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Sean Matthews

What disqualifies you from unemployment benefits in Washington?

I'm trying to understand all the different ways someone can get disqualified from unemployment benefits in Washington. I know quitting without good cause is one, but what are all the other reasons? I want to make sure I don't accidentally mess up my claim by doing something that would disqualify me. Anyone have a complete list or experience with different disqualification reasons?

The main disqualifications in Washington are: 1) Voluntary quit without good cause 2) Fired for misconduct 3) Not able and available for work 4) Refusing suitable work 5) Not actively searching for jobs. There's no income limit for regular UI but you have to have earned enough in your base period.

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What counts as 'good cause' for quitting? My boss was really hostile but I don't have documentation.

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Good cause includes things like unsafe working conditions, harassment, significant changes to job duties or pay. Documentation helps but isn't always required - Washington ESD will investigate.

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The main disqualifications in Washington are: 1) Quitting without good cause 2) Getting fired for misconduct 3) Refusing suitable work without good cause 4) Not being able and available for work 5) Not actively seeking work 6) Fraudulent claims. Each one has specific criteria that Washington ESD uses to determine if you're disqualified.

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What exactly counts as 'suitable work'? I don't want to accidentally refuse something I should have taken.

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Suitable work generally means jobs that match your skills, pay at least 70% of your previous wage (after first 5 weeks), and are within reasonable commuting distance. The criteria get broader the longer you're on benefits.

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The main disqualifications in Washington are: voluntary quit without good cause, discharge for misconduct, refusing suitable work, not being able and available for work, and not actively seeking work. There's also fraud, not meeting wage requirements, and being self-employed without meeting specific criteria.

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What counts as 'good cause' for quitting? My supervisor was creating a hostile work environment but I don't have much documentation.

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Good cause includes unsafe working conditions, harassment, significant changes to job terms, or health issues. Document everything you can remember with dates and witnesses if possible.

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The main disqualification reasons I know are: 1) Quitting without good cause connected to work 2) Getting fired for misconduct 3) Refusing suitable work without good cause 4) Not being able and available for work 5) Not actively searching for work. There's also stuff about fraud and not reporting earnings correctly.

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Thanks! What exactly counts as 'misconduct' though? Is being late a few times enough?

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Misconduct has to be willful and substantial. Being late occasionally usually isn't enough unless it's a pattern and you were warned.

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I got disqualified for 'not being available for work' because I couldn't work certain shifts due to childcare issues. Washington ESD said I had to be available for all types of work in my field. It was frustrating because I was definitely looking for work, just had some scheduling constraints.

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Did you appeal that decision? Seems like childcare should be a valid reason for some scheduling limitations.

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Yes, I appealed and won! The judge said my restrictions were reasonable. But it took 2 months to get resolved.

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If you need to reach Washington ESD about disqualification issues or appeals, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Really helped when I was trying to understand my disqualification.

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The main disqualifications in Washington include: quitting without good cause, being fired for misconduct, refusing suitable work, not being able and available for work, not actively seeking work, and fraudulent claims. For hostile work environment, you'd need to document it well to prove good cause.

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I did document some of the hostile behavior in emails to HR. Would that be enough proof for good cause?

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Email documentation to HR is exactly what you want. Keep copies of everything and any responses from HR too.

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The main disqualifications include: quitting without good cause, getting fired for misconduct, refusing suitable work without good cause, not being able and available for work, and not actively searching for work. There are also issues around not being a US citizen or authorized to work, providing false information, and receiving other benefits that conflict with UI.

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What counts as 'misconduct' exactly? My coworker was always late but they said it was misconduct.

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Misconduct includes things like repeated tardiness, insubordination, violation of company policies, dishonesty, or actions that harm the employer's interests. Being late occasionally isn't misconduct, but chronic tardiness can be.

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The main disqualifications in Washington include: quitting without good cause, being discharged for misconduct, refusing suitable work without good cause, not being able and available for work, not actively seeking work, and committing fraud. There's also failure to report earnings or other disqualifying income.

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What exactly counts as 'misconduct' though? Is being late a few times enough to disqualify you?

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Misconduct has to be willful and substantial. Occasional tardiness usually isn't enough unless it's chronic and you were warned repeatedly.

