What disqualifies you from unemployment benefits in Washington ESD?
I'm trying to understand all the ways someone can get disqualified from unemployment in Washington state. I've heard different things from friends and I want to make sure I don't accidentally mess up my claim. Can someone explain what actions or situations would make Washington ESD deny or stop your benefits? I'm especially worried about the job search requirements since I've been having trouble finding work in my field.
710 comments


Natalie Khan
There are several categories of disqualifications in Washington. The main ones are: misconduct (being fired for violating company rules), voluntary quit without good cause, not being able and available for work, refusing suitable work, and fraud. Since you mentioned being fired after an argument, they'll likely investigate whether it was misconduct or just a personality conflict.
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Rudy Cenizo
•How do they determine if it's misconduct? The argument was about overtime scheduling and I refused to work weekends because of my kid's daycare situation.
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Natalie Khan
•That doesn't sound like misconduct to me. Misconduct has to be willful violation of company policy or standards. Refusing overtime for childcare reasons is usually considered reasonable.
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Natalie Adams
The main disqualifications in Washington are: quitting without good cause, being fired for misconduct, refusing suitable work, not being able and available to work, or not actively searching for jobs. Since you were laid off, that shouldn't be an issue for your initial eligibility.
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Jordan Walker
•That's reassuring, thanks! What counts as 'misconduct' exactly? I was always on time and did my job well.
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Natalie Adams
•Misconduct has to be willful and work-related - things like theft, violence, repeated policy violations after warnings. Being laid off means they just didn't have enough work, which is totally different.
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Amara Okafor
The main disqualifications from Washington ESD are: quitting without good cause, getting fired for misconduct, refusing suitable work, not being able and available for work, and not meeting job search requirements. There's also income limits and work history requirements you have to meet initially.
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Liam Murphy
•What counts as 'misconduct' exactly? Is being late a few times enough to disqualify you?
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Amara Okafor
•Misconduct has to be willful or deliberate. Just being late occasionally usually isn't enough unless it's a pattern and you were warned repeatedly.
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Ravi Choudhury
There are several main categories that can disqualify you from Washington ESD benefits. The biggest ones are: quitting without good cause, getting fired for misconduct, refusing suitable work without good reason, not meeting work search requirements, and not being able and available for work. Each situation is evaluated individually during adjudication.
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Isabella Silva
•What exactly counts as 'misconduct' though? Is being late a few times enough to disqualify you?
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Ravi Choudhury
•Misconduct has to be willful or deliberate. A few tardies usually won't qualify unless it's a pattern after warnings. Things like theft, fighting, or repeatedly violating company policy are more likely to result in disqualification.
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Carmella Popescu
The main disqualifications are: quitting without good cause, getting fired for misconduct, not being able and available for work, refusing suitable work, and not actively seeking work. If you quit due to supervisor issues, it depends on the specifics - harassment or unsafe conditions might qualify as good cause.
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Lorenzo McCormick
•What counts as 'good cause' exactly? My supervisor was pretty hostile but I don't have documentation of everything.
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Carmella Popescu
•Good cause includes harassment, discrimination, unsafe working conditions, or significant changes to your job terms. Document everything you can remember with dates if possible.
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Chloe Boulanger
The main things that can disqualify you from Washington ESD benefits are: being fired for misconduct, quitting without good cause, not being able and available for work, refusing suitable work offers, and not meeting the job search requirements. Your attendance write-up might not be an issue if you were ultimately laid off rather than fired for cause.
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Noah Ali
•That's helpful thanks. So if I was officially laid off due to company downsizing, the previous attendance issues shouldn't matter?
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Chloe Boulanger
•Exactly - if you were laid off for lack of work or business reasons, previous disciplinary actions typically won't disqualify you. Washington ESD looks at the reason for separation from your most recent job.
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Daryl Bright
You should definitely apply! The worst they can do is say no, and you might be surprised. I got fired from my retail job for being late too many times and still got approved after explaining my transportation issues during the phone interview.
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Sienna Gomez
•Wait, you got approved even though you were chronically late? That seems like misconduct to me.
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Daryl Bright
•I think it depends on the circumstances. I had documentation about bus schedule changes that weren't my fault.
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Natalie Khan
•Exactly right - context matters a lot in these decisions. Washington ESD looks at the whole situation, not just the surface facts.
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Eli Butler
There are several main categories of disqualification in Washington. The big ones are: 1) Voluntary quit without good cause, 2) Misconduct discharge, 3) Not able and available to work, 4) Not actively seeking work, 5) Refusing suitable work without good cause, 6) Being unavailable due to school attendance (with some exceptions). Each has specific criteria Washington ESD uses to determine eligibility.
