Union apprentice refusing distant assignment (Pasco) - Will ESD deny unemployment benefits?

They can't deny u benefits as long as you have good cause. Having to move away from your family is definitely good cause! Just make sure u document everything when you talk to the hall.

I worked for ESD for 6 years and handled union claims regularly. This situation falls under "good cause" for refusing work IF you can document that the distance exceeds what's reasonable in your union contract. The collective bargaining agreement terms will be considered by ESD adjudicators. You need to: 1. Get a copy of your union contract showing distance limitations 2. Document that you weren't asked but told to take the assignment 3. Write down your childcare responsibilities in detail 4. File your initial claim immediately after refusing the assignment 5. Be clear in your application that you're available for suitable work within the contractual distance ESD should assign an adjudicator to review this case specifically. Don't just say "it was too far" - cite the specific contract language that protects you.

When I was in carpenters union they tried sending me to Yakima from Bellevue - ESD approved my benefits because in my contract it specified 45 miles maximum travel distance unless I agreed to more!!! MAKE SURE you get that contract language when you talk to ESD and don't let them bully you. The union hall might give you a hard time but stand your ground - your family comes first!!!

You need to be really careful here. The key factor is whether your union collective bargaining agreement specifically limits the distance they can send you without your consent. If it does, you'll need to provide documentation of that provision to ESD. If it doesn't, ESD might consider this refusing suitable work. In my experience, you should: 1. Request the dispatch refusal in writing, citing family hardship 2. Get documentation from the union about your status after refusal 3. Apply for unemployment immediately 4. Be prepared to explain that you're still available for suitable work within a reasonable distance When ESD reviews your case, they'll look at the specific wording in your union agreement. If there's nothing specifying distance limitations, they'll apply the standard "reasonable commute" guidelines, which can be up to 1 hour each way depending on your occupation.

This happened to my cousn who was in IBEW. He refused a job in Moses Lake and got DENIED benefits!!! ESD said he should've taken it even though it was 170 miles from his house! He fought it for MONTHS and eventually won on appeal but had no money coming in. The system is rigged against workers!!

Hey, just throwing this out there - if you're having trouble reaching ESD to discuss your situation (which you probably will since they're still understaffed), you might want to try Claimyr. I was in a similar situation with a union dispatch issue and spent days trying to reach ESD. Claimyr got me connected to an ESD agent in about 25 minutes. Their service basically holds your place in line so you don't have to keep calling and getting disconnected. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 and their website is claimyr.com. Saved me a ton of stress when I needed to explain my specific situation to an actual person at ESD.

have you actually checked your union contract? some unions have different rules for apprentices vs journeymen. my bro is in operators union and apprentices have different dispatch rules. just saying dont assume you have protection until you read the fine print

After reviewing more comments, I want to add one important point: when you file your weekly claims while in adjudication, make sure to answer "Yes" to the question about whether you refused any work. Then provide a clear, consistent explanation in the comments section each time. If you answer "No" to refusing work but then tell the adjudicator you refused the Pasco assignment, they might flag it as misrepresentation, which creates a much bigger problem.

u should also call ur state rep!! my friend got stuck with esd issues and her state rep helped push it thru faster!

IMPORTANT: I forgot to mention - make sure when you file your claim you include that you're in a UNION and provide your local number!! There's a specific section in the application for union members, and it changes how they process your claim. I almost missed this part and it would have caused huge problems.