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There are several main categories that will disqualify you from Washington unemployment benefits. The big ones are: 1) Quitting without good cause 2) Being fired for misconduct 3) Not being able and available for work 4) Refusing suitable work 5) Not meeting job search requirements. For misconduct, Washington ESD looks at whether you willfully violated company policy or did something that harmed your employer's interests.

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What counts as 'good cause' for quitting? Is it pretty strict?

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Good cause includes things like unsafe working conditions, harassment, significant changes to your job duties or pay, or personal reasons like domestic violence or needing to care for a sick family member. But you usually need documentation to prove it.

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The main disqualifications in Washington are: 1) Voluntary quit without good cause connected to work, 2) Discharge for misconduct, 3) Not able and available for work, 4) Not actively seeking work, 5) Refusing suitable work without good cause, 6) Labor dispute involvement, 7) Receiving certain types of severance or pension payments. Each has specific criteria Washington ESD uses to determine if it applies.

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Thanks! What counts as 'good cause' for quitting? My cousin had to quit because her boss was making the workplace really hostile.

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Good cause includes harassment, unsafe working conditions, significant changes to job duties or pay, domestic violence situations, and a few other specific circumstances. She should document everything and be prepared to explain the situation to Washington ESD.

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You can definitely appeal a disqualification! I got disqualified initially because they said I quit without good cause, but I appealed and won. You have to request an appeal within 30 days of getting the determination letter.

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How long did your appeal take? Did you need a lawyer?

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Took about 6 weeks total. I didn't use a lawyer, just gathered all my documentation and explained my side clearly at the hearing.

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Don't forget about the work search requirements! If you don't do your required job search activities each week, they can disqualify you. You need at least 3 job search activities per week in Washington.

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Wait, I thought it was just 2 job search activities? When did it change to 3?

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It's been 3 for a while now. You need to log them in your WorkSourceWA account too.

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The main disqualification reasons in Washington ESD are: 1) Quitting without good cause connected to work 2) Being fired for misconduct 3) Not being able and available for work 4) Refusing suitable work without good cause 5) Not meeting job search requirements (3 job contacts per week) 6) Fraud or misrepresentation. Each one has specific criteria Washington ESD uses to determine if it applies.

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Thanks! What exactly counts as 'good cause' for quitting? I've heard it's pretty strict.

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Good cause includes things like unsafe working conditions, significant changes to your job duties or pay, harassment, or compelling family reasons. Washington ESD looks at whether a reasonable person would have quit under the same circumstances.

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There's quite a few ways to get disqualified. The main ones are: quitting without good cause, getting fired for misconduct, refusing suitable work, not being able and available for work, not actively searching for jobs, failing drug tests, and fraud. Also if you're not a US citizen or don't have work authorization.

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What counts as 'suitable work'? Like if I made $25/hour before, do I have to take a $15/hour job?

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After the first few weeks you generally have to consider work that pays at least 80% of your previous wage. But there are exceptions for things like major commute distance or if it's way outside your skill set.

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The main disqualifications in Washington are: quitting without good cause, getting fired for misconduct, refusing suitable work, not being able and available to work, and not actively searching for jobs. There's also issues with wages not meeting requirements.

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What counts as 'misconduct' exactly? Is being late a few times enough to disqualify you?

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It has to be willful misconduct connected to work. Being late occasionally usually isn't enough unless it was repeated after warnings and showed deliberate disregard for your job duties.

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Quitting doesn't automatically disqualify you, but it depends on the circumstances. If you quit for 'good cause' related to the work or workplace, you might still be eligible. Hostile work environment could qualify, but you'd need to prove it during the adjudication process.

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What kind of proof would I need? I have some text messages from coworkers about the situation, but nothing official.

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Text messages could help, also any emails, witness statements from coworkers, or documentation you filed with HR. The key is showing you had no reasonable alternative but to quit.

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dont forget about the work search thing! i got disqualified because i missed logging some of my job contacts. you have to do 3 job search activities per week and keep detailed records. washington esd is super picky about this

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How detailed do the job search records need to be?

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very detailed - company name, contact person, date, method of contact, position applied for. they can audit you anytime

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don't forget about the work search requirements - you have to apply to 3 jobs per week and keep a log. if you don't do that they'll disqualify you real quick

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Is it really 3 jobs every single week? That seems like a lot if there aren't many openings in your field.

