6+ weeks waiting for ESD Commissioner's Appeal hearing date for worker retraining approval - normal?

Unfortunately the Commissioner's Appeal can take 8-12 weeks just to get a hearing date right now. I went through this in January and didn't get my hearing scheduled until almost 10 weeks after filing. The whole process took about 4 months total. It's ridiculous but that's just how backed up they are. Have you tried calling to check the status?

i went thru this last yr... took 9 wks to get hearing date then another 5wks for actual hearing. ended up getting approved but had to take temp job while waiting. training benefits are SUPER hard to get approved for coding bootcamps now, they prefer community college programs. good luck!

As someone who's helped people navigate ESD's Training Benefits process, I can tell you that Commissioner's Appeals are currently experiencing significant backlogs. The statutory timeframe is supposed to be 60 days, but that's rarely met these days. A few important points: 1. Your appeal remains valid even if you take temporary work while waiting 2. Make sure you're fulfilling any current claim requirements while waiting (job searches, etc.) 3. Document all your attempts to contact ESD 4. Prepare your case by gathering all evidence showing your training program leads to employment The Commissioner is specifically looking for evidence that your training will lead to employment in an in-demand occupation. If your coding bootcamp documentation doesn't explicitly connect to local employment opportunities, that's often why these get denied initially.

I had to wait almost 3 months for my Commissioner's Appeal hearing date for a different issue (not training related). The system is completely overwhelmed right now. If you need to get through to ESD quickly, I used a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an ESD agent within 15 minutes after I'd been trying for weeks on my own. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. It was the only way I could get a status update on my appeal. The agent was able to tell me exactly where my appeal was in the queue.

It definitely worked for me. I was skeptical too but I was desperate after trying for 3 weeks to get through. The ESD agent I spoke with confirmed my appeal was actually pending review and hadn't been lost, which was a relief. It's just a call-back service that puts you in their phone queue system without you having to sit on hold forever.

training benefits are a JOKE!!! i got denied twice even though i followed ALL their stupid rules. they don't want to actually help anyone improve their skills, they just want you to take any minimum wage job so they can stop paying benefits. the system is RIGGED against workers. don't get your hopes up. and yes the wait times are insane and nobody ever answers the phone or emails. thats by DESIGN!

I'm going through something kind of similar but with a different type of appeal. The whole process is sooooo slow! I think they hope people just give up and go away. I've been waiting 7 weeks for my hearing date. My neighbor said she eventually got approved for training after 5 months of fighting with them, but that was for a nursing program not coding. Are you still able to get regular unemployment while you wait? I think that makes a difference in how long you can afford to wait.

btw i didn't have lawyer for my hearing. just prepared really good notes and had letters from 2 companies saying they would interview me after completing the program. make sure u have proof that graduates actually get HIRED not just that they complete the program. that's what finally got mine approved.

To answer your question about weekly claims - yes, you should absolutely continue filing weekly claims while your appeal is pending. You should also continue doing your job search activities (3 per week) until you receive actual approval for Training Benefits. Regarding TAA approval - TAA stands for Trade Adjustment Assistance, which is a federal program. Not all training programs need to be TAA approved for regular Training Benefits, but they do need to be on the state's Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL). You can check if your bootcamp is on this list on the WorkSource website. If your program isn't on the ETPL, that's likely the main reason for denial, and you'll need to specifically address this in your appeal by showing equivalent credentials and employment outcomes.

my cousin waited 14 weeks for commissioner appeal last year lol. the system is broken. good luck! ps - did u apply for food benefits while u wait? might help stretch ur budget