Why do companies fight unemployment claims in Washington state?

Companies fight unemployment claims because it directly affects their unemployment insurance tax rates. The more successful claims filed against them, the higher their tax rates go up. It's purely financial - they're trying to keep their costs down even if it means screwing over former employees.

This is super common in Washington state. Employers know that many people won't fight back when their claims get disputed, so they challenge everything hoping people will just give up. You need to respond to the dispute immediately and provide any documentation you have about your termination.

I went through this exact same thing last year with my previous employer. They disputed my claim saying I was fired for poor performance when I was actually laid off. The adjudication process took forever and I couldn't get through to anyone at Washington ESD to check on the status. I was getting really frustrated trying to call them every day.

COMPANIES ARE THE WORST!! They fire you then try to deny you benefits that you paid into. My last job did the same thing to me and 4 other people who got laid off the same day. They claimed we were all fired for attendance issues even though we had clean records. THE GREED IS UNREAL!!!

The key thing to understand is that Washington state uses an experience rating system for unemployment taxes. Companies with more claims against them pay higher rates, so they have a financial incentive to dispute every claim they can. It's not personal - it's just about money.

wait so if I quit my job can they still fight my unemployment claim?

I'm going through something similar right now. My employer is claiming I was fired for violating company policy but I was actually terminated because I refused to work unpaid overtime. Do I have a case here?

The whole system is rigged against workers. Companies know most people don't understand the appeals process and will just give up when their claim gets denied. Don't let them win - fight back with everything you've got.

Pro tip: keep detailed records of EVERYTHING during the dispute process. Save every email, letter, and phone call log. Washington ESD will want to see documentation to support your side of the story.

My buddy works in HR and he told me that some companies have policies to automatically dispute every unemployment claim regardless of the circumstances. It's cheaper for them to dispute everything than to pay the higher tax rates.

I had a similar situation where I couldn't get through to anyone at Washington ESD for weeks. The adjudication was taking forever and I needed answers about my case. Someone on here recommended Claimyr and it actually worked - got connected to an agent the same day I tried it.

The important thing is not to take it personally. Companies dispute claims as a matter of routine business practice. Focus on the facts of your case and let the adjudicator make the decision based on the evidence.

Been through this process twice now. First time I panicked and didn't respond properly to the dispute. Second time I gathered all my documentation and submitted a detailed response. Guess which one I won?

this happened to my sister too. her company said she was fired for being late when she was actually laid off. took like 2 months to get resolved but she eventually won

Make sure you're still filing your weekly claims while the dispute is being resolved. Even if you're not getting paid yet, you need to keep filing to maintain your claim.

The whole unemployment system in Washington is broken. Takes forever to get through on the phone, disputes drag on for months, and employers know they can get away with lying because most people won't fight back. Something needs to change.

I used to work for a company that disputed every single unemployment claim. The HR manager literally had a template response for every type of termination. They didn't care if it was true or not - they just wanted to avoid paying higher taxes.

My advice is to treat this like you're building a legal case. Gather evidence, organize your documentation, and present a clear timeline of events. The adjudicator needs to see that your employer's claims don't match the facts.

Just wanted to mention that if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your case, I had good luck with Claimyr after trying everything else. They show you exactly how to get through to an actual person instead of getting stuck in phone tree hell.

Update us on how it goes! I'm sure other people in similar situations would benefit from hearing about your experience with the dispute process.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago. My former employer claimed I was terminated for "policy violations" when I was actually laid off due to restructuring. The key is to respond quickly and thoroughly to their dispute. I submitted my termination paperwork, email communications with my supervisor, and even got a statement from a coworker who witnessed the layoff announcement. It took about 6 weeks to resolve, but I won the case and received all my back benefits. Don't let them intimidate you - if you were truly laid off due to budget cuts and have documentation proving it, you should prevail. The adjudicator will look at all the evidence from both sides before making a decision.