Washington ESD asking for reason for unemployment - how detailed should I be?

Thanks! I was worried I needed to write a whole essay about it. Simple is better then?

Absolutely. The key is being truthful but concise. They process thousands of these claims daily.

Did they ask you any follow-up questions or was that enough?

Nope, that was it. They sent a form to my old employer but I never heard anything else about it.

Is that legit? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for days with no luck.

Yeah it's real. They basically keep calling for you until they get through. Worth it when you need actual answers.

How much does something like that cost? Sounds too good to be true.

I'm definitely being honest, just wasn't sure about the level of detail they wanted.

Good! Detail isn't as important as accuracy. They mainly want to know if you quit voluntarily or were let go.

This is about the initial claim application. Weekly claims are different - those are just confirming you're still unemployed and looking for work.

oh ok that makes sense. i was wondering why they kept asking the same questions lol

Good point! I definitely want to make sure I pick the right one. Mine was definitely a layoff, not being fired.

This is confusing. What if you were technically 'terminated' but it was because of company downsizing?

That would still be considered a layoff if it was due to lack of work, not your performance. The reason matters more than the terminology your employer used.

Oh no! How long did adjudication take to resolve?

Three weeks! Could have been avoided if I'd just stuck to 'laid off due to company restructuring' instead of writing a novel.

Three weeks isn't too bad for adjudication. Mine took 6 weeks last year.

Did they charge you a lot for that?

I don't remember the exact amount but it was worth every penny to actually talk to a human being at Washington ESD.

I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point. The hold music is driving me insane.

Makes sense. I was definitely laid off so I'll stick with that.

What if you were 'asked to resign' instead of being fired? How do you handle that?

That's tricky. You might want to call Washington ESD and ask, because it could be considered voluntary or involuntary depending on the circumstances.

You're right, I'm probably overthinking this. Thanks for the perspective!

Yeah I do the same thing with all government forms. They're not looking for your life story.

Good advice. I'll make sure I can back up whatever I write.

This is so important. I've seen people get in trouble for giving different answers to the same question.

That's exactly why I started using Claimyr. The regular phone system is basically broken. Check out their demo video - it shows you exactly how they get through.

I'm at the point where I'll try anything. Thanks for the recommendation.

I got through once at 7:58 AM right when they opened. Took 47 minutes on hold but I made it.

That's what I'm worried about. I definitely don't want to delay my benefits over something like this.

You're smart to ask. Most people just wing it and then wonder why their claim gets flagged.

That makes sense. Mine was more of a downsizing situation but similar idea.

Company closures are usually straightforward. Layoffs can sometimes get more scrutiny depending on the circumstances.

Thanks, that's reassuring. I think I was making it more complicated than it needs to be.

Yeah most of us overthink these forms. Just answer honestly and you'll be fine.

Will do! I'm hoping to submit it today now that I know what to write.

Good luck! Hope it goes smoothly for you.