Why is my unemployment claim disqualified - Washington ESD gave no clear reason

Washington ESD disqualifications usually fall into a few categories - either they think you quit instead of being laid off, you didn't meet the earnings requirements, or there's an issue with your job search activities. Did you get any kind of fact-finding questionnaire before this decision?

same thing happened to me last year, turned out there was some issue with how my employer reported my termination to washington esd. took forever to get through on the phone though

I had success using Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD when I had a similar disqualification issue. Instead of spending hours on hold, they connected me with an agent who could explain exactly why I was disqualified and what I needed to do to appeal. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ - it's pretty straightforward.

WASHINGTON ESD DISQUALIFICATION REASONS ARE NEVER CLEAR! They do this on purpose to make you give up. Most common reasons are: 1) Employer disputed your layoff claim 2) Insufficient earnings in base period 3) Failure to register with WorkSource 4) Not actively seeking work. You need to appeal within 30 days!

Wait, did you work enough hours to qualify? Washington ESD has specific earnings requirements. You need to have earned at least 680 hours or $5,265 in your base period to qualify for benefits.

this is so frustrating!! i hate how washington esd makes everything so complicated. why cant they just tell you straight up what the problem is???

Check your online account on the Washington ESD website. Sometimes there are additional details there that aren't in the mailed letter. Look for any outstanding issues or requests for information.

You absolutely need to appeal this decision. Don't wait - you only have 30 days from the date on the letter. Even if you're not sure why you were disqualified, you can appeal and they'll have to provide more details during the appeal process.

I work in HR and see this all the time. Often it's because the employer reported you as 'voluntary quit' instead of 'laid off' when they filed their paperwork with Washington ESD. This is super common and usually an honest mistake, but it triggers an automatic disqualification.

definitely sounds like an employer reporting issue to me. happened to my brother too - his old job accidentally marked him as 'quit' and he had to fight it for months

Another possibility - did you have any gaps in employment before your restaurant job? Washington ESD looks at your entire base period, not just your most recent job. If there were long periods without work, that could affect your eligibility.

Just wanted to follow up on the Claimyr suggestion - I used them again last week for a different issue and they're still working great. Got connected to a Washington ESD agent in about 10 minutes who was able to explain exactly what was happening with my claim. Definitely worth considering if you're getting nowhere with regular calling.

The Washington ESD disqualification letters are intentionally vague because they're generated automatically by the computer system. The real details are in the case notes that only the agents can see. That's why you HAVE to talk to a human to get the full story.

Whatever you do, don't ignore this. Even if you think the disqualification is wrong, you need to either appeal it or get it resolved somehow. It won't just go away on its own.

question - when you filed your initial claim did you answer all the questions about why you left your last job? sometimes people accidentally select the wrong reason and it triggers a disqualification

I had a similar disqualification last year and it turned out to be because I hadn't completed my WorkSource registration properly. Even though I thought I had registered, there was some step I missed. Once I fixed that, my benefits were restored.

The whole Washington ESD system is broken honestly. They disqualify people left and right for stupid reasons and then make it impossible to get help. It's like they want people to give up.

Try calling first thing in the morning right when they open. I've had better luck getting through around 8am than later in the day.

UPDATE: I tried the Claimyr service mentioned earlier and finally got through to Washington ESD! Turns out my employer did report me as 'quit' instead of 'laid off' which triggered the automatic disqualification. The agent helped me file an appeal and said it should be resolved within 2-3 weeks. Thanks everyone for the help!