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It went fine! You were all right - just a quick 15 minute call where the judge explained the hearing process, confirmed my subpoena requests (approved 2 out of 3), and made sure we all had the same documents. My employer was there but barely said anything. Now I feel much better prepared for the actual hearing next week! Thanks everyone for calming me down yesterday!
Good luck with your actual hearing! Quick tip - write down all your key points beforehand so you don't forget anything important when you get nervous. And remember to address all your comments to the judge, not directly to your former employer, even if they say something you want to respond to. The judge really appreciated when I maintained that formality.
To directly answer your question: Yes, this is normal. The governor's office liaison team can only expedite claims; they cannot access the ESD system or tell you why you're in adjudication. Their role is limited to flagging claims for priority review. Regarding the identity verification issue: This is currently the most common reason for adjudication. The September 2025 date is likely just when your identity verification expires in their system (they typically set it for 12 months from verification). Here's what you should do: 1. Make sure ALL identity documents