To answer your question about talking to your former employer during the hearing - yes, they'll be on the call too. The judge asks each party questions, and sometimes they'll let you and your employer ask each other questions through the judge. It's formal but not like a court trial. One important tip: have all your documentation organized and in front of you during the call. The judge will reference specific documents, and you'll want to be able to quickly find what they're talking about. Also, stick to factual statements rather than emotions or accusations. If your documentation about safety concerns is solid, especially that doctor's note, you have a good chance. The key is showing that you had no reasonable alternative but to quit. Judges tend to look favorably on cases where you can demonstrate you tried to resolve the issues before leaving.

To follow up on your question about submitting additional documentation: Yes, you absolutely can and should submit any additional relevant evidence you find. However, there are strict rules about timing: 1. Submit new evidence at least 7 days before your hearing 2. Make sure to send copies to all parties (ESD, your former employer, and OAH) 3. Keep proof that you submitted the documents (email confirmation, fax receipt, etc.) If you find crucial evidence after the deadline, you can still try to submit it, but the judge has discretion whether to accept it or not. The hearing notice you receive will contain specific instructions on how to submit evidence. Also, prepare a clear, chronological statement explaining why you had good cause to quit. Focus specifically on the safety issues, your attempts to resolve them, and why continuing to work there would have been unreasonable. This preparation will be valuable regardless of whether there's a hearing.

One tip that helped me was to make sure I had all my information ready before calling. Have your claim ID, social security number, the dates of any issues, and any correspondence reference numbers handy. This speeds up the process when you finally get through. Also, be extremely specific about your issue when the automated system asks why you're calling. Depending on what you say, it routes you to different departments with different wait times. I found Monday mornings to be the absolute worst time to call. Thursdays seemed better in my experience.

if nothing else works go to ur local worksource office in person. sometimes they can help u get connected to esd faster

After reading through this thread again, I think what you're experiencing is specifically the "phantom claim acceptance" issue. This has been documented since they upgraded their IVR phone system in January 2025. The phone system says the claim is accepted, but it never actually gets transmitted to the main database. You absolutely need to speak with an ESD agent at this point. The longer you wait, the more complicated it gets. Since it's been 36 hours already, I'd recommend trying again tomorrow, but don't wait beyond 72 hours. When you do get through, use these exact words: "My weekly claim filed by phone on [date] received a verbal acceptance but shows no record in the system." This will trigger them to check a specific log in their system that tracks IVR claim attempts, which can prove you actually tried to file on time.

UPDATE: I managed to get through to ESD this morning! For anyone experiencing this in the future, I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above and got connected to an agent within 30 minutes instead of spending all day redialing. The agent confirmed there was a "submission error" on my claim - apparently the phone system accepted it but it never transferred to the main database. They were able to see in their logs that I had attempted to file, so they manually entered my claim while I was on the phone. It should now process normally and I should get paid in 2-3 business days. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions! This community saved me so much stress.

When I started my new job last year, I just called and told them I was employed now and didn't need benefits anymore and they said ok and that was it. But reading these comments, sounds like I should have kept filing for a bit? No one came after me though so I guess either way works?

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! To summarize what I've learned: 1. Keep filing weekly claims and truthfully report my work and earnings 2. Report GROSS earnings for when I worked (not when paid) 3. Continue filing for 2-3 weeks after starting the job 4. After 4 weeks of $0 benefits, my claim becomes inactive automatically This is super helpful and much clearer than anything on the ESD website!

Quick update on timelines - I work with unemployment cases regularly, and the current adjudication wait for standard cases is running about 5-6 weeks. However, for cases involving veteran status and legitimate medical/physical limitations, it can sometimes be expedited if properly flagged. If you have medical documentation from the VA showing your service-connected condition and how it made the civilian job unsuitable, that's exactly what you need. This creates a very specific unemployment situation where the voluntary quit would likely be considered with good cause. Until adjudication is complete, just keep filing those weekly claims, and consider reaching out to WorkSource's veteran services specialists. They sometimes have direct channels to help veterans navigate ESD issues.

btw dont forget ur job search activities while waiting! 3 per week even when pending. i messed that up and had to start all over