What reasons can you be denied unemployment benefits in Washington state?

What kind of documentation would I need for hostile work environment? I have some emails but not sure if that's enough.

Emails, witness statements, HR complaints, medical records if stress-related, any written warnings to your supervisor. The more documentation the better.

Did you win your appeal? I'm dealing with something similar right now.

Yeah eventually but it was a nightmare trying to get through to Washington ESD to explain my side. Took months.

How much does that cost though? Seems like something that should be free.

It's worth it when you consider the time you save not sitting on hold for hours. Plus you actually get to talk to someone who can give you real answers about your specific situation.

What counts as a job contact? Is applying online enough or do you need to do more?

Online applications count but they want variety - networking events, job fairs, informational interviews. Check WorkSourceWA for approved activities.

What if you can only work part-time due to disability? Does that automatically disqualify you?

Not necessarily, but you have to be available for the type of work you normally do. It gets complicated with part-time restrictions.

How do they calculate the base year? Is it the last 12 months?

its the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file kind of confusing but theres a chart on the washington esd website

This is so important! My friend forgot to report some freelance work and they made her pay back everything plus penalties.

Exactly. They take overpayments very seriously. Better to over-report than under-report.

How do they know if you refused a job offer? Do employers report that?

Sometimes employers report it, or it comes up during eligibility reviews. You're supposed to report job offers on your weekly claims.

I feel this. Spent weeks trying to get a straight answer about my situation and got different information from different agents.

That's why services like Claimyr are helpful - they know which agents actually understand the system and can get you to the right person.

Wait, that doesn't sound right. Don't you still have to do job searches even on standby?

No, standby is different from regular UI. You're waiting to be called back to your specific job. The rules are totally different.

Is marijuana still an issue with the state laws changing?

Depends on your employer's policy and whether it contributed to job loss. Still murky legally.

Oh god, the ID.me nightmare. Took me three weeks to get verified because their facial recognition kept failing.

Yeah, and good luck getting help with that. The regular Washington ESD staff can't do anything about ID.me problems.

I did try talking to HR but they basically ignored my complaints. Would that help my case?

Absolutely. Keep records of when you contacted HR, what you told them, and their response (or lack thereof). That shows you tried internal solutions first.

Really? I thought military service helped with unemployment benefits, not hurt.

It can help in some ways but there are offset rules for certain types of military pay. It's complicated.

What about online classes or part-time enrollment? Does that matter?

Part-time might be okay depending on your schedule, but you have to prove you're still available for full-time work during normal business hours.

That seems unfair. If you're laid off, you should get benefits regardless of whether it's seasonal.

I agree it's unfair, but that's how the system works. Teachers and other school employees face this issue every summer.

Do they verify this automatically or only if there's a question about your eligibility?

They cross-reference with federal databases, so it's usually caught automatically during the application process.

That's really helpful to know. I'm definitely going to check that out before I file my claim.

Smart move. It's better to get clarity upfront than deal with a denial and appeal process later. The video demo explains exactly how it works.

This thread has been really eye-opening. I had no idea there were so many ways to get denied.

Yeah, the system is designed to be restrictive. But if you have a legitimate claim and proper documentation, you should be fine. Just be prepared for the process to take time.

Thanks everyone for all this information. I feel much more prepared now to file my claim and handle whatever comes up.

Good luck! Remember that knowledge is power when dealing with the unemployment system. The more you understand their rules, the better your chances of success.

That's a great point about interstate claims! I actually had this issue when I moved from Oregon to Washington mid-year. The wage records took forever to transfer between states and I had to deal with both unemployment offices to get it sorted out. They initially denied my claim because they couldn't verify my out-of-state wages, even though I had all my pay stubs. Definitely something to be aware of if you've worked in multiple states recently.