One more important tip - submit any evidence you want considered at least 24 hours before the hearing (sooner is better). OAH prefers you upload documents through their online portal, but you can also fax them. If you try to introduce new evidence during the hearing, the judge might not accept it unless you can prove you couldn't have submitted it earlier.

my freind said she had panic attac during her hearing and judge gavd her another date. so dont worry if u get nervous they understand

Did you check if ur card is actually activated? I thought mine wasn't working but turns out I never finished the activation process lol. Also sometimes the app shows deposits before the website does.

UPDATE: Money finally hit my card this morning! Looks like it was just the normal processing delay plus the holiday that made it take longer. Thanks everyone for the help and keeping me from panicking. For anyone else seeing this post with the same issue - patience is key, but definitely call if it goes beyond 5 business days!

One more important thing to consider: If you do decide to quit, try to have a direct conversation with your supervisor first about the issues you're experiencing. ESD looks more favorably on claims where you made a good faith effort to resolve the problems before quitting. Send an email summarizing the conversation afterward ("As we discussed today...") to create documentation. This shows you tried to address the situation but the employer was unwilling or unable to fix the issues. Also, when you eventually file your weekly claim after quitting, you'll be asked if you quit and why. Your answer here is critical. Be concise but specific, focusing on the material aspects of why the job was unsuitable (wrong job duties, hostile environment, etc.). Avoid emotional language and stick to factual descriptions.

Hey just wondering what happened?? Did u end up quitting? Im in a sorta similar situaton and curious what you decided 2 do!

Just wanted to add some clarification on the legal side of this: The pandemic overpayment review is happening due to the Relief for Taxpayers Act that passed in 2024. ESD is legally required to review ALL pandemic-era overpayments, even small ones like yours. There's no way to opt out of the review itself, but you can definitely decline any refund they might determine you're eligible for. Based on my experience as a benefits navigator, I'd recommend sending a secure message through your eServices account that simply states: "I acknowledge the pandemic overpayment review process, but formally decline any waiver or refund that may result from this review. Please note this decision in my file." That creates a record of your preference while minimizing your interaction with them.

lol everyone in these comments acting like ESD is actually organized enough to follow through on anything. I got the same emails 9 months ago, ignored them all, and literally nothing happened. Their systems are so messed up they probably have no idea who's responded and who hasn't. I wouldn't waste a minute of mental energy on this.

For anyone dealing with "Able and Available" adjudication specifically: make sure to upload any documentation you have to your eServices account under "Upload a Document." If your issue was related to illness, upload a doctor's note. If it was about travel, upload itinerary showing you've returned. This won't replace talking to a rep, but it can speed things up once you do connect with someone. I was in adjudication for "Able and Available" for 4 weeks in February. When I finally got through, the agent told me she could see my uploaded documents and that helped expedite my claim resolution. My payments started coming through about 3 days after that call.

Update on my experience: After using Claimyr to get through to ESD, they resolved my adjudication issue in one call. The agent told me they're currently experiencing a 25-day backlog for adjudication cases that don't get escalated by phone. So definitely worth trying to reach them directly rather than waiting for them to process your case in order.