What does disqualification mean on unemployment Washington ESD claim?

I haven't gotten any letter yet, should I be worried? How long do those usually take to arrive?

They're supposed to mail it within a few days of the disqualification. Check your SecureAccess Washington account for any correspondence or issues that need attention.

Oh no, how long did the appeal take? I'm already behind on bills and can't afford to wait months.

took about 6 weeks but I got backpay for everything once they reversed it

I've been trying to call for days but can never get through. The line is always busy or I get disconnected after waiting forever.

Try using Claimyr to get through to an actual agent. I found out about it when I was having similar issues reaching Washington ESD. Check out claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows exactly how it works. Made getting through to resolve my claim status so much easier.

Never heard of that before but I'm desperate at this point. Thanks for the suggestion!

That's horrible but at least you eventually got it resolved. Did you have to provide a bunch of documentation?

Had to get letters from my employer, bank statements, everything. Total nightmare but worth fighting if you know you're right.

I definitely didn't quit and wasn't fired for misconduct. I've been doing my 3 job searches every week and marking myself as able and available. This is so confusing.

Sometimes employers contest claims or provide information that conflicts with what you reported. That could trigger an adjudication that results in disqualification if they determine the employer's version is more credible.

My old boss was pretty bitter about having to lay people off, wouldn't surprise me if he said something to mess with my claim.

How did she get it fixed?

she had to call and explain everything, they reversed it pretty quick once they realized the error

30 days isn't very long, especially if I'm still trying to figure out why I got disqualified in the first place.

Exactly why you need to get on the phone with them ASAP or find another way to get through to an agent who can explain the situation.

I'll check that right now, I might have missed something in all the different sections of the website.

Yeah the Washington ESD website isn't the most user-friendly. Look under 'Correspondence' and 'To Do List' sections.

I'm not in school so that's not my issue, but good to know they're picky about stuff like that.

They are super strict about the 'able and available' requirement. Even things like having limited transportation or childcare issues can sometimes lead to disqualification.

Really? I assumed there was no point in filing if I'm disqualified.

Nope, keep filing! It protects your right to backpay if the disqualification gets overturned. Very important detail that not everyone knows.

Multiple people have mentioned Claimyr now, must be legit. I'm going to check it out today.

It's definitely worth trying if you can't get through the normal way. The phone system is just overwhelmed most of the time.

I've been keeping track of all my applications in a spreadsheet, so I have that covered at least.

Good! That documentation will be crucial if you need to appeal or explain your job search efforts to an agent.

Exactly! I'm sitting here trying to guess what I might have done wrong.

That's why getting someone on the phone is so important. They can see notes and details in your account that aren't visible to you online.

That's actually possible. The whole layoff situation was pretty chaotic with multiple people being let go at once.

Might be worth contacting your former HR department to verify how they reported your separation to Washington ESD. Sometimes it's an honest mistake on their end.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm going to try every suggestion people have given me here.

That's the right attitude. Most of these issues are solvable if you stay on top of them and don't give up.

Will do! Hopefully I'll have good news to share soon. Really appreciate everyone's help and advice.