make sure u DRESS NICE for ur hearing even if its on zoom!! my bro wore a tshirt to his appeal and the judge was like super judge-y about it lolol

The whole system is DESIGNED to trip people up with confusing questions so they can deny benefits. I've been fighting with ESD for MONTHS. Even when you win your appeal, they take FOREVER to actually pay you. It's disgusting how they treat pregnant women. I had to move back in with my parents at 30 because of these games they play.

Another thing to check - sometimes your claim can show as disqualified if there's an identity verification issue. With all the fraud during COVID, ESD implemented stricter verification processes. Check if there's any correspondence about ID verification in your notices section. If there is, respond to it ASAP with the requested documents. If you still can't get through on the phone, try contacting your local WorkSource office. They don't directly handle unemployment claims, but they sometimes have dedicated liaisons who can escalate issues to ESD. I've heard of people having success with this approach when nothing else worked.

After reading through your situation, I'm almost certain you're caught in what we call an "adjudication loop" - where your claim requires manual review but hasn't been assigned to an adjudicator yet. The system shows disqualified as a default status during this limbo period. A few important points: 1. The approval letters you received were likely for your initial monetary qualification (meaning you earned enough in your base year), but something else triggered a non-monetary review 2. The contradiction between your letters and status is typical of the ESD system's poor integration between different modules 3. You MUST continue filing weekly claims during this period or you'll lose eligibility for those weeks 4. The fastest resolution will come from speaking directly with an ESD agent who can see the specific flag on your account This is unfortunately very common in 2025, especially since ESD lost so many of their experienced staff after the pandemic surge ended.

just wondering did you have a phone hearing or in-person? ive got mine scheduled for next week and im super nervous about what to expect

The statutory requirement is that the judge must issue a decision within 30 days of the hearing date. However, most OAH judges in Washington issue decisions within 5-10 business days. The decision will be mailed to you and also uploaded to your ESD eServices account. A few important notes: 1. Continue filing weekly claims during this waiting period 2. If you win, ESD should automatically process your back payments 3. If there's a delay beyond 2 weeks after a favorable decision, contact ESD No-shows by employers generally favor the claimant, but the judge must still apply the law to the facts presented. The outcome depends on your specific situation and the evidence in your case file.

i dunno why everyones saying to call esd... have u checked ur bank account? sometimes they just deposit the money without updating the website lol

Based on your reply that it's about $4,200 for 7 weeks, that's definitely worth pursuing. While the system should automatically trigger these payments after an appeal win, there's often a disconnect between the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) and ESD's payment systems. Sometimes you need to specifically request what's called a "benefit reinstatement following appeal reversal" - that's the exact phrase that might help when talking to representatives. Also, make sure your current address and payment method are up-to-date in the system. I've seen cases where backpay was issued via paper check to an old address even when people had direct deposit set up.

let us know what happens! im betting it shows up tomorrow or wednesday

This whole unemployment system is such a joke. They expect us to file everything perfectly on time but then can't even get payments out reliably. And good luck getting answers when you call - I've spent HOURS just trying to talk to a human.