Refused job offer due to insufficient hours (10 vs. 25 needed) - Will ESD disqualify my UI benefits?

You should be fine. ESD considers whether work is "suitable" based on several factors, and one of them is whether the hours and earnings would be significantly less than your previous job. If the hours offered would pay substantially less than your weekly benefit amount, you have good cause to refuse. Make sure when you file your weekly claim, you report that you refused work but clearly explain that the hours were insufficient to meet your financial obligations. Be specific about the hours offered vs. what you need to sustain yourself.

omg i had the EXACT same thing happen but with 15 hrs vs the 30 i needed!! esd ended up denying my benefits for 4 weeks as a penalty cuz they said i didnt have "good cause" to turn it down. i had to appeal and it was a NIGHTMARE

I work as an employment counselor and deal with these situations regularly. Here's what you should know: 1. ESD usually considers work "suitable" if it pays at least 80% of your previous wages. 2. You need to prove the hours offered would not provide adequate income compared to your UI benefits. 3. The key is DOCUMENTATION. Request something in writing from the employer about the job offer and hours, even if it's just an email confirmation. 4. When reporting your weekly claim, be 100% honest but very specific that the reason for refusal was insufficient hours that would not meet your basic financial needs. 5. Be prepared to provide evidence of your financial obligations if requested (rent agreement, bills, etc.) Staying proactive will help you avoid going into adjudication over this.

dud it realy dpends on who reviews ur claim some ppl get lucky and the esd person is nice and some r total jerks who just want to deny u. my friend turned down a job bcuz the pay was 2$ less per hour than her last one and she got denied for 8 WEEKS!!!! its a stupid system

Has anyone actually tried calling ESD directly to explain a situation like this? I've had a similar issue a few months back and need someone to look at my specific case but can't get through the phone lines.

Update: I called that employer back and asked if they could email me the details of the job offer including the 10 hours per week limitation. They sent it over, so at least now I have documentation. I'm still nervous about reporting this on my weekly claim. Should I also upload this email somewhere on my ESD account as proof before they ask for it?

I reviewed the ESD Handbook regarding suitable work, and here's the exact language that applies to your situation: "You may refuse an offer of work if... The hours of work would require you to work substantially more or less hours than those normal to your occupation." If your previous job was full-time or at least 25+ hours, and this offer was only for 10 hours, you have good legal standing to refuse without penalty. Just make sure you explicitly cite this reason when reporting the refusal on your weekly claim. Use their own language about "substantially less hours than normal to your occupation.

anybody else notice that esd is being SUPER strict about this stuff in 2025 compared to before??? i swear they're trying to kick as many people off benefits as possible!!

One more important detail: If your claim does go into adjudication over this issue (which it might, even if you have good cause), continue filing your weekly claims while waiting for a decision. Many people make the mistake of not filing during adjudication, and then they lose those weeks of potential benefits even if the adjudicator ultimately rules in their favor. Keep doing your job search activities too - 3 per week as required.

I had my claim go into adjudication last month over a similar issue (though mine was about unsuitable pay, not hours). The adjudication process took exactly 18 days from when they notified me until I got the decision. They ended up deciding in my favor because I had good documentation. Make sure you answer your phone during this time - they'll call from a blocked/private number for the fact-finding interview. Miss that call, and you could be automatically denied!

They sent a letter through my eServices account about 4 days before the call, giving me a 4-hour window when they'd call. But I've heard from others that sometimes they just call with no warning. The adjudicator was actually really reasonable and just wanted to understand my situation. Don't be too nervous - just explain your situation clearly and have your documentation ready.