Why would I not qualify for unemployment in Washington - what disqualifies you?

What exactly counts as misconduct? I was having family problems and my supervisor knew about it but still fired me when I missed shifts.

Misconduct has to be willful or deliberate violation of company policy. If you had legitimate reasons for the absences and tried to communicate with your employer, it might not be considered misconduct. Washington ESD will investigate during adjudication.

I made about $32,000 last year so I think I'm good on that part. It's really the firing thing I'm worried about.

If you're worried about getting through to Washington ESD to check your wage history or ask about your specific situation, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you actually reach an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ and the site is claimyr.com. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

I have some texts where I told my manager about my mom being in the hospital. Would that help?

Absolutely! Keep all of that. Also get a statement from the hospital if you can. Washington ESD considers family emergencies as potential good cause.

This is exactly why I hate the unemployment system. They make you jump through so many hoops just to get benefits you paid into through your taxes.

How many jobs do you have to apply for each week? I keep hearing different numbers.

It's 3 job search activities per week but they can be applications, networking, job fairs, etc. Not just applications. You have to keep a log in your online account.

That's true, I guess I'm overthinking it. How long does it usually take to find out if you're approved?

If there are no issues, usually 2-3 weeks. If they have to do adjudication for the misconduct question, could be 4-6 weeks or longer. That's another reason to use something like Claimyr to actually talk to someone about your case status.

I'm a citizen and not going to school so that's not an issue for me.

What counts as suitable work? Do you have to take any job offer even if it pays way less than your previous job?

Suitable work considers your skills, experience, and local wage standards. Generally you don't have to take work that pays significantly less than your previous job, especially early in your claim. But the standards get looser the longer you're unemployed.

What happened in your case? Did you eventually get approved?

Yeah but only after going through two levels of appeals. Cost me thousands in delayed benefits. The initial adjudicator clearly didn't even read my case file properly.

Thanks, that makes me feel better about filing. I'll gather up all my documentation first.

Good luck! The waiting is the worst part but hang in there.

How do appeals work? Is it complicated?

You file online or by phone within 30 days of the denial. Then you get a hearing with an administrative law judge where you can present your case. It's less formal than court but you want to be prepared with your evidence.

I'll definitely keep that in mind if I run into problems reaching them. Thanks for all the help everyone!