Requalified for ESD benefits after Instacart work but still showing Disqualified status - what's wrong?

The system can be so frustrating!! I had something similar happen last year. Quick question - did you actually file a brand new claim or were you trying to restart your old disqualified one? Because that might be the issue. When you requalify, you sometimes need to file a completely new application rather than trying to resurrect the old disqualified claim.

What kind of disqualification did you have? Misconduct, voluntary quit, or able and available issues all have different requalification requirements. The 7x earnings rule applies to some but not all disqualification types. Also beware that gig work like Instacart might be counted as self-employment by ESD which complicates things further.

literally same thing happend to me last yr,,, the stupid system doesnt update automaticaly. u gotta call them. good luck getting thru tho lol took me 3 days of calling nonstop

This is a common issue. When you requalify after a disqualification, there are several necessary steps: 1. You must earn 7x your weekly benefit amount in covered employment (which you've done) 2. You must wait 7 weeks after starting that employment (which you've done) 3. You must file a new claim, not restart the old one 4. Most importantly - you need to report this requalifying income properly on your new application The system won't automatically know you've met the requalification criteria. You need to specifically indicate on your new application that you've satisfied the requirements to lift your previous disqualification. When filing, there should be a section about previous claims and disqualifications where you can enter this information. If the online system isn't working, you'll need to speak with an agent who can manually review your requalification evidence.

Yes, have your Instacart earnings documentation ready. You'll need payment statements showing both the dates worked and amounts earned to prove you've met the 7x requirement. Be aware that as an Instacart worker, ESD might consider you self-employed, which can complicate things. Make sure to clearly document that you worked as an independent contractor rather than a traditional employee. You may need to fill out additional self-employment forms.

Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to an ESD agent? After dealing with similar requalification issues, I was getting nowhere with the regular phone line. A friend recommended claimyr.com and I actually got through to a real person in about 20 minutes. They have a video demo too: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. The agent I spoke with was able to review my requalification documents while on the phone and push through the update to my account status. Saved me weeks of frustration.

I HATE how ESD handles requalifications!! I went through exactly this in November and it took FOREVER to get it sorted. The whole system is designed to frustrate people into giving up. What finally worked for me was filing a brand new claim AND getting an actual person on the phone to review my case. The online system simply doesn't handle requalifications well at all. AND ANOTHER THING - be prepared for them to potentially challenge your Instacart earnings. They tried to tell me my DoorDash work didn't count because it was "self-employment" even though the law clearly says gig work can qualify! I had to get super persistent and ask for a supervisor review.

Something else to consider - check if your benefit year has expired. If your original claim was from September last year and it's now February, you might be close to or past your benefit year end date. If that's the case, you'd need to file a new claim regardless of the disqualification issue.

update us when u figure it out pls!!!! im in a similar boat and need to kno what works

One more important tip: When you file your new claim, there should be a section where you can explain special circumstances. Make sure to clearly state: "This is a new claim after requalifying from a previous disqualification. I have earned more than 7x my weekly benefit amount through Instacart work as required and have waited the mandatory 7 weeks." Being explicit about this can help flag your claim for proper processing.

UPDATE: Success! I followed everyone's advice here and it worked! Filed a completely new claim (instead of trying to restart the old one), mentioned specifically in the comments that I was requalifying after a disqualification, and used Claimyr to get through to an actual person who reviewed my case. The agent confirmed that my Instacart earnings DID count toward requalification, and they were able to update my status in the system. My claim is now showing as Pending rather than Disqualified! They said I should see a determination within 7-10 days. Thank you all so much for the help!!!