What reasons can you get denied unemployment in Washington - need to understand my options

There are several common reasons Washington ESD denies claims. The main ones are: quitting without good cause, being fired for misconduct, not being able and available for work, refusing suitable job offers, and not meeting wage requirements. Since you quit your job, they'll look closely at whether you had 'good cause' which is pretty specific under Washington law.

washington esd is super strict about voluntary quits. my friend got denied because she quit to take care of her sick mom and they said it wasn't work-related good cause. the system is brutal honestly

I had to call Washington ESD like 50 times trying to get through to ask about my denial. The phone system is impossible. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Worth checking out if you need to talk to someone about your case.

Other denial reasons include not earning enough in your base period (they need at least $3,500 in your highest quarter), being fired for things like theft or attendance issues, or not actively looking for work. You also get denied if you're not a US citizen or authorized to work, or if you're attending school full-time without approval.

WASHINGTON ESD DENIED ME FOR THE STUPIDEST REASON! I got fired for being 5 minutes late ONE TIME after working there for 3 years with perfect attendance. They called it misconduct. THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!!!

they also deny you if you don't do your job search requirements properly. you have to log 3 job contacts per week and they're really picky about what counts

My cousin got denied because she didn't report some part-time work she did while claiming. Even if you only work a few hours, you HAVE to report it or they'll say you committed fraud. They're really strict about that stuff.

honestly the whole system seems designed to deny as many people as possible. i know someone who got denied because they said she wasn't 'actively seeking work' even though she was applying to jobs every day

If you're thinking about quitting, try to get documentation first. Email your boss about the scheduling problems, keep records of your shifts, maybe see if there are other employees dealing with the same thing. Washington ESD wants to see you made a good faith effort to resolve workplace issues before quitting.

Another thing - if you have any medical issues that affect your ability to work, you need to be really careful about how you handle that. You have to be able and available for full-time work to qualify for UI benefits.

what about if you get laid off vs fired? is there a difference for washington esd?

I've been through the Washington ESD system twice now. First time got approved after a layoff, second time got denied for quitting but successfully appealed. The key is having good documentation and being able to clearly explain why your situation meets their criteria for good cause or why a firing wasn't actually misconduct.

Sometimes people get denied just because they filled out the application wrong or didn't understand the questions. Like there's this question about why you left your job and if you answer it incorrectly it can hurt your case even if you actually qualify.

Don't forget about the waiting week! Even if you get approved, there's usually a one-week waiting period before benefits start. Plan for that gap in income.

Had a friend who used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier when she got stuck in adjudication hell. Took her 3 months to get through on her own, then Claimyr got her connected the same day and she finally got her case resolved. Sometimes you just need to talk to a human being to sort things out.

also if you're collecting benefits in another state or have worked in multiple states recently that can complicate things. washington has agreements with other states but sometimes claims get delayed while they sort out which state should pay

The good news is that if you do get initially denied, you have appeal rights. Don't just give up if you think the decision is wrong. A lot of denials get overturned on appeal if people can present their case properly.

Bottom line - be honest in your application, keep good records, and don't be afraid to seek help if you need it. The system is complicated but there are people who can guide you through it.

One more thing - if you end up needing to call Washington ESD and can't get through the regular way, I had success with Claimyr too. Worth having in your back pocket if you hit roadblocks. The video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ shows exactly how it works.