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Ian Armstrong
•Thanks! What exactly counts as 'misconduct' for a discharge? Is it just like stealing or fighting, or are there other things?
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Eli Butler
•Misconduct includes willful violations of company policy, excessive unexcused absences, insubordination, theft, dishonesty, or deliberate acts that harm the employer's interests. It has to be something you did intentionally that went against reasonable employer expectations.
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Connor O'Brien
The main disqualifications I know of are: quitting without good cause, getting fired for misconduct, refusing suitable work, not being able and available to work, and not actively seeking work. There's also fraud obviously but that's more serious. Make sure you're logging your job searches properly and accepting any suitable job offers.
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StarSailor
•What counts as 'suitable work'? I've been pretty picky about jobs that match my experience level.
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Connor O'Brien
•Generally has to pay at least 70% of your previous wage and be within your skill set, but after a certain number of weeks they can require you to take lower paying work.
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Emma Thompson
There are several main reasons Washington ESD will disqualify you from UI benefits. The biggest ones are: 1) Getting fired for misconduct (like stealing, fighting, or repeated policy violations), 2) Quitting without good cause, 3) Not being able and available to work, 4) Refusing suitable work offers, and 5) Not meeting the job search requirements. You also need to have earned enough wages in your base period to qualify financially.
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Javier Mendoza
•What counts as 'good cause' for quitting? I'm thinking about leaving my current job because my boss is making the workplace really hostile.
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Emma Thompson
•Hostile work environment can qualify as good cause, but you need to document everything and usually try to resolve it first through HR or management. Washington ESD looks at whether a reasonable person would have quit in your situation.
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Marcus Patterson
Don't forget about the work search requirements! You have to be actively looking for work and keep a log of your job search activities. In Washington you need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week. If you can't prove you're looking, they'll disqualify you.
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Lydia Bailey
•Wait, is it really 3 per week? I thought it was more than that. And what counts as a 'contact'?
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Marcus Patterson
•Yes, minimum 3 per week unless you're in certain programs. Contacts include applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking events, interviews, or contacting employers directly about opportunities.
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CaptainAwesome
You can also get disqualified for not reporting income correctly on your weekly claims, or if you're not actively looking for work. Washington ESD requires you to make 3 job contacts per week and keep a job search log.
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Yuki Tanaka
•Wait, I thought it was only 2 job contacts per week?
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CaptainAwesome
•It's 3 contacts for most people, but can be reduced to 2 if you're in certain training programs or have other approved activities.
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Kai Santiago
You'll also get disqualified if you're not actively searching for work or if you turn down a job offer that's considered suitable. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week and you have to log them.
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Lim Wong
•The job search thing is no joke - they actually check your log and can ask for proof of applications.
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Lorenzo McCormick
•How do they define 'suitable work'? Does it have to be in my field or same pay level?
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Kai Santiago
•Generally work is suitable if it's in your field or uses your skills, pays at least minimum wage, and working conditions are safe. After some time on benefits the requirements can get looser.
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Dananyl Lear
If you can't get through to Washington ESD to discuss your specific situation, try Claimyr. I used it last month when I had questions about my disqualification - they help you actually reach an agent instead of being stuck on hold forever. There's a demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Noah huntAce420
•Never heard of that service - does it actually work? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks.
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Dananyl Lear
•Yeah it worked for me. You go to claimyr.com and they handle getting through the phone system. Saved me hours of calling.
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Lorenzo McCormick
•That might be helpful if I need to appeal or clarify something. Good to know there are options.
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Ethan Moore
The main disqualifying factors in Washington are: quitting without good cause, being fired for misconduct, refusing suitable work, or not meeting the work search requirements. There are also income limits and availability requirements you need to meet.
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Aisha Ali
•What counts as 'good cause' for quitting? Is it pretty strict?
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Ethan Moore
•Good cause includes things like unsafe working conditions, harassment, significant changes to your job duties or pay, or domestic violence situations. It has to be work-related and something a reasonable person would quit over.
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Yuki Nakamura
Don't forget about the work history requirements too. You need to have worked enough hours in your base period to qualify. I think it's like 680 hours or something in Washington.
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Aisha Ali
•How do they calculate the base period? Is it just the last year?
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Yuki Nakamura
•It's actually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, they look at January-December 2024.
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Elijah O'Reilly
The job search requirement trips up a lot of people. You need to make 3 job search contacts per week and keep detailed records. Don't slack on this - they do audit claims randomly.