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Yes, it's 3 job contacts per week unless you're in a union hiring hall or certain training programs. You can expand your search area or consider related fields if needed.

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Main disqualifications in Washington include: being fired for misconduct, quitting without good cause, not being able and available to work, refusing suitable work, or not meeting the work search requirements. Your freelance work should be fine as long as you report it correctly.

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What counts as 'misconduct' exactly? I got written up once for being late but it wasn't a pattern.

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Misconduct has to be willful or deliberate. One write-up for tardiness usually isn't enough unless it was part of a pattern or you violated a clear policy you knew about.

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I got disqualified because I couldn't get through to Washington ESD to report that I had started part-time work. Missed the reporting deadline by one day and boom - overpayment notice. Finally used Claimyr to get through to an agent who helped me explain the situation. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

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Wait, you can get disqualified just for not reporting work on time? Even if you were trying to report it?

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Yeah, they're strict about reporting deadlines. But if you can explain the circumstances to an actual person, they might reverse it. That's why getting through by phone is so important.

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How much does that Claimyr thing cost? Seems like you shouldn't have to pay extra just to talk to Washington ESD.

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Here's the complete list of disqualifications: Voluntary quit without good cause, discharge for misconduct, not able/available, refusing suitable work, failure to register with WorkSource, inadequate work search, fraud, receiving other benefits that offset UI. Each has specific criteria and some can be temporary vs permanent.

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What's considered 'suitable work'? Do I have to take any job offered or can I be picky about salary?

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Suitable work considers your skills, experience, and prior wages. Generally after 13 weeks you may need to accept work at 75% of your previous wage, but there are protections against having to take just any job.

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I've been dealing with Washington ESD disqualification issues for months and the hardest part is actually getting through to someone who can explain your specific situation. The automated system just gives you generic responses. If you're facing a disqualification, I found this service called Claimyr that actually gets you connected to real Washington ESD agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows exactly how it works. Made all the difference for me when I needed to understand why my claim was flagged.

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How much does something like that cost though? I'm already struggling financially.

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It's way cheaper than losing weeks of benefits while you're stuck in limbo trying to reach someone. The time and stress it saves is worth it when you're dealing with disqualification issues.

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I've been dealing with Washington ESD for months trying to get through to someone about my disqualification. If you do get denied, you can appeal, but getting someone on the phone to explain the decision is nearly impossible. The wait times are insane and half the time they just hang up on you.

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Have you tried using Claimyr? I found out about it recently and it actually got me through to a real Washington ESD agent. They have a service that handles the calling for you - check out claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

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Never heard of that but at this point I'm willing to try anything. How much does it cost?

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They focus more on the value of actually getting through rather than the cost. For me it was worth it just to finally talk to someone who could explain what was happening with my claim.

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The main disqualifications are quitting without good cause, being fired for misconduct, refusing suitable work, or not meeting work search requirements. Your situation with reduced hours might qualify as 'good cause' for leaving.

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What counts as 'good cause'? My hours went from 35 to 8 per week and I couldn't pay rent.

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Substantial reduction in hours usually qualifies as good cause. You should be fine on that one.

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The main disqualifications in Washington are: 1) Misconduct at work (stealing, violence, repeated policy violations), 2) Quitting without good cause, 3) Not meeting work search requirements (3 job contacts per week), 4) Refusing suitable work without good reason, 5) Not being able and available for work, 6) Fraud or misrepresentation on your claim. There are also wage/hour requirements - you need to have earned at least $7,000 in your base year.

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Thanks! What counts as 'good cause' for quitting? My friend said she quit because of harassment but still got denied.

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Good cause includes unsafe working conditions, harassment, discrimination, significant changes to job duties/pay, or domestic violence situations. If she quit due to harassment, she should appeal and provide documentation like emails, witness statements, or HR complaints.

