Why would I not be eligible for Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

The main eligibility requirements for Washington ESD are: you must have worked and earned wages in Washington state, you must be unemployed through no fault of your own, you must be able and available for work, and you must be actively seeking work. Since you were laid off and worked for 2 years, you should meet most of these requirements.

Common reasons people get denied: quit without good cause, fired for misconduct, not available for work, not actively job searching, or didn't earn enough wages. If you were laid off from a regular job, you're probably fine.

I was in a similar situation last year and had trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check my eligibility. Ended up using Claimyr.com to get connected to an agent who walked me through everything. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made the whole process so much easier than trying to call on my own.

Be careful about the job search requirements! You have to be actively looking for work and register with WorkSource Washington. Some people think they can just collect benefits without job searching and that will disqualify you.

ugh the washington esd system is so confusing. i got denied my first time because i didnt understand the base period thing and apparently didnt work enough quarters or something

Other things that can disqualify you: receiving certain types of pension payments, being enrolled in school full-time without approval, being out of the country, or having an outstanding overpayment from previous claims.

The Washington ESD website has an eligibility quiz you can take before filing. It's not 100% accurate but gives you a good idea if you'll qualify.

Just file already! The worst they can do is say no. I waited weeks wondering if I qualified and should have just applied right away.

I work for a temp agency and was worried I wouldn't qualify but I did. As long as you have enough wages reported to Washington ESD, the type of employment doesn't matter much.

Make sure you file within the first week of being unemployed! I made the mistake of waiting and lost a week of benefits because there's a waiting week requirement.

Had a friend get denied because he quit his job to move states. Even though he moved back to Washington, they said quitting without good cause disqualified him. But since you were laid off you should be fine.

If you do run into any issues with your claim or need to talk to someone at Washington ESD, definitely consider using Claimyr. I tried calling on my own for days and kept getting disconnected. With Claimyr I was talking to an agent within an hour.

WASHINGTON ESD DENIED ME FOR NO REASON!!! I worked for 3 years and they said I didn't meet the wage requirements. The whole system is broken!!!

my cousin got denied because he was working under the table at his last job and wages werent reported to washington esd properly

The most common reason I see people get denied is the able and available requirement. You have to be physically and mentally able to work and available for work during normal business hours.

If you have any doubts about your eligibility, you can always call and ask before filing. Though good luck getting through... when I needed help I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and it actually worked.

Don't let them intimidate you with all the requirements. Most people who lose their job through no fault of their own and worked regularly will qualify. The system makes it sound more complicated than it is.

One thing to watch out for - if you have any side gig work or freelance income, you need to report that too. Even small amounts can affect your benefits.

Bottom line - if you worked regularly for 2 years and were laid off, you almost certainly qualify. Don't overthink it, just file your claim.

Just remember you'll need to certify for benefits every week and keep looking for work. The job search requirements are strictly enforced.