What are the main reasons to get denied unemployment benefits in Washington state?

There are several common reasons Washington ESD denies claims. The big ones are: not earning enough wages in your base period, being fired for misconduct, quitting without good cause, not being able and available for work, or failing to meet the job search requirements. Since she was laid off, it's probably either insufficient wages or maybe an issue with her work history reporting.

misconduct is a big one too - even if you think you were laid off, sometimes employers report it differently to Washington ESD. They might have said she was fired for attendance or performance issues instead of being laid off

Another common reason is not being able and available for work. This means you have to be physically able to work, available for work (not on vacation or dealing with family emergencies), and actively seeking work. Some people get denied because they can't work due to childcare issues or transportation problems without realizing these count as not being available.

I've been through this nightmare with Washington ESD and spent weeks trying to get through to someone who could actually explain the denial. The automated system is useless and the callback system rarely works. I finally used a service called Claimyr that gets you connected to actual Washington ESD agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows exactly how it works. It was honestly the only way I could get real answers about my denial.

Don't forget about the job search requirements! Even if you're eligible, you can get denied later if you don't do your required job search activities each week. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week and you have to keep detailed records.

wage requirements are tricky in washington. you need to have earned wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period and your total wages need to be at least 1.25 times your highest quarter earnings. if she was only working 8 months that might not cover enough quarters

Another thing to check - did she quit any jobs in the past 18 months? Even if her most recent job was a layoff, Washington ESD can deny claims if you quit a previous job without good cause. It's called the 'quit issue' and it can affect your whole claim.

The washington esd system is SO confusing about denials. I got denied initially and it turned out to be because my employer reported wrong information. took forever to get it straightened out

Identity verification issues are becoming more common too. If Washington ESD can't verify your identity through their system, they'll deny the claim until you can prove who you are. This happens a lot with people who have moved recently or changed names.

sometimes the denial is temporary while they investigate something. like if there's a question about your work availability or if you were actually laid off vs fired. these show up as 'adjudication pending' first then turn into denials if they don't hear back from employers

Whatever the reason, she should definitely appeal if she thinks the denial is wrong. You have 30 days from the date on the determination letter to file an appeal. Don't wait - the deadline is strict and Washington ESD won't extend it.

I had a similar situation last year and it was SO frustrating trying to get answers from Washington ESD. Ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it was a game changer. Finally got connected to someone who could actually look at my case and explain what was wrong. Saved me weeks of trying to call on my own.

Don't forget about voluntary quit issues. If she voluntarily reduced her hours or took unpaid leave at any point, that can affect eligibility even if she was eventually laid off. Washington ESD looks at the whole work history, not just the final separation.

school attendance can also cause denials. if you're enrolled in school or training programs, washington esd might deny your claim unless you meet specific requirements about being able to work around your class schedule

The determination letter should have a specific code or reason listed. What exactly does it say? Sometimes the language is confusing but the actual reason code tells you more about what happened.

Immigration status can also be an issue if you're not a US citizen or permanent resident. Washington ESD has specific requirements about work authorization that can cause denials.

My advice is to gather all her employment records, pay stubs, and any documentation about the layoff before appealing. The more evidence you have, the better your chances. And definitely don't wait - that 30-day deadline is firm.

Based on everything you've described, I'd bet it's either insufficient wages or an issue with how the employer reported the separation. The fact that she worked at a restaurant with tips makes me think wage reporting might be the culprit. A lot of tip income doesn't get properly reported for unemployment purposes.