Washington ESD unemployment benefits - lost job due to automation technology
My company just laid off our entire data entry department because they installed some AI software that does our job automatically. I worked there for 8 years and now I'm being told this is just 'technological progress.' Filed for Washington ESD unemployment last week but I'm worried they might deny my claim since the company is saying it's not their fault, it's just business evolution. Has anyone dealt with this type of situation before? Will Washington ESD approve benefits when you lose your job to technology?
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Emma Taylor
This is called structural unemployment - when new technology makes certain jobs obsolete. Washington ESD doesn't care WHY you lost your job, just that you lost it through no fault of your own. As long as you weren't fired for misconduct, you should qualify for regular UI benefits.
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Javier Garcia
•That's a relief! I was worried they'd see it as some kind of economic thing that disqualifies me.
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Malik Robinson
•Yeah, structural unemployment is different from cyclical or seasonal unemployment - it's when the economy itself changes and eliminates jobs permanently.
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Isabella Silva
Same thing happened to me at a manufacturing plant - robots replaced half our assembly line. Washington ESD approved my claim no problem. Just make sure when you file your weekly claims that you're actively job searching.
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Javier Garcia
•How hard was it to find new work? I'm 45 and worried my skills are outdated now.
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Isabella Silva
•Not gonna lie, it took 6 months. Had to retrain for a different field. But the UI benefits helped me get through it.
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Ravi Choudhury
If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD to check on your claim status, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.
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CosmosCaptain
•How much does something like that cost? I'm already tight on money.
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Ravi Choudhury
•I was skeptical too but it was worth it just to talk to someone who could explain my claim status. Way better than calling 200 times a day.
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Freya Johansen
Technically this is structural unemployment caused by technological displacement. It's different from frictional unemployment (between jobs) or cyclical unemployment (economic downturns). Washington ESD sees it as an involuntary job separation, so you should qualify for benefits assuming you meet the work history requirements.
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Omar Fawzi
•What are the work history requirements again? I think I qualify but want to make sure.
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Freya Johansen
•You need to have worked in at least two quarters during your base period and earned at least $3,400 total. Your highest quarter needs to be at least $2,600.
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Chloe Wilson
this is happening EVERYWHERE now, AI is taking over everything. my friend lost his job to some computer program too. washington esd better start figuring out how to handle this because it's only going to get worse
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Emma Taylor
•The unemployment system has always dealt with technological changes - this isn't really new. What matters is whether you qualify for benefits, not the reason behind the layoff.
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Chloe Wilson
•maybe but this feels different, like whole industries are disappearing overnight
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Javier Garcia
UPDATE: Just got approved for Washington ESD benefits! They processed my claim in about 10 days. The adjudicator I spoke with said technology-related layoffs are pretty common now and as long as the employer confirms it was due to business restructuring and not misconduct, it's straightforward.
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Isabella Silva
•Congrats! That's faster than mine took. Did you have to provide any special documentation?
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Javier Garcia
•Just the standard layoff paperwork from HR. They sent a letter confirming it was due to automation implementation.
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Malik Robinson
For anyone dealing with this, make sure you're looking into retraining programs too. WorkSource Washington has programs specifically for people displaced by technology. Some are even funded so you can get training while collecting UI.
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Javier Garcia
•Good point! I should look into that. Do you know if they have anything for data analysis or digital marketing?
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Malik Robinson
•Yeah they have tech training programs. Check with your local WorkSource office or look online at their career services.
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Diego Mendoza
My brother went through this when his trucking company started using automated dispatch. Took forever to get someone at Washington ESD on the phone to explain his claim status though. He ended up using some calling service, I think it was Claimyr or something like that.
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Ravi Choudhury
•Yeah that's the same service I used! Really helped when I needed to talk to someone about my adjudication process.
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Omar Fawzi
•I might need to try that. Been trying to call for two weeks about my job search requirements.
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CosmosCaptain
This is so frustrating - companies make millions from automation then we're left scrambling for scraps. At least Washington ESD benefits help but it's not like they're gonna last forever.
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Freya Johansen
•Regular UI benefits in Washington last up to 26 weeks, sometimes longer during high unemployment periods. Use that time wisely to retrain or find new opportunities.
