Washington ESD asking about factors that cause unemployment in my interview - what should I say?

They're probably asking about the circumstances of your job separation to determine if you qualify for benefits. Since you were laid off due to downsizing, that's involuntary separation which is good. Just be honest about what happened - company restructuring, lack of work, position eliminated, etc. They want to make sure you didn't quit without good cause or get terminated for misconduct.

In my experience they ask about broader economic factors too - like industry changes, seasonal work patterns, technology replacing jobs, stuff like that. They're trying to categorize the type of unemployment for their statistics.

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD to clarify what they want to discuss, I found this service called Claimyr that helps people get through to unemployment offices. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Might be worth it if you need to ask specific questions before your interview.

Common factors they ask about: company closure, layoffs, reduction in force, seasonal end of work, lack of work, plant relocation, position elimination. If any of those apply to your situation, be prepared to explain the details.

ugh why do they make everything so complicated??? cant they just look at your employer's report and see you were laid off? why all these interviews and questions

They might also ask about personal factors - like if you had to quit for health reasons, family care, unsafe working conditions, harassment, etc. These can sometimes qualify as 'good cause' for leaving voluntarily.

I had one of these interviews last year. They asked about my industry (retail), whether it was seasonal work, if there were economic factors affecting the business, and what led to my specific job ending. Pretty straightforward once you know what they're looking for.

Economic factors they care about: recession impacts, trade/tariff effects, automation, outsourcing, market changes, consumer demand shifts. If your company cited any of these as reasons for the layoff, mention it.

Are you sure you need to overthink this? If you were laid off due to downsizing just say that. They're not trying to trick you, they just need to document the reason for unemployment.

If you're still worried about the interview, you could try calling Washington ESD to ask what specific information they need. Though good luck getting through - I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked. Worth the cost to avoid sitting on hold for hours.

They might ask about structural vs cyclical unemployment factors too. Structural is like when your skills become obsolete or your industry shrinks permanently. Cyclical is temporary economic downturns. Sounds like yours is more structural if they're consolidating operations permanently.

Personal experience: they asked me about technological factors since my job got automated. Also asked about geographic factors - like if the work moved to another location I couldn't follow. Just be honest about whatever applies to your situation.

Don't forget about institutional factors - like government regulations, policy changes, industry standards that might have affected your employer. If your company mentioned any of this stuff in their layoff announcement, it's worth bringing up.

I'm dealing with a similar interview situation but for a different reason. Has anyone had experience with Washington ESD asking about voluntary quit factors? Like if you left for health reasons or harassment?

They'll probably categorize your unemployment type for reporting purposes. Common categories: lack of work, business closure, position abolished, seasonal layoff, plant relocation, etc. Since yours was downsizing/consolidation, it'll likely be 'lack of work' or 'position abolished'.

Quick tip: have your layoff paperwork ready during the interview. They might ask for specific dates, your last day worked, whether you got severance, etc. Being prepared with exact details makes you look organized and honest.

If you're really anxious about this, remember that Washington ESD wants to approve legitimate claims. They're not trying to deny benefits to people who were genuinely laid off. Just be honest and straightforward about what happened.

Last thing - if they ask about factors contributing to unemployment in your industry or region, don't worry if you don't know everything. They're not testing your economic knowledge. Just share what you know about your specific situation and company.

Update us after your interview! Would be helpful to know what they actually asked so others can prepare for similar situations.