Have you tried filing by mail as a last resort? ESD actually still accepts paper weekly claim forms! You can download the form from their website and mail it in. It's slower (takes about 5-7 days to process) but at least it gets done. Here's what I did when I had a similar issue: 1. Downloaded the weekly claim form from esd.wa.gov 2. Filled it out completely (make sure to answer all the job search questions) 3. Made a copy for my records 4. Mailed it to the address on the form 5. Called after a week to confirm they received it Not ideal, but works in a pinch!

i had this problem and ended up driving to my local worksource office. they have direct lines to esd sometimes and can help you file your claim there. just bring your id and social security card.

also check ur mail!!! sometimes they only send the important details through regular mail even if u signed up for electronic notifications. ESD is weird like that

One more thing - if it turns out your employer IS appealing, make sure you continue filing your weekly claims during the whole process. I almost messed this up thinking I should wait until the appeal was resolved. You need to keep claiming every week even with a pending issue or appeal!

After your ESD appeal is resolved (hopefully in your favor), if you still want to pursue the wrongful termination lawsuit, you should know that Washington is an employment-at-will state, which means employers can fire you for almost any reason EXCEPT for legally protected activities like whistleblowing about safety violations. Your case might fall under the public policy exception to at-will employment. The Department of Labor & Industries also has a whistleblower protection program you might want to check out: https://lni.wa.gov/workers-rights/workplace-complaints/whistleblower-complaints

I actually won my ESD appeal without a lawyer. The key was being super organized. I created a timeline of events, had all my documentation ready, and practiced what I was going to say beforehand. The OAH judge was fair and listened to both sides. My employer didn't have documentation to back up their misconduct claim, so I won. Good luck with your case!

btw make sure you keep doing your 3 job search activities every week and logging them even while in adjudication. my friend got approved after waiting forever but then got disqualified cuz he didn't do his job searches during the waiting period. don't make that mistake!!

From my experience working with claimants, these status changes are completely normal and don't indicate problems with your claim. The ESD computer system updates statuses based on which department is currently handling your claim. 'Waiting on information' often means they're gathering employer responses or reviewing documents, while 'adjudication' means they're actively making a determination. For voluntary quit cases like yours, they're looking for documentation that shows you had good cause to leave. The fact that your claim is moving through different statuses actually suggests it's being processed, not stuck.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet: if you do appeal, make sure you keep filing your weekly claims during the entire appeal process. If you win your appeal but haven't been filing weekly claims, you won't receive benefits for those weeks. This is a common mistake people make during appeals.

THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!!! Sorry but I've been through the appeals process twice and it's totally set up to favor employers. They don't care about your family emergency, they only care about technicalities and rules. You probably won't win anyway so why risk making your old company mad if you're trying to get hired back?