Washington ESD denied my unemployment claim - what can cause unemployment to be denied?

There are several common reasons Washington ESD denies claims. The main ones are: 1) Quitting without good cause, 2) Being fired for misconduct, 3) Not earning enough wages in your base period, 4) Not being able and available for work, 5) Failing to actively search for jobs. What exactly does your denial letter say? The specific reason code will help determine your next steps.

same thing happened to me last year, they marked me as quit when i got fired for no reason. took forever to get through to someone to fix it

The Washington ESD system is notorious for incorrect initial determinations. Other common denial reasons include: not meeting the minimum wage requirements (you need at least $5,265 in your base period), having a gap in employment that makes you seem unavailable, or issues with your job search documentation. Did you work the full 8 months without any breaks?

ugh the washington esd is the WORST! they deny everything first and make you prove you deserve it. my friend got denied because they said she wasnt looking for work hard enough even though she applied to like 50 jobs

Been through this before - Washington ESD also denies claims if you're not physically able to work or if you have restrictions that limit your availability. Are you available for full-time work and physically able to perform your usual job duties?

Another reason they deny claims is if you received severance pay or vacation payout that affects your benefit period. Did your employer give you any final payments when you were laid off?

I see you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD. I mentioned claimyr earlier but wanted to add - they specifically help with situations like yours where there's a wrongful denial. The service connects you directly with agents who can look at your case and fix coding errors like voluntary quit vs layoff.

Don't forget about the 'suitable work' requirement too. Washington ESD can deny claims if they think you're being too picky about job offers. But in your case with the voluntary quit issue, that's probably not relevant.

my sister got denied because she moved to a different county and they said she wasnt available in her original area anymore. stupid rule if you ask me

Another thing - Washington ESD sometimes denies claims if there are issues with your employer's response to their inquiry. If your employer incorrectly reported that you quit or were fired for cause, that could trigger a denial even if it's not true.

Drug test failures can also cause denials, but that's usually for fired employees, not layoffs. Honestly, your situation screams clerical error to me.

The appeal process is actually pretty straightforward. You'll get a phone hearing with an administrative law judge who will review your case. Make sure you have all your documentation ready - layoff notice, pay stubs, anything showing you were involuntarily separated.

just wanted to say dont give up! i got denied twice before they finally approved my claim. the system is broken but you can get through it

One more potential issue - if you had any side work or gig economy income during your employment, that might have complicated your claim. Even small amounts need to be reported correctly.

washington esd denied my claim because i 'abandoned' my job but i was in the hospital for a week and they fired me while i was there. makes no sense

Just to follow up on claimyr - I used them when I had a similar voluntary quit vs layoff issue. Got connected to an agent within 20 minutes who pulled up my file and fixed the coding error immediately. Sometimes it really is just a simple system mistake that needs a human to correct.

The timing of when you file can also matter. If you wait too long after becoming unemployed, they might question whether you were actually available for work during that gap.

Bottom line - most denials are either system errors or cases where the claimant didn't understand the requirements. Your situation sounds like a clear system error that should be fixable with the right documentation and maybe a phone call to clarify.