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ESD denied unemployment after forced resignation - help with appeal hearing this week
My husband's appeal hearing is scheduled for this Thursday and I'm freaking out about how to prepare. He worked at a healthcare facility for 6+ years with zero disciplinary issues, then in September his supervisor told him they were letting him go. My husband offered to give 2 weeks notice as a courtesy (thinking this would look better on his record), but when he came in the next day, his supervisor said upper management decided to relieve him of duties immediately. Now ESD is saying he voluntarily quit and denied his claim! We've been fighting this since September - he was unemployed until mid-December and we're still struggling financially. The company is claiming he quit voluntarily, but it feels like a forced resignation. His supervisor literally told him they were "letting him go" before he offered to submit notice. Has anyone successfully appealed something like this? What kind of evidence do we need when there's no paper trail of the conversation? It feels like a "he said/she said" situation, and I'm worried the judge will just side with the employer. Any advice on how to prepare for an appeal hearing would be incredibly helpful!
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ESD website showing wrong employer during weekly claim - can't file because of system error
I'm banging my head against the wall trying to file my weekly claim! The ESD system is showing I worked for TempForce Labor (a day labor company) during the week of 01/12-01/18/2025, but that's completely wrong. I haven't worked for them since 12/26/2024! Because of this error, the system keeps rejecting my weekly claim submission and I can't get my benefits for this week. Every time I try to submit the correct information (that I didn't work that week), it bounces back with an error saying my information conflicts with employer records. Has anyone dealt with this kind of system error before? Is there any way to override this or submit my claim without having to wait hours on the phone tomorrow? I'm worried about missing the filing deadline and losing a week of benefits because of THEIR mistake!
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Just to ease your mind about the deadline - even if you can't resolve this by the weekly claim deadline, ESD can and will backdate your claim once the error is fixed. Make sure you document all your attempts to file (screenshots of errors, etc.). The key is to keep trying to file and to contact them about the issue before the deadline passes. That way they can see you made a good faith effort to file on time.
UPDATE: Finally got this resolved! I used the Claimyr service that someone recommended here, and it actually worked! Got through to an agent in about 30 minutes. She confirmed TempForce had submitted incorrect quarterly wage data that included me in January even though I stopped working there in December. She removed the error and I was able to file my weekly claim while still on the phone with her. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions.
That's great! Glad you got it fixed before the deadline. Smart to keep documentation too, in case it somehow happens again next week.
Called governor's office about stuck ESD claim - what info to prepare?
After 8 weeks of hearing nothing on my unemployment claim, I'm seriously considering calling the governor's office as a last resort (saw several people mention this worked for them). But I'm honestly a bit intimidated about making this call. For those who've actually done this, what specific information should I have ready? Do they ask for particular claim details? Is there a specific request process? I'm worried about calling unprepared and wasting this opportunity. Any insights from folks who've gone this route would really help calm my nerves. Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their experience!
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One more tip - when you call, ask for the name and contact information of the person you're speaking with at the governor's office. Then follow up with an email summarizing your conversation and thanking them for their help. This creates a paper trail and shows you're serious. I did this and included all my documentation as attachments (screenshots of my ESD account status, my call log showing all my attempt to reach ESD, etc.). The email follow-up seemed to really help move things along.
Smart approach! I'll definitely do this. I've been taking screenshots of all my attempts to contact ESD through the portal too, so I have those ready to send as well.
OMG I had to call Gov Inslee's office TWICE and lemme tell you the second call was totally different than the first!! First time they were like "we'll look into it" and nothing happened for 3 weeks. Second time I called I mentioned I was working with a JOURNALIST about ESD problems (total bluff lol) and BOOM got a call from ESD leadership team the next day!! Sometimes you gotta get a little creative 😂
This made me laugh but honestly... whatever works! The system is so broken right now. I waited 16 weeks for my claim to process last year. Had to borrow money from family just to survive. It shouldn't take these extreme measures just to get someone to look at your claim.