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There are several main categories that Washington ESD uses for disqualifications. The big ones are: 1) Misconduct - this includes things like theft, violence, or repeatedly violating company policies after warnings. 2) Voluntary quit without good cause - if you quit your job for personal reasons that aren't related to work conditions. 3) Not able and available - if you can't work due to illness, lack of transportation, or other barriers. 4) Refusing suitable work - turning down job offers that match your skills and pay reasonably. 5) Not actively seeking work - failing to make the required job contacts or skipping WorkSource appointments.

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What counts as 'good cause' for quitting? My friend quit because her boss was creating a hostile work environment but got denied.

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Good cause includes things like harassment, unsafe working conditions, significant changes to your job duties or pay, or health issues caused by work. Your friend should definitely appeal that decision with documentation of the hostile environment.

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Being convicted of a felony while receiving benefits will disqualify you, and so will being in the country illegally. Also if you're receiving certain other benefits like workers comp you might not be eligible.

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Don't forget about the work search requirements - if you don't do your required job contacts each week that's grounds for disqualification too.

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How many job contacts do you need per week? I keep hearing different numbers.

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It's 3 job search activities per week in Washington, and they have to be documented in your WorkSourceWA account.

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Don't forget about the work search requirements! You can get disqualified for not doing enough job search activities each week. In Washington you need to complete 3 job search activities per week and keep detailed records. I learned this the hard way when they audited my job search log.

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How strict are they about the job search thing? I've been applying but not keeping great records.

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Very strict! Keep everything - applications, networking contacts, job fair attendance, training activities. They can ask for your records anytime and if you can't prove you did the work, you'll get disqualified.

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Don't forget about the work search requirements! If you don't do your 3 job search activities per week and keep proper records, that can disqualify you too. Washington ESD is pretty strict about this.

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Wait, is it 3 per week? I thought it was 5? I've been doing 5 this whole time...

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It's 3 per week for most people, but some WorkSource participants might have different requirements. Better to do more than required though!

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Good to know about the 3 per week. I've been worried I wasn't doing enough.

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Don't forget about the voluntary quit waiting period! Even if you have good cause, there's usually a waiting period before benefits start. And if you're on any kind of medical leave or can't work full time, that can disqualify you too.

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How long is the waiting period usually?

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It varies but typically 5-10 weeks depending on your situation and how much you earned before quitting.

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I got disqualified for not reporting some part-time work I did. Even if you only make $50, you HAVE to report it on your weekly claim. They found out through some database matching system and hit me with fraud charges.

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How did they find out? I'm scared I might have missed reporting something small.

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They cross-reference with employment records. Better to over-report than under-report. I had to pay back everything plus penalties.

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This is exactly why I use Claimyr when I need to talk to Washington ESD about reporting issues. Their service at claimyr.com helped me get through to an agent who explained exactly what I needed to report. Way better than trying to call on my own.

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The main disqualifying factors include: quitting without good cause, being fired for misconduct, refusing suitable work, not being able and available for work, not actively seeking work, and failing to register with WorkSource. There are also specific requirements around job search activities that you have to meet each week.

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What exactly counts as 'misconduct' when it comes to being fired? Is it just criminal stuff or other things too?

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Misconduct includes things like repeated tardiness, insubordination, violating company policies, or willful disregard of employer interests. It doesn't have to be criminal - just behavior that shows you weren't meeting basic job expectations.

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I got hit with a misconduct disqualification last year because of attendance issues at my old job. Even though I thought the policy was unfair, Washington ESD sided with the employer. The key thing is they look at whether you willfully violated workplace rules or policies. Simple mistakes usually don't count as misconduct, but repeated violations do.

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Did you appeal it? That seems like something you could fight.

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I tried but it was hard to get through to Washington ESD to even start the appeal process. Spent weeks calling and either got busy signals or got disconnected after being on hold forever. Eventually found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual person - they have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

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I've been dealing with Washington ESD for months and honestly the hardest part is just getting through to someone to explain your situation. The automated system hangs up on you constantly. I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually gets you connected to ESD agents without waiting on hold for hours. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration when I needed to discuss my disqualification.

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Is that legit? Sounds too good to be true with how impossible it is to reach ESD.

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Yeah it's real. I was skeptical too but it actually worked. Way better than calling 50 times a day and getting hung up on.

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Don't forget about the work search requirements! You need to do at least 3 job search activities per week and keep detailed records. I got a warning letter because my job search log wasn't specific enough.

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