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CosmosCaptain
•26 weeks isn't much when you're competing with robots for jobs
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Anastasia Romanov
Wait, so if I lose my job because they bought software to replace me, that's definitely covered by unemployment? I thought there had to be like a company shutdown or something.
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Emma Taylor
•Nope, any involuntary job separation due to lack of work qualifies. Whether it's budget cuts, automation, or business closure doesn't matter to Washington ESD.
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Anastasia Romanov
•Ok that makes me feel better. I've been worried about this happening at my job too.
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StellarSurfer
The real problem is these tech companies are getting tax breaks while eliminating jobs. But yeah, for unemployment purposes, you should be fine as long as you weren't fired for cause.
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Javier Garcia
•Exactly! My company got some kind of modernization credit for installing the AI system. Meanwhile I'm filing for unemployment.
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Chloe Wilson
•that's messed up, they should have to pay extra into unemployment insurance if they're gonna eliminate jobs
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Sean Kelly
Been there - lost my bookkeeping job to accounting software three years ago. Washington ESD was great about it, no issues with my claim. Just had to do the usual job search requirements and weekly claims. Ended up getting retrained as a medical assistant.
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Javier Garcia
•How was the retraining process? Did you use WorkSource or find something else?
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Sean Kelly
•Used a combination of WorkSource funding and community college. Took about 8 months but worth it - better pay now than my old job.
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Zara Malik
My unemployment claim got delayed because the adjudicator wanted to verify the layoff was legitimate and not performance-related. Had to wait 3 weeks but once I got through to explain it was automation, they approved it immediately.
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Javier Garcia
•How did you finally get through to them? I've heard the wait times are terrible.
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Zara Malik
•Used Claimyr to get connected to an agent. Saved me so much time and frustration trying to call during their busy hours.
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Luca Greco
This happened to my whole department - they replaced us with some cloud-based system. HR was actually pretty good about helping us with the Washington ESD paperwork since they knew we'd all be filing claims.
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Isabella Silva
•That's nice that HR helped. Mine just handed me a pink slip and said good luck.
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Luca Greco
•Yeah we got lucky. They even gave us extra severance since they knew it would be hard to find similar work.
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Nia Thompson
The thing about structural unemployment is it's usually permanent - those jobs aren't coming back. Unlike cyclical unemployment where you might get rehired when the economy improves.
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Malik Robinson
•Exactly, that's why retraining is so important. You can't just wait for the same type of job to open up somewhere else.
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Javier Garcia
•Yeah I'm realizing I need to think about a completely different career path now.
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Mateo Rodriguez
anyone know if there are special programs for older workers who lose jobs to technology? i'm 58 and feeling pretty hopeless about finding new work
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Malik Robinson
•Yes! There's the WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) program that has special provisions for displaced older workers. Check with WorkSource Washington.
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Mateo Rodriguez
•thank you, i'll look into that
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Aisha Hussain
I work in HR and we've had to do several tech-related layoffs this year. We always make sure to document that it's due to business restructuring, not performance, so employees can get their unemployment benefits without issues.
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Javier Garcia
•That's good to know! My former employer was pretty clear about that too, which probably helped my claim get approved quickly.
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StellarSurfer
•More companies should be that responsible about it instead of trying to fight unemployment claims.
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GalacticGladiator
The scariest part is not knowing what jobs will be safe in the future. Even white-collar work isn't protected anymore with AI getting so advanced.
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Freya Johansen
•That's why it's important to focus on skills that complement technology rather than compete with it. Problem-solving, creativity, interpersonal skills.
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GalacticGladiator
•True, but it's hard to know what to train for when everything is changing so fast.
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Ethan Brown
Just want to add that if you're filing for Washington ESD benefits after a tech layoff, make sure to keep good records of your job search. They're pretty strict about the work search requirements even though finding work in your field might be impossible now.
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Javier Garcia
•Good point! I've been applying to related jobs but also branching out to other fields. Hopefully that counts for the job search requirement.
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Emma Taylor
•As long as you're making a reasonable effort to find work, they're usually understanding about expanding your search beyond your previous field.
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Ethan Brown
•Yeah just document everything - applications, networking events, even informational interviews count.
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