Weekly claims showing 'Disqualified' status - Can't reach ESD on phone

The 'Disqualified' status usually means something specific triggered in your claim. Common reasons include: 1) Not being available for full-time work, 2) Not completing required job search activities, 3) Reporting earnings incorrectly, or 4) An employer contested your claim. Check your eServices account for any letters/notices in your inbox. Sometimes they send explanations there but don't notify you properly. Also, make sure you're answering all weekly claim questions accurately - especially the ones about being able and available for work and actively seeking employment.

Same thng happend to me last month!!! I got disqualifed for 4 weeks straight and couldnt reach anyone. Turns out my former employer told ESD I quit (I DIDNT - they reduced my hours so much I couldn't pay rent). ESD never even sent me a notice explaining this until WEEKS later. The system is completly broken 😡

I had this EXACT situation in January. Called for WEEKS with no luck getting through. I finally discovered a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an ESD agent in about 30 minutes. It basically keeps dialing for you until it gets through their system, then connects you when it reaches an agent. Completely changed my experience - the agent explained my disqualification (I had accidentally marked that I wasn't available for work one week) and fixed it on the spot. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 and sign up at claimyr.com if interested. Seriously saved me weeks of stress.

To answer your question - yes, it actually works. I was skeptical too after spending countless hours trying to reach ESD with no success. The service connected me within about 25 minutes. The key thing is understanding WHY you're disqualified so you can address it properly. In my case, it was a simple mistake on my weekly claim that the agent fixed right away.

Former ESD employee here. The disqualification issue is frustrating but there's almost always a specific reason. The notification system is unfortunately not reliable - sometimes letters get lost in mail or electronic notices don't appear properly in eServices. Based on what you've described, I suspect one of these issues: 1) Your employer may have contested the claim stating it wasn't a layoff 2) There may be a question about your ability/availability for work 3) There could be an identity verification hold (very common in 2025) 4) You might have answered a weekly claim question in a way that triggered automatic disqualification Regarding contacting ESD - phone system is overwhelmed, especially at the beginning of each month. If you can't get through using regular methods or Claimyr, try: - Using the eServices secure message system (though responses can take 2+ weeks) - Contacting your state representative's office - they have special channels to ESD - Visiting a WorkSource office in person - some have ESD specialists on certain days Whatever you do, continue filing your weekly claims even while disqualified so you don't lose potential backpay once it's resolved.

ESD is GARBAGE. I spent 5 WEEKS trying to fix a "disqualified" status last year and when I finally got through they said it was because my previous employer reported I was fired for cause (TOTAL LIE) but by then I had already missed out on thousands in benefits. They backdated some but not all. The whole system is designed to make you give up!!!!!

have you checked ur spam folder for emails? sometimes esd sends important stuff there. i found my disqualification letter there after 3 weeks of confusion lol

What restaurant did you work at? I was laid off from Coastal Kitchen last month and had a similar issue. For me it turned out my employer had reported my final paycheck wrong (they included vacation payout). Once ESD finally confirmed that was the issue, they fixed my disqualification and I got backpay for the weeks I was wrongly disqualified. The MOST important thing is to keep filing your weekly claims even while you're showing as disqualified. I almost stopped filing because I thought it was pointless, but my friend who works at WorkSource told me to keep doing it. Thank goodness I did because once they fixed the issue, I got all those weeks paid.

Quick update question - have you tried calling right when they open at 8:00 AM? That used to be the best time, but in 2025 I've heard from several people that calling between 3:30-4:00 PM has a better success rate because many agents have finished their scheduled callbacks by then and can take incoming calls. Might be worth trying that specific window if you haven't already.

One other thing to consider - check if you received any fact-finding questionnaires that you might have missed. Sometimes ESD sends these with tight deadlines (often just 5 business days), and if you don't respond, they automatically disqualify you. These can come by mail, email, or appear in your eServices account. If you find you missed one, mention this specifically when you get through to an agent. They can often reopen the fact-finding if you have a reasonable explanation for missing the deadline.