OAH appeal timeline? Been waiting 7 weeks for ESD judge hearing date
I got disqualified from benefits back in February after my employer contested my claim. I immediately filed an appeal with OAH on March 3rd (over 7 weeks ago!) and STILL haven't received any hearing date. The online portal just says "appeal received" but nothing else has changed. My rent is due again and I'm getting desperate. I called ESD 3 times this week and finally got through yesterday. The agent basically said "once it goes to appeal there's nothing we can do, it's out of our hands." Really?? So I'm just supposed to wait indefinitely while bills pile up? Has anyone gone through the appeal process recently? How long did it take to get a hearing date? Is there ANY way to speed this up? Some special number to call? An office I can visit in person? I'm in Tacoma if that matters. Any advice would be really appreciated. I'm losing sleep over this.
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i think i read somewhere that the average wait for OAH heraings is like 8-10 weeks now dont quote me on that but its def getting worse every year. ive done two appeals (won 1 lost 1) and second one took way longer than first one trick is to call right when they open at 8am thats when u can actully get a human on the phone
One thing I forgot to mention in my earlier reply - once you do get your hearing scheduled, you may have the option to do it by phone rather than in person. I HIGHLY recommend doing it by phone if possible. It's less intimidating, and you can have all your notes and documentation spread out in front of you where you can easily reference them. Also, judges typically allocate 45 minutes for each hearing, so practice explaining your situation concisely. Focus on the key facts that demonstrate why you qualify for benefits under Washington law. The judge will likely ask both you and your former employer specific questions, so just answer truthfully without embellishment. The good news is that a significant percentage of appeals are decided in the claimant's favor, especially when the employer doesn't present strong evidence for disqualification.
45 minutes?? That seems so short to decide something this important. I'm definitely taking your advice about doing it by phone - I'd be way too nervous in person. I've started gathering my evidence already (emails, performance reviews, etc.) so hopefully I'll be prepared when the time comes. Really appreciate all the advice from everyone here. At least I know I'm not alone in dealing with this frustrating system.
When to stop filing weekly ESD claims after getting new job - start date May 13th
I finally landed a full-time position after 3 months of job hunting (retail management layoff). My new employer wants me to start on May 13th, which falls on a Thursday. I'm confused about when I should stop filing my weekly claims with ESD. Do I file for that partial week? And if I do, how do I report the hours I worked? I don't want to accidentally commit fraud or have to deal with an overpayment notice down the road. Any advice from people who've been in this situation would be super helpful!
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my cousin didnt file his last week and said it was way easier just to be done with ESD forever lol. but i think he missed out on like $200 so probably worth doing it right
While it might seem easier to just stop filing, this approach can potentially cause problems. If you don't formally close your claim by reporting your return to full-time work, your claim technically remains open. This could create confusion in ESD's system, especially if you need to file for unemployment again within the next year. It's always best to properly close out your claim by reporting your work and wages for that final week.
One more thing to keep in mind: After you file that partial week claim, there's a section at the end where you can indicate that you've returned to full-time work. Make sure to check that box or select that option. This lets ESD know they should close your claim properly. It helps prevent any confusion down the road and makes things smoother if you ever need to apply for benefits again in the future.
Perfect, thank you! I'll make sure to check that box to formally close the claim. I really appreciate everyone's advice - this has been super helpful and much clearer than anything on the ESD website.
Eve Freeman
Does anyone know how long these appeal hearings usually last? My friend just went through one and said it was only like 20 minutes, seems way too short to explain everything!
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Caden Turner
Appeal hearings typically last 30-45 minutes, though they can be shorter or longer depending on complexity. They're surprisingly brief, which is why preparation is so important. The judge follows a standard format: opening statements, employer testimony with cross-examination, claimant testimony with cross-examination, and sometimes closing statements. The key is being concise while including all relevant facts.
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Harmony Love
I work in HR (different state) and from the employer perspective, this sounds like a badly handled termination that they're now trying to classify as a quit to avoid the UI claim. That's actually against the rules. If they initiated the separation convo by saying "we're letting you go" then it's THEIR decision regardless of whether your husband offered to give notice afterward. One question - did they give any reason for letting him go? If it was something like "position elimination" or "restructuring" that would further support your case that it wasn't a quit.
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Romeo Quest
AuthorThey just said they were "going in a different direction" and needed someone with different skills. No performance issues were mentioned at all. I'll make sure he includes that in his testimony. Thanks for the HR perspective - it's helpful to hear this from someone on the employer side!
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