What disqualifies you from unemployment in Washington - confused about eligibility

The main disqualifications in Washington are: being fired for misconduct, quitting without good cause, refusing suitable work, and not meeting work search requirements. Attendance issues can be tricky - it depends if Washington ESD considers it misconduct or just poor performance. The job offer you turned down could be an issue if it was considered 'suitable work' based on your previous wages and experience.

dont stress too much about the attendance thing unless you were like constantly no-showing or something really bad. i had attendance issues at my last job too and still got approved. the job offer thing is more concerning though

The main disqualifications in Washington are: getting fired for misconduct, quitting without good cause, refusing suitable work, not being able and available for work, or not meeting the job search requirements. Since you were laid off from your most recent job, that shouldn't disqualify you. The quit from 8 months ago might affect your benefit calculation but probably won't disqualify you entirely.

I had a similar situation and couldn't get through to Washington ESD for weeks to get clarification. If you're really worried about your eligibility, you might want to try claimyr.com - they help you actually reach an agent at Washington ESD. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. I finally got my questions answered about potential disqualifications after being on hold for hours with the regular phone system.

Here are the main Washington ESD disqualifications you should know about: 1. MISCONDUCT - This includes things like stealing, fighting, harassment, or willful violation of company policy 2. VOLUNTARY QUIT - Leaving without good cause (though there are exceptions for unsafe conditions, harassment, etc.) 3. REFUSING SUITABLE WORK - Turning down job offers that match your qualifications and pay reasonably 4. NOT ABLE/AVAILABLE - Not being physically able to work or not available for full-time work 5. WORK SEARCH FAILURE - Not meeting the required job search activities Your attendance issues sound more like performance than misconduct unless you were deliberately being late or ignoring warnings.

The system is so confusing and they make it seem like EVERYTHING disqualifies you. I was terrified to apply because I thought having any negative feedback at work would automatically disqualify me. Turns out most of my worries were unfounded.

Getting written up once for being late won't disqualify you unless it was part of a pattern that led to termination for misconduct. Washington ESD looks at the reason for separation from your most recent job. If you were laid off due to lack of work, you should be eligible.

I got disqualified initially for 'misconduct' because I was fired for being late too many times. But I appealed it and won because I was able to show it was due to unreliable public transportation and not willful misconduct. The appeals process is actually pretty fair if you have documentation.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to discuss your specific situation, I had success using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually reach an agent. They have this system that calls ESD for you and gets you connected to a real person. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of busy signals.

WASHINGTON ESD IS IMPOSSIBLE TO REACH!!! I've been trying to get answers about my disqualification for WEEKS. The phone system just hangs up on you after an hour of waiting. This is ridiculous.

The real trick is understanding that Washington ESD has to PROVE misconduct, not just show that you were fired. Being a mediocre employee isn't misconduct. Even being a bad employee usually isn't misconduct unless it's willful or criminal.

Here are the specific disqualification reasons Washington ESD uses: 1) Discharge for misconduct connected with work, 2) Voluntary quit without good cause, 3) Refusal of suitable work without good cause, 4) Not able and available for work, 5) Failure to register for work or participate in reemployment services. There are also issues like benefit year earnings requirements and base period wages.

whatever you do DONT lie on your application. they will find out and that will definitely disqualify you. be honest about why you were fired and let them make the determination

I got disqualified because they said I was fired for misconduct, but really I just made an honest mistake with inventory. Fighting it through the appeal process now. It's been 2 months and still waiting for a hearing date.

I see a lot of people worry about drug tests too. Washington ESD doesn't randomly drug test unemployment recipients unless you're in a program that specifically requires it. That's another common misconception.

drug testing can also disqualify you if you fail or refuse to take one that's required for suitable work. Also if you're not a US citizen or don't have work authorization.

Just to follow up on my earlier comment about Claimyr - if you do end up needing to talk to Washington ESD about your specific situation, that service really does work. I wasted so much time trying to call the regular way before I found it. Sometimes getting a real person on the phone is the only way to get clarity on these eligibility questions.

The bottom line is that most people who are worried about disqualification actually qualify. Washington ESD has to prove their case for misconduct or voluntary quit. Your situation with attendance due to transportation sounds like it would qualify, especially if you can document the bus issues.

Just remember to keep detailed records of your job search activities once you start claiming. That's where a lot of people mess up and lose benefits later.

i was disqualified for quitting but it was because my boss was sexually harassing me. i appealed and got approved because that counts as good cause. so even if you quit sometimes you can still get benefits

The Washington ESD adjudication process is actually pretty thorough. They'll contact your employer and sometimes even interview coworkers if needed. It's not just an automatic denial if there are issues.

My advice is just apply and answer all questions honestly. If they deny you, you'll get a letter explaining exactly why and you can decide if you want to appeal. Most people get approved even with some work history issues.

Don't forget about the work search requirements! You have to be actively looking for work and keep a log. Not doing job searches can get your benefits stopped even if you were initially eligible.

I've heard that if you move out of state you can lose benefits? Is that true or just a rumor?

What about if you're going to school? I want to use my unemployment time to get some training but heard that might disqualify me.

Age discrimination got me fired at 58 and the company is claiming it was performance issues. Washington ESD initially denied my claim but I'm appealing. Anyone else dealt with this kind of situation?

Can they disqualify you for not accepting overtime? My employer wanted me to work 7 days a week and I said no, then they let me go.

The Claimyr service mentioned earlier really does work. I was skeptical but finally tried it after weeks of not being able to get through to Washington ESD. Got connected to an agent within an hour and sorted out my adjudication issue. Worth checking out their demo video if you're struggling with the phone lines.

Don't forget about fraud issues - if Washington ESD thinks you lied on your application or didn't report income properly, that's an automatic disqualification plus penalties.

self employment while on unemployment can be tricky too. You can do some freelance work but there are limits on how much you can earn before it affects your benefits.

Military discharge status can affect eligibility too, but that's pretty specialized. Most people don't need to worry about that one.

The key thing is being honest on your application and continuing claims. Washington ESD will investigate if something seems off, and it's better to explain complicated situations upfront than have them discover issues later.

One more thing - if you do get disqualified, don't just accept it. You have 30 days to appeal and many disqualifications get overturned if you can provide the right documentation.

Just remember that even if you had issues at previous jobs, what matters most is your most recent separation. Being laid off should make you eligible regardless of past job history in most cases.

Bottom line - apply for benefits and let Washington ESD make the determination. Don't assume you're disqualified. Even complicated situations sometimes qualify, and you won't know until you try.