'm going to try that 7:30am calling strategy someone mentioned tomorrow morning. One thing I noticed in my eServices account is that my claim status still shows as "active" even though this weekly claim is disqualified, which makes me think it's not my entire claim that's been denied, just this specific week for some reason. Thanks for posting about this - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this confusing situation!

I just went through this exact situation two weeks ago! Got the dreaded "disqualified" status on my first weekly claim with zero explanation - I was absolutely panicking because I needed those benefits to cover my mortgage. After reading similar posts here, I tried the 7:30am calling strategy and actually got through to an ESD agent around 8:45am. Turns out I had accidentally answered "No" to the question about whether I was "ready and willing to accept suitable work immediately" - I somehow misread it and thought it was asking if I had turned down any job offers that week. The agent fixed it right there on the phone and explained that this particular question trips up a lot of people because of how it's worded. She also told me that as long as my overall claim status shows "Active" (which yours does based on what others are saying), it's almost always just a weekly claim issue, not a denial of your entire claim. The relief I felt when she said my back pay would be processed was incredible. Got the deposit 4 days later for the full amount. Keep filing your weekly claims while you sort this out, and definitely try calling right when they open. The wait is frustrating but so worth it when you finally get answers. You've got this!

I'm seeing this happen to so many people lately! Just wanted to add that you should also check if there are any "alerts" or "to-do" items in your account that might not be showing up in the obvious places. Sometimes ESD creates these tasks that need to be completed before they'll process your weekly claims, but they don't always make them easy to find. Also, when you do get through to someone (and you will!), ask them to walk you through each question on your weekly claim to make sure you understand exactly what they're asking for. I've found that ESD agents are usually pretty helpful once you actually reach them - the hard part is just getting through the phone system. One more tip: if you have a smartphone, you can try calling from different numbers (like a family member's phone) if you keep getting disconnected. Sometimes their system gets overwhelmed from certain area codes or carriers. Don't lose hope - based on all these success stories, it sounds like your situation is totally fixable!