Washington ESD denied my unemployment claim - what are reasons unemployment is denied?

The letter has some code numbers but they're not explained clearly. It says something about 'separation from employment' issues. I was definitely laid off though, not fired.

Separation issues usually mean they're questioning the circumstances of how you left your job. Even if you say you were laid off, they might have received different information from your employer.

How did you find out what your employer told them? Did you have to call Washington ESD directly?

Yeah I had to call but it took forever to get through. Spent hours on hold. There's actually a service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an actual person at Washington ESD much faster. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

That sounds really helpful. I've been dreading trying to call them because I know it's impossible to get through.

I worked full time for 2 years straight so that shouldn't be the issue. My wages were definitely high enough.

But did you work in Washington state the whole time? If you worked in another state some of those wages might not count toward your Washington claim.

How long do I have to file an appeal? The letter came yesterday but I'm not sure when the clock started ticking.

You have 30 days from the date on the determination letter, not from when you received it. Don't wait - start gathering your documentation now.

This happened to me too and the appeal process was actually pretty straightforward. Just make sure you have your layoff paperwork and any emails or texts about the layoff.

Yes I checked that I was able and available. I don't have any restrictions that would prevent me from working.

Sometimes they flag claims if there are any medical issues or if you mentioned anything about going back to school. Even minor things can trigger a denial.

I registered but it might have been a few days after I filed my claim. Is there a specific deadline for that?

You're supposed to register with WorkSource within 7 days of filing your claim. If you didn't do it within that window, that could be grounds for denial.

That might be it then. I registered but it was probably 10 days after filing because I was dealing with other things.

I feel you on the frustration but getting angry doesn't help solve the actual problem. The system has issues but there are ways to work through it.

Easy for you to say when you're not the one dealing with bills piling up while they play games with your claim!

How would I find out if they contested it? Would that be in the denial letter?

Not always. You'd need to call Washington ESD to get the details about what your employer reported. That's where services like Claimyr can really help - they can get you through to someone who can explain exactly what happened with your claim.

I think so but now I'm second guessing myself. Is there a way to check what information they have on file?

You can request your claim file from Washington ESD but again, that requires actually getting through to someone on the phone to make the request.

That gives me hope! What kind of documentation did you need for the appeal?

I had my layoff notice, final paycheck stub, any emails about the layoff, and a written statement explaining what happened. The key is being thorough and organized.

I did have a small freelance project last month but I reported it on my weekly claim. Could that still cause problems?

depends how you reported it and when the work was done relative to your layoff date. they're really picky about part time work

That's reassuring. I'm going to start working on my appeal paperwork this weekend.

Good plan! And if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your specific case, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier really does work. I used it last month and got through in like 15 minutes instead of waiting hours.

That makes sense. I need to figure out exactly what their concern is first before I can address it properly.

Exactly. And that's why talking to someone at Washington ESD can be so helpful - they can explain the specific issue instead of leaving you to guess from a vague letter.

Thank you everyone for all the advice! I feel much more prepared to handle this appeal now.

You've got this! The appeals process exists for a reason and it sounds like you have a good case.