Weekly claims showing 'disqualified' after 4 weeks - still no ESD approval decision
I'm super confused and starting to panic about my unemployment situation. I've been filing my weekly claims for the past 4 weeks but they all say 'disqualified' in the system. Does this mean I've been denied benefits? Or is this normal while waiting for the initial approval? We still haven't gotten any confirmation whether our initial claim is approved or denied yet. Do I need to call ESD about these disqualified weekly claims or just keep waiting for them to process the main application? This is my first time filing for unemployment after my construction job ended, and I'm worried about paying rent next month if this doesn't get sorted soon.
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CyberSamurai
The 'disqualified' status is actually a big red flag. It means something in your weekly claim didn't meet requirements - it's NOT the normal status while waiting for approval (that would be 'pending'). You need to contact ESD right away to find out why they're being disqualified. Common reasons include: not being available for work, not actively looking for work, reporting excessive earnings, or not meeting the job search requirements. Have you been doing and documenting your 3 job search activities each week?
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Andre Dubois
•Oh no! I thought disqualified was just what it showed before they processed everything. Yes I've been applying to jobs but I didn't know I had to document exactly 3 per week - I've been doing more like 1-2 and figured that was enough. How do I fix this? Can they retroactively approve those weeks if I explain?
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Zoe Alexopoulos
yuor supposed to do THREE job search activitys each week or they automatically disqualify u... its super strict now compared to during covid. i had same problem last month
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Andre Dubois
•Thanks for confirming. I had no idea it was exactly 3, I thought just applying to jobs was enough! Do you know if there's any way to appeal these disqualified weeks?
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Jamal Carter
I went through this exact situation in January. Here's what you need to do: 1. Contact ESD immediately to explain the situation. Don't wait any longer. 2. Make sure you're completing AND documenting exactly 3 job search activities for each week going forward. 3. Ask about filing an appeal for the disqualified weeks - you may be able to retroactively document job searches if you actually did them. 4. While on the phone, ask them to check if there are any other issues with your claim that might be causing problems. The longer you wait, the harder it gets to recover those weeks. Each disqualified week is essentially money you're potentially losing forever if you don't address it quickly.
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Mei Liu
•This is really good advice! I would add that when they say "job search activities" it doesn't just mean applying to jobs. You can also count things like updating your resume, attending WorkSource workshops, or even having informational interviews with people in your field. I was able to come up with 3 activities each week once I knew all the options that count!
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Liam O'Donnell
Maybe I'm the only one, but I think it's ridiculous they expect exactly 3 job search activities EVERY single week. What if there aren't 3 jobs to apply for in your field that week? The whole system is designed to deny benefits any way they can. Been there, done that...
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CyberSamurai
•That's why job search activities include more than just applications. You can count WorkSource workshops, resume updates, networking events, and informational interviews. The requirement is actually pretty reasonable if you understand all the activities that qualify.
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Amara Nwosu
If you need to reach ESD quickly, I'd recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was in your exact situation with disqualified weekly claims and spent days trying to get through on the phone with no luck. Claimyr got me connected to an ESD agent in about 25 minutes. They have a video demo you can check out here: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The agent was able to explain exactly why my claims were disqualified and helped me fix the issues. Much better than waiting weeks for an email response.
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Andre Dubois
•Thank you so much! I've been trying to call ESD for 2 days and keep getting the "high call volume" message. I'll check out that service because I really need to get this fixed. Did they let you fix your disqualified weeks or was it too late?
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Amara Nwosu
•For me, they were able to fix 2 out of the 3 disqualified weeks because I could prove I actually did job search activities, I just hadn't reported them correctly. The ESD agent walked me through exactly what counts and how to document everything properly going forward.
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AstroExplorer
so i had this happen to me too and i just kept filing evry week anyway and eventually they approved my claim and paid me for all the back weeks even tho they said disqualfied at first. took like 6 weeks total tho
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CyberSamurai
•This is not typical and not advice people should count on. "Disqualified" is different from "pending" and usually requires action to resolve. It's always better to contact ESD directly rather than just waiting and hoping.
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Andre Dubois
Update: I got through to ESD finally! Turns out my weekly claims were disqualified because I wasn't correctly reporting my job search activities. The agent explained I need exactly 3 per week and they need to be entered correctly in the system. She helped me file an appeal for those weeks and showed me how to properly document activities going forward. For anyone with similar issues - definitely call them right away instead of waiting like I did!
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Jamal Carter
•That's great news! Glad you got it sorted out. For the appeal, make sure you gather any evidence you have of job search activities from those weeks - emails confirming applications, screenshots of job postings you applied to, etc. The more documentation you have, the better your chances of getting those weeks approved retroactively.
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Mei Liu
•So happy you got answers! It's crazy how they don't make these requirements super clear upfront. The ESD website is so confusing to navigate.
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