What is disqualification week for unemployment - Washington ESD confused me

So I won't get paid for that week at all? That seems unfair since I was laid off and didn't quit.

Right, you won't receive payment for that specific week. If you believe the disqualification was applied incorrectly, you can appeal the decision.

Did you appeal it? I'm wondering if it's worth the hassle since it's only one week.

i didnt appeal mine because it was just one week and i needed to focus on finding work. took forever to get through to anyone at washington esd anyway

Never heard of this service before. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?

It worked for me when I couldn't get through the regular phone lines. I was able to talk to someone about my adjudication issue within a few hours instead of calling for days.

I might try this if I can't figure out why they gave me a disqualification week. Thanks for the tip!

But I have my layoff paperwork showing I was terminated due to lack of work. Should I send this to Washington ESD?

Yes, definitely submit that documentation. You can upload it through your SecureAccess Washington account or mail it in. This could help with an appeal if needed.

Same here! I've probably called 50 times in the past two weeks. The system is completely broken.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. The regular phone system was impossible to navigate and I was getting nowhere fast.

That makes more sense. So I should keep filing my weekly claims every week even during the disqualification period?

Exactly. Keep filing every week to maintain your claim. Missing weekly claim filings can cause additional problems with your benefits.

What if you have multiple disqualification weeks? Is that possible?

Two weeks?! That's terrible. Did you eventually get backpay for those weeks?

No, disqualification weeks don't get paid even if you win an appeal. You just lose that money permanently.

That's correct. Disqualification weeks are not paid even if overturned on appeal. The appeal only affects future benefit eligibility, not retroactive payment for disqualification periods.

This system is so unfair to people who are already struggling financially.

You can work during disqualification weeks, but you still need to report any earnings on your weekly claim filing. The earnings won't affect your benefits since you're not receiving any that week anyway.

Good to know. Might as well try to make some money that week since I won't be getting unemployment anyway.

So it might not even be related to me doing something wrong? Washington ESD just assigns these automatically?

Sometimes yes. The system can trigger disqualification weeks based on keywords in separation notices or incomplete information. That's why having your layoff documentation is important.

A disqualification week is a one-time penalty before benefits begin. Being disqualified entirely means you're ineligible for benefits for the duration of your claim. Very different consequences.

Oh wow, that's a huge difference. Thanks for clarifying that.

Yeah, I was worried about the same thing. Did you ever find out why you got the disqualification week?

My employer initially reported that I quit, but I was actually laid off. Never got it fully resolved but it didn't matter since it was just the one week.

Good point. My notice is dated from last week so I still have time if I decide to appeal.

How do you even file an appeal? Is it online or do you have to mail something in?

You can file appeals online through your SecureAccess Washington account. Much faster than mailing.

Did the agent help you fix the issue or just explain it?

They explained it and told me how to submit the correct documentation. The disqualification week still stood but at least I understood why it happened.

Six weeks?! That's not a disqualification week, that sounds like a different type of penalty entirely.

yeah you might be right, he had some overpayment issue or something. i dont remember all the details

That's interesting. My employer might have reported something wrong then. I should definitely get that layoff paperwork to Washington ESD.

Yeah, employer reporting errors are super common. They don't always understand the unemployment system either.

Good advice. I'll write down all the dates and keep my paperwork organized.

Smart. Washington ESD record keeping isn't always perfect so having your own records helps a lot.

Exactly! And then they make it nearly impossible to talk to anyone to get answers about why it happened.

That's why services like Claimyr exist. The regular system is so broken that people are willing to pay just to talk to someone.

No, the disqualification week doesn't reduce your total benefit entitlement. You still get your full 26 weeks of payable benefits, just starting one week later than you would have otherwise.

That's a relief. At least they don't penalize you twice for the same issue.

Good plan! Keep us updated on how it goes. And remember that one disqualification week is pretty minor in the grand scheme of things.

If you run into any issues getting through to Washington ESD, remember that Claimyr option. Sometimes talking to an actual person can clear up confusion quickly.