What can make you ineligible for unemployment Washington ESD - need to understand the rules

There are several main categories that can make you ineligible for Washington ESD unemployment benefits. The biggest ones are: 1) Quitting without good cause, 2) Being fired for misconduct, 3) Not meeting work/wage requirements, 4) Refusing suitable work, 5) Not actively seeking work. For your situation with workplace harassment, that could potentially qualify as 'good cause' for quitting if you can document it properly.

The work/wage requirements trip up a lot of people. You need to have worked in at least 2 quarters during your base period and earned at least $1,092 total. Plus your highest quarter needs to be at least 1.5 times your lowest earning quarter. If you don't meet these, you're automatically ineligible regardless of how you left your job.

I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for weeks to get clarification on my own eligibility issues but their phone lines are impossible. Spent 4 hours on hold yesterday just to get disconnected. Found this service called Claimyr that actually helps you get through to ESD agents - you can check it out at claimyr.com. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Finally got answers about my case after months of frustration.

The misconduct thing is really tricky. I got fired for being late too many times and Washington ESD said that was misconduct. But my friend got fired for the same thing and they approved her claim. Seems like it depends on who reviews your case and how your employer responds to the separation notice.

Don't forget about the availability requirement! You have to be able and available for work each week. This includes being physically able to work, not having transportation issues, childcare arranged, etc. I got disqualified for a few weeks because I had surgery and couldn't work, even though I was still looking for jobs.

what about if you get fired for attendance but it was because your kid was sick alot? seems unfair

Another big one is refusing suitable work. Once you're on unemployment, if Washington ESD or WorkSource refers you to a job that's considered suitable for your skills and experience, you have to accept it or risk losing benefits. 'Suitable' generally means work that pays at least 80% of your previous wage and matches your qualifications.

The job search requirements are strict too. You have to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep a detailed log. If you don't meet this requirement or can't prove you're actively looking, you'll be disqualified. I got caught not keeping good records and had to pay back 2 weeks of benefits.

Immigration status can also affect eligibility. You need to be legally authorized to work in the US. Even if you have a work permit, there might be restrictions depending on your visa type. This is something a lot of people don't realize until they try to file.

One thing that helped me understand my situation better was actually getting through to speak with an ESD representative. Like I mentioned before, I used Claimyr to get connected since their regular phone lines are basically useless. The agent was able to explain exactly what documentation I needed for my specific case and what the likely outcome would be.

For workplace harassment situations like yours, you'll want to show that you took reasonable steps to resolve the issue before quitting. Did you report it to HR? Document incidents? Give your employer a chance to fix the problem? If you can show you tried to work with them and they didn't address it, that strengthens your case for good cause.

Don't forget about the waiting week! Even if you're eligible, you won't get paid for your first week of unemployment. This isn't technically an eligibility issue but it catches people off guard when they don't get that first payment.

also if you owe child support they can take your unemployment money right? my buddy said they took his whole check

The earnings during unemployment thing trips people up too. If you do any work while collecting benefits, you have to report it on your weekly claim. Even small amounts can affect your benefit payment. And if you don't report it and they find out later, you could face an overpayment and penalties.

Age discrimination is real but hard to prove for unemployment purposes. I'm 58 and got laid off, and while I suspect my age was a factor, Washington ESD only cares about the official reason for separation. They don't investigate whether discrimination was involved.

Military folks have different rules too. If you're recently discharged, your military pay might count toward the wage requirements, but there are special provisions. Also, if you left the military voluntarily, different rules apply than civilian jobs.

Just want to mention again that if anyone is struggling to get through to Washington ESD for specific questions about their eligibility, I really recommend checking out Claimyr. The wait times to reach ESD are absolutely ridiculous right now, and having someone else handle that process while you focus on job searching makes a huge difference.

Based on what you've described about the harassment situation, I'd say you have a decent chance of being approved if you document everything properly. The key is showing that a reasonable person in your situation would have felt compelled to quit. Keep all your evidence organized and be prepared to provide detailed explanations during the adjudication process.

One last thing - if you do get initially denied, don't give up! You can appeal the decision and many people win on appeal, especially for quit cases where good cause is involved. The appeals process gives you a chance to present your case more thoroughly than the initial application.