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Jordan Walker
•Do online applications count as job search contacts? That's mostly how I've been applying places.
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Elijah O'Reilly
•Yes, online applications count! Just make sure you record the company name, position, date, and method of contact in your job search log.
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Amara Torres
•I got audited last year and they wanted proof of every single job contact. Screenshots, confirmation emails, everything. Keep good records!
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Yara Sabbagh
You can also get disqualified for not reporting work or income correctly on your weekly claims. Even small amounts of work need to be reported. I've seen people get hit with overpayments because they didn't report a day of temp work or gig work.
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StarSailor
•I did some DoorDash one day last week but only made like $40. Do I really need to report that?
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Yara Sabbagh
•YES absolutely report it! Any work at all needs to be reported, even if it's just a few dollars. Better safe than sorry.
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Keisha Johnson
•This is so important. I got an overpayment notice for $1,200 because I didn't report some small freelance work. Had to appeal it.
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James Martinez
The DoorDash thing could actually help you! Washington ESD allows you to work part-time while collecting benefits as long as you report your earnings. You just need to make sure you're still looking for full-time work and available for interviews. Having some income is better than none.
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Noah Ali
•Good to know! I was worried they'd say I'm not available for work if I'm doing deliveries.
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Olivia Harris
•Yeah just make sure you report every penny you earn from DoorDash on your weekly claims or you could get hit with an overpayment later.
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StarSurfer
I got disqualified initially because I couldn't get through to anyone at Washington ESD to clarify some questions on my application. Spent weeks calling that 833 number and either got busy signals or got disconnected after waiting on hold for hours. Finally found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that actually got me through to a real person at Washington ESD. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Turned out my disqualification was just a misunderstanding about my last day of work.
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Aisha Ali
•How much does that service cost? I'm already worried about money.
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StarSurfer
•It was worth it for me to actually talk to someone who could explain what was happening with my claim. Way better than playing phone tag for weeks.
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Carmen Reyes
•Never heard of that but might be worth trying if you get stuck in the system
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Freya Andersen
Don't forget about the work search requirements! You have to do 3 job search activities per week and keep a log. If Washington ESD audits you and you can't prove you've been looking for work, they'll disqualify you and make you pay back benefits.
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Isabella Silva
•How detailed does the job search log need to be? I've been applying online but not keeping great records.
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Freya Andersen
•You need employer name, contact info, position applied for, date, and method of contact. Start keeping better records now - they can audit going back several weeks.
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Alexander Zeus
I got disqualified last year because I couldn't prove I was actively looking for work. Washington ESD requires 3 job contacts per week and they can audit your job search log at any time. Don't slack on the job search requirements - that's probably the most common reason people get their benefits stopped.
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Noah Ali
•What counts as a valid job contact? Is applying online sufficient or do you need to do more?
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Alexander Zeus
•Online applications count but you need to keep detailed records - company name, date, position, how you applied. I use a spreadsheet to track everything.
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Alicia Stern
•They also accept networking contacts and job fairs as job search activities. Check the Washington ESD website for the full list of acceptable activities.
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Samuel Robinson
There are several common disqualification reasons for Washington ESD unemployment benefits. The main ones are: quitting without good cause, being fired for misconduct, refusing suitable work, not being able and available for work, and not actively seeking work. Since you quit due to hostile work environment, you might qualify under 'good cause' but you'll need to prove it during adjudication.
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Victoria Brown
•What kind of proof do they need for hostile work environment? I have some text messages from coworkers about the situation but no formal documentation.
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Samuel Robinson
•Text messages can help, but witness statements from coworkers and any documentation of incidents (emails, written warnings from the manager, etc.) would be stronger evidence. The key is showing the situation was intolerable for a reasonable person.
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Luca Conti
There are several things that can disqualify you from Washington ESD unemployment benefits. The main ones are: being fired for misconduct (not just poor performance), quitting without good cause, not being able and available to work, refusing suitable work, or not meeting work search requirements. Performance issues alone usually don't disqualify you unless there was willful misconduct involved.
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Zara Ahmed
•What's the difference between misconduct and performance issues? My boss said I wasn't meeting sales targets but I was trying my best.
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Luca Conti
•Misconduct usually involves willful violation of company rules, dishonesty, or deliberate acts. Not meeting performance standards despite good faith effort is typically not misconduct. You should be eligible if it was just performance.
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Marcelle Drum
Voluntary quit can be tricky with Washington ESD. You might qualify if you can prove good cause - hostile work environment could count if you have documentation. Main disqualifications include: voluntary quit without good cause, fired for misconduct, refusing suitable work, not actively seeking work, not available for work.
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Collins Angel
•What kind of documentation would I need to prove hostile work environment? I have some emails but not much else.
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Marcelle Drum
•Emails are good! Also witness statements, HR complaints if you filed any, performance reviews showing sudden changes after complaints, medical records if stress affected your health.
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Kirsuktow DarkBlade
I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD when I needed to explain my separation circumstances. Spent weeks calling and either getting busy signals or being disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to actual agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Made all the difference in getting my side of the story heard.
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Rudy Cenizo
•Is that service legit? I'm desperate to talk to someone but don't want to get scammed.
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Kirsuktow DarkBlade
•Yeah it's real. They basically call Washington ESD for you and conference you in when they get an agent on the line. Saved me hours of frustration.
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Malik Davis
Don't forget about the work search requirements! You have to apply for at least 3 jobs per week and keep detailed records in WorkSource WA. I know people who got disqualified because they didn't take the job search seriously enough.
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Isabella Santos
•This is so important! My friend got her benefits stopped because she wasn't logging her job searches properly in the system.
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StarStrider
•The job search thing is annoying but you really can't skip it. They check up on it randomly and if you can't prove you've been looking, they'll cut you off.
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Esmeralda Gómez
If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about disqualifications or check your claim status, I used claimyr.com recently and it worked great. They have agents call you back instead of you waiting on hold for hours. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Klaus Schmidt
•Is that service legit? I'm always worried about giving my info to third parties.
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Esmeralda Gómez
•Yeah it's real, they just help you get connected to actual Washington ESD staff. Way better than trying to call myself.
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Mateo Warren
I got disqualified last year for 'refusing suitable work' and it was such a mess trying to get through to Washington ESD to explain my situation. Spent weeks calling and either getting busy signals or getting disconnected after waiting for hours. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual person at Washington ESD. Check out their website at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how they help people navigate the phone system.
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Ian Armstrong
•What made the work 'unsuitable' in your case? I'm worried about this since I have some physical limitations.
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Mateo Warren
•The job was way below my usual pay grade and in a completely different field. But you have to be careful - they consider things like commute distance, your skills, and how long you've been unemployed when determining if work is suitable.
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Gabriel Graham
Here's something that helped me when I was struggling to reach Washington ESD about my eligibility questions - I found this service called Claimyr that actually gets you connected to ESD agents without the usual hold times. Saved me hours of frustration trying to get through their phone lines. You can check it out at claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.
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Noah Ali
•Interesting, I've been dreading having to call Washington ESD. How much does something like that cost?
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Gabriel Graham
•I don't remember the exact cost but it was worth it for me to get my questions answered quickly instead of spending all day trying to get through. Much less stressful than the normal calling process.
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Ana Rusula
Don't forget about the work availability requirement! If you're not available for full-time work or have restrictions that limit your job search, you can get disqualified. This includes things like lacking transportation or childcare.
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Lorenzo McCormick
•What if I can only work certain hours due to childcare? Does that automatically disqualify me?
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Ana Rusula
•Not automatically, but you need to show you're actively seeking work within your availability and that there are jobs available during those hours.
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Sofia Price
Income while claiming can also disqualify you if you don't report it correctly. Any wages, self-employment income, or even some types of retirement benefits need to be reported on your weekly claims. If you earn too much in a week, you might not get benefits for that week.
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Alice Coleman
•How much can you earn before it affects your benefits? I might pick up some part-time work.
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Sofia Price
•In Washington, you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount plus $5 before it starts reducing your benefits. Anything over that reduces your UI payment dollar for dollar.
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Owen Jenkins
Don't even get me started on the 'able and available' requirement. I got disqualified because I mentioned I was taking care of my sick mom and they decided I wasn't 'available' for full-time work. The whole system is designed to trip you up!
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Lilah Brooks
•That's terrible! Can you appeal something like that?
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Owen Jenkins
•Yes, you can appeal within 30 days of the determination. I eventually won my appeal but it took months to get resolved.
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Camila Castillo
You should definitely apply anyway! I was worried about the same thing when I quit my job due to harassment. Washington ESD will investigate during adjudication and you'll have a chance to explain your situation. Even if you're initially denied, you can appeal the decision.
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Victoria Brown
•How long did your adjudication take? I'm hearing it can take weeks and I really need the income soon.
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Camila Castillo
•Mine took about 5 weeks which was really stressful. I kept calling Washington ESD but could never get through to check on the status.
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Brianna Muhammad
I had major issues reaching Washington ESD during my adjudication too. Ended up using this service called Claimyr (