Will quitting a long-inactive banquet job affect my ESD benefits?

This is actually a legitimate question for ESD. If you haven't worked a shift in 2 years, you're essentially not employed there anymore despite being "on the books." Since there's been no work offered that you've refused, you're not turning down suitable work. I'd recommend calling ESD directly to explain the situation before taking any action - they can tell you the right way to document this without triggering a voluntary quit disqualification.

Im in food service too & something similar happened 2 me. If they haven't scheduled you AT ALL in 2 yrs, you might already be considered "laid off" by ESD standards. check your last paystub date. thats what matters not what the hotel thinks

I worked with Claimyr last month when I had a similar issue with a seasonal job that never called me back. Getting through to ESD was impossible until I tried their service at claimyr.com - they got me connected to an actual ESD agent in about 25 minutes who explained all my options. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. The agent told me that my situation wasn't considered a quit since the employer hadn't offered me work in months - sounds similar to your hotel situation.

According to ESD regulations, there are several exceptions to the voluntary quit disqualification. One specifically applies to your situation - it's called "lack of work." If an employer substantially reduces your hours or hasn't provided work for an extended period (typically 6+ weeks), this is NOT considered a voluntary quit for UI purposes. You should: 1. Contact your employer and request a formal layoff notice citing lack of work 2. If they refuse, document your attempts to get work from them over the 2-year period 3. Report to ESD that the employer has not provided work for 2 years despite your availability This is a common situation in seasonal and event-based industries. You'll likely need to speak with an adjudicator to explain your specific circumstances.

I WENT THROUGH THIS EXACT THING WITH A CATERING JOB!!! My employer kept saying they'd call me when they had events but never did for like 8 months. ESD initially tried to say I quit when I filed but I appealed and WON because I proved there was no work available. Get something in writing from your employer stating there's no banquet work - that's what saved me!!! The adjudicator totally understood once I explained.

Update: I finally got through to ESD after trying for days! They told me this situation is considered a "constructive layoff" since the employer has essentially eliminated my position by not offering work for such an extended period. The agent said I should formally resign but explicitly state in my resignation letter that I'm leaving due to "lack of work for over 24 months." I need to upload a copy of this letter to my ESD account after sending it to my employer. Apparently, this is fairly common in the hospitality industry with on-call or as-needed positions.

Did you use Claimyr to get through to ESD? Their service saved me hours of frustration when I was dealing with my claim issues.