What disqualifies you for unemployment in Washington - need to understand the rules

The main disqualifications in Washington are pretty straightforward. You'll be disqualified if you quit without good cause, got fired for misconduct, refused suitable work, or aren't able and available for work. There's also disqualification if you don't meet the work search requirements - you need to make 3 job contacts per week and register with WorkSourceWA.

Don't forget about the income limits too. If you work part-time while collecting UI, you can only earn up to a certain amount before it affects your benefits. I think it's like 1.5 times your weekly benefit amount before they start reducing your payments.

One thing people don't realize is that you can get disqualified even after you start receiving benefits. If Washington ESD finds out you weren't actually looking for work or you turned down a suitable job offer, they can stop your benefits and even make you pay back what you already received.

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD to get clarification on any of these rules, I had good luck using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They helped me get through to an actual agent when I was worried about a potential disqualification issue. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

being fired for misconduct is different than just being fired btw. misconduct means you did something deliberately wrong like stealing or being insubordinate. if you just weren't good at your job or made honest mistakes that's not misconduct

Another big one is the availability requirement. You have to be able to work full-time and available during normal business hours. If you have scheduling restrictions that limit you to only certain days or times, that could be an issue.

The work search thing trips up a lot of people. You need 3 job contacts per week and they have to be documented properly. Can't just apply to random jobs you're not qualified for either - they need to be 'suitable work' based on your experience and skills.

Don't forget about the drug testing requirements for certain jobs. If you refuse a drug test for a position that requires one, that could disqualify you from benefits.

Here's something important - if you get disqualified, you can appeal the decision. You have 30 days from the date of the determination to file an appeal. Many disqualifications get overturned on appeal if you have good documentation.

Also watch out for benefit year issues. Your benefit year is 52 weeks from when you first filed. If you exhaust your benefits and want to file a new claim, you need to have worked and earned enough wages since your last claim started.

THE SYSTEM IS SO CONFUSING!! Why can't they just make it simple instead of having all these gotcha rules that can disqualify you. It's like they WANT people to mess up and lose benefits.

One thing that helped me was getting connected with someone at Washington ESD who could explain my specific situation. I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier - totally worth it to get real answers instead of guessing.

just remember to keep EVERYTHING documented. every job application, every phone call, every email. if they question anything later you want to have proof

My cousin got disqualified because she didn't report some freelance work she did. Even small amounts of income need to be reported on your weekly claims or it's considered fraud.

The geographic restrictions can be tricky too. If you move out of Washington state while collecting benefits, that can affect your eligibility. You need to notify Washington ESD and make sure you're still meeting all the requirements.

Bottom line - read all the paperwork Washington ESD sends you, follow the work search requirements exactly, report all income, and don't turn down suitable work offers. If you're unsure about anything, get clarification before you make a decision that could affect your benefits.

One last thing - if you're on standby status (temporarily laid off but expecting to return to work), different rules apply. You don't have to do the job search but you still need to file weekly claims and be available if your employer calls you back.

If anyone needs to get through to Washington ESD quickly to clarify these rules for their specific situation, seriously check out Claimyr. I was amazed how fast they got me connected to an actual person who could answer my questions.