Washington ESD says I'm 'not ineligible' - what does not ineligible mean for unemployment?

Not ineligible means you ARE eligible! It's just Washington ESD's confusing double-negative way of saying you qualify for benefits. So yes, this is good news - you should be approved.

Yeah, Washington ESD uses double negatives in their determinations. 'Not ineligible' = eligible. 'Not disqualified' = qualified. It's backwards but that's how they write it. Your benefits should start processing now.

I've been trying to call Washington ESD about my claim status for weeks but can never get through. The phone lines are always busy or I get disconnected. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to someone there?

wait so if it says 'not ineligible' that means im good?? ive been freaking out about this for days thinking i got denied

The Washington ESD determination letters are written by lawyers who apparently never learned to communicate clearly. 'Not ineligible' is their way of saying you meet all the requirements for unemployment benefits.

I got that same letter last month and it took me reading it three times to figure out it was actually good news! Washington ESD really needs to fix their communication.

Here's what the different determinations mean: 'Not ineligible' = you qualify, 'Not disqualified' = you qualify, 'Ineligible' = you don't qualify, 'Disqualified' = you don't qualify. Washington ESD loves their double negatives.

Congratulations! Not ineligible means you're approved. Now make sure you file your weekly claims on time and keep doing your job search requirements. Don't let this approval go to waste.

ugh washington esd is the worst with their confusing letters. i spent hours trying to figure out what mine meant too

Same thing happened to me with the confusing wording. I actually used Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD and confirm what it meant. The agent explained that 'not ineligible' is just their standard legal phrasing for approved claims.

Just wanted to add that once you get the 'not ineligible' determination, your first payment usually comes within a week if you've been filing your weekly claims. Don't forget to keep filing even while waiting for the money to show up.

Washington ESD determination letters should come with a translation guide. 'Not ineligible' is about as clear as mud when you're stressed about money.

Pro tip: whenever you get a determination from Washington ESD, look for the words 'eligible' or 'qualified' somewhere in the letter. If it says 'not ineligible' or 'not disqualified' those are both good things.

i thought i was going crazy when i got that letter. glad im not the only one who was confused by the double negative thing

This thread is so helpful! I've been sitting here with my determination letter trying to figure out if 'not ineligible' was good or bad news. Thanks everyone for explaining it.

For anyone still confused: 'Not ineligible' means you ARE eligible for benefits. It's Washington ESD's backwards way of saying you qualify. Your benefits should start processing now that you have this determination.

Washington ESD customer service told me that 'not ineligible' is the standard wording they use for approved claims. Took me forever to get through to them to ask, but at least I got a clear answer. Might be worth calling if you need more details about your specific claim.

This exact same thing happened to me last year! I got the "not ineligible" letter and spent the whole day thinking I was denied until my neighbor explained it to me. It's honestly cruel how confusing they make something so important when people are already stressed about money. Congrats on your approval though - that's great news! Just make sure to keep filing those weekly claims and doing your job search activities. The first payment should hit your account within a week or two.