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Sean O'Donnell

Why would I not get Washington ESD unemployment benefits - common reasons?

I applied for unemployment three weeks ago and I'm starting to worry that I might not qualify. I worked for the same company for 2 years but got laid off due to budget cuts. My claim is still pending and I keep reading about people getting denied. What are the main reasons Washington ESD would reject an unemployment claim? I want to make sure I didn't mess something up in my application.

There are several common reasons Washington ESD denies claims: insufficient work history (you need to have worked in at least 2 of the last 5 quarters), being fired for misconduct, quitting without good cause, not being able and available for work, or not meeting the weekly job search requirements. Since you were laid off due to budget cuts, that shouldn't be an issue for you.

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Thanks! I definitely worked enough quarters and was laid off, not fired. How do I know if my job search requirements are being met? I've been applying to like 3-4 jobs per week.

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You need to complete 3 job search activities per week and log them in your WorkSourceWA account. Just applying isn't always enough - you might need to attend job fairs, networking events, or skills training to meet the requirement.

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The most frustrating thing is when Washington ESD puts your claim in adjudication and you have no idea why. I've been waiting 6 weeks just to find out what the issue is. Have you tried calling them to check on your claim status?

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I've tried calling but can never get through! The phone lines are always busy or I get disconnected after waiting forever.

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Same problem here. I spent hours trying to reach someone at Washington ESD with no luck.

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I had success using Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD when I couldn't reach them myself. It's a service that calls on your behalf and connects you to an agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me so much time and frustration trying to get my adjudication resolved.

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That sounds interesting! How does it work exactly? Do you have to give them your personal information?

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You just go to claimyr.com and they handle the calling part. Once they get you connected to an agent, you talk directly to Washington ESD yourself. It's pretty straightforward.

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I was skeptical at first but ended up trying it when I couldn't get through for weeks. Actually worked and I got my claim issue sorted out.

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MAKE SURE you didn't make any mistakes on your initial application! I got denied because I accidentally put the wrong separation date and it looked like I quit instead of being laid off. Had to go through the whole appeal process.

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Oh no! How do I check if I made an error like that? Can I see my original application somewhere?

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Log into your Washington ESD account and look at your claim details. If there's an error, you might need to submit additional documentation or file an appeal.

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Another reason people get denied is if they're not actively looking for work or can't work due to health issues. You have to be able and available for full-time work to qualify for UI benefits.

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I'm definitely able to work and have been actively job searching. Should I be documenting this somehow?

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Yes! Keep a detailed log of all your job search activities in WorkSourceWA. Washington ESD can audit your job search at any time.

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Don't forget about the base year earnings requirement. You need to have earned at least $1,000 in your base year and your total base year earnings must be at least 1.5 times your highest quarter earnings.

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I worked full-time for 2 years making about $45k annually so I should meet those requirements. Is there a way to verify this?

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Your monetary determination letter should show your base year earnings breakdown. If you haven't received it yet, that might be why your claim is still pending.

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Sometimes Washington ESD needs additional verification from your employer. If your former employer disputes your claim or doesn't respond to their requests, it can delay or deny your benefits.

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My company did mass layoffs so I doubt they'd dispute it, but maybe they're just slow to respond to Washington ESD?

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That's possible. Large companies sometimes take weeks to respond to separation verifications, which can hold up your claim.

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I got denied initially because I had some part-time work during my base year that wasn't reported correctly. Even small discrepancies can cause issues with Washington ESD.

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I only had one job during my base year so that shouldn't be an issue for me. Did you have to appeal?

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Yeah, I had to file an appeal and provide additional documentation. It took about 6 weeks to get resolved.

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Are you sure you filed in the right state? I know someone who worked in Washington but lived in Oregon and filed with the wrong state initially.

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I worked and live in Washington so I definitely filed with Washington ESD. Good point though!

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The waiting period can be nerve-wracking but 3 weeks isn't unusual, especially if they need to verify information with your employer. I'd give it another week before really worrying.

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That's somewhat reassuring. I just keep hearing horror stories about people waiting months.

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Those are usually cases where there's an issue that needs adjudication. Simple layoff cases typically process faster.

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Make sure you're filing your weekly claims even while your initial claim is pending! A lot of people miss this and lose out on benefits for those weeks.

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Yes, I've been filing weekly claims every Sunday. Should I be doing anything else while waiting?

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Just keep up with your job search activities and logging them. That's really all you can do while waiting for approval.

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If you do get denied, don't panic! You have 30 days to file an appeal and many denials get overturned if you have good documentation.

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Good to know. What kind of documentation should I be keeping just in case?

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Keep your layoff notice, pay stubs, job search log, and any communication with Washington ESD. Screenshots of your claim status are helpful too.

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I used Claimyr twice when I couldn't reach Washington ESD about my claim issues. Both times they got me connected within a reasonable time frame when I would have spent hours trying on my own.

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At this point I'm tempted to try it. The not knowing is driving me crazy.

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It's worth it for peace of mind. At least you'll know what's going on with your claim instead of just wondering.

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Have you checked if there are any outstanding issues in your Washington ESD account? Sometimes there are questionnaires or forms you need to complete that aren't obvious.

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I log in regularly and don't see any alerts or to-do items. My account just shows 'claim pending' with no other details.

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That's typical for claims that are just working through the system. If there was an issue requiring your action, you'd usually see it highlighted.

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The system is so backed up right now. I know people who waited 8-10 weeks for approval on straightforward layoff cases. It's frustrating but try to be patient.

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8-10 weeks?! I can't afford to wait that long. I have bills to pay!

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I understand the stress. That's why some people use services like Claimyr to at least get status updates instead of waiting in the dark.

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Don't forget that even if you're approved, there's usually a one-week waiting period before benefits start. So your first payable week would be your second week of unemployment.

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I did read about that waiting week. At least I've been filing weekly claims so hopefully I won't lose any eligible weeks.

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Based on what you've described - laid off from a job you held for 2 years - you should qualify unless there's something unusual about your situation. Mass layoffs are pretty straightforward cases for Washington ESD.

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That's what I thought too. I guess I'll give it another week and then maybe try calling again or use one of those services people mentioned.

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Good plan. Three weeks is still within normal processing time, but getting a status update wouldn't hurt.

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