Washington ESD denied my claim - what makes you not eligible for unemployment?

There are several reasons Washington ESD can deny your claim. The main ones are: you quit voluntarily without good cause, you were fired for misconduct, you don't have enough work history (need wages in at least 2 quarters), you're not able and available to work, or you're not actively searching for jobs. Since you mentioned 'voluntary quit' in their letter, they might have incorrect information about how your employment ended.

ugh same thing happened to my sister last year. washington esd somehow got it in their system that she quit when she was actually terminated. took forever to get it sorted out

Here's what I learned when I had to help my nephew with his Washington ESD issues - you can be disqualified for these main reasons: 1) Insufficient work history (need wages in 2+ quarters in your base period), 2) Voluntary quit without good cause connected to work, 3) Discharged for misconduct, 4) Not able/available for work, 5) Refusing suitable work offers, 6) Not meeting job search requirements. For getting through to Washington ESD about appeals, I actually found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped us get connected to an actual agent instead of waiting on hold forever. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

The work history thing is tricky too. You need to have earned wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period, which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed. With only 8 months of work, depending on when you started, you might not meet the requirements even if the layoff issue gets resolved.

WASHINGTON ESD IS THE WORST. They mess up everything and then make YOU prove they're wrong. I've been fighting them for months over a similar issue.

When you file your appeal, make sure to include any documentation you have about the layoff. Even if it's just a text message from your manager or coworkers who were also laid off, that can help establish it wasn't voluntary. Washington ESD usually sides with employers initially but appeals often go in the claimant's favor when there's evidence.

just curious - did you file for any other benefits or have any other income when you filed? sometimes that can affect eligibility too

One more thing to check - look at your monetary determination letter to make sure Washington ESD has the right wage information. Sometimes employers report things incorrectly or there are data entry errors that can affect your claim.

This happened to my friend too and she used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. She said it was way easier than trying to call Washington ESD directly because you never get through. They got her connected to someone who could actually look at her case.

btw make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even while you're appealing. if you win the appeal you'll get backpay but only for the weeks you filed

The job search requirements can also disqualify you even if everything else is correct. You need to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep detailed records. But that usually doesn't come up until after you're approved and start getting benefits.

I'm still confused about this Claimyr thing. How is it different from just calling Washington ESD yourself?

Another thing that can make you ineligible is if you're not a US citizen or don't have work authorization, but that doesn't sound like your issue since you were working legally.

sometimes washington esd mixes up information between different claims or employers. definitely worth double checking that all the info on your determination is actually about YOU and not someone else

The good news is that if it really was a layoff like you said, the appeal should go in your favor. Washington ESD makes a lot of initial mistakes but the appeals process usually catches them. Just make sure you file within the 30-day deadline!

One more reason for disqualification - if you were attending school full-time when you filed, that can make you ineligible because you're not considered available for work. But again, doesn't sound like your situation.

I hate how confusing Washington ESD makes everything. They should have clear explanations of why you're denied instead of these vague letters that leave you guessing.

Make sure when you appeal that you request a hearing if the first level appeal doesn't go your way. Sometimes it takes getting in front of an administrative law judge to get things resolved properly.

This thread has been super helpful. I'm dealing with a similar issue and now I know what steps to take. Thanks everyone!