One more important tip: If there's any information you're unsure about during the hearing, it's perfectly acceptable to say "I don't recall exactly" rather than guessing. Incorrect information, even if unintentional, can hurt your case. Also, if they ask why you waited until now to appeal (since it's been since August), just explain that you were following the process as instructed and were waiting for your assigned hearing date. The backlog isn't your fault, and they know the system is delayed.

Thank you everyone for all this advice! I feel much more prepared now. I've organized my emails chronologically, prepared notes about the timeline of events, and will definitely mention the 50% pay cut ultimatum. I'm still nervous but at least I have a better idea of what to expect tomorrow. I'll update after the hearing to let you know how it went!

I reopened my claim last month after a 6-week job didn't work out. The online process was pretty easy, but I got stuck in adjudication right away. For me, adjudication took 3 weeks, which isn't great but better than the 8+ weeks I've heard from others. One thing that helped me: I submitted a detailed letter through my eServices messages explaining exactly what happened with dates, specifics about misrepresentations, etc. I think being proactive with that information helped speed things up a bit. And definitely keep doing your job search activities while you wait! They're super strict about that now.

this happened to me too!!! the job market is crazy right now, companies lie about EVERYTHING just to get desperate people in the door. my situation was different bc I got laid off after 3 weeks (not quit) so I didn't have to deal with the "good cause" thing but I was able to reopen my old claim no problem. good luck!!!!

Unfortunately you can't technically backfill job search activities, but you can document anything you actually did in those weeks (applications, resume submissions, networking, etc.). When you finally speak with an agent, explain your misunderstanding about the requirements. Sometimes they'll give you a one-time exemption if you can show you were actively looking but just not documenting properly. If you already have a job lined up at your new location with a future start date, you might qualify for "standby" status which would exempt you from job search requirements temporarily. But you'd need to apply for that specifically.

One additional thing to check - log into your eServices account and look for any alerts or questionnaires they might have sent. Sometimes they need additional information but the notification gets filtered to spam. Also, military spouse claims sometimes require an additional Military Spouse Declaration form that's separate from your initial application. If all else fails, you can also try contacting the WorkSource office in your new location - sometimes they have direct channels to ESD staff and can help move things along. Good luck!

Once I got through to a real person, they were able to see exactly what was going on with my claim and fixed the issue while I was on the phone. The whole thing took about 15 minutes once I was connected to an agent. Sometimes you just need someone to look at your specific situation rather than trying to figure it out through their automated systems.

Update: I just found a notice in my eServices account about the change! It was buried in the "Important Messages" section that I rarely check. It explains that they've simplified the weekly claim process but emphasizes that we still need to keep detailed records. Thought I'd share in case anyone else missed it too!

congrats! should get paid in 1-2 days now

FINALLY! Happy for you but still RIDICULOUS it took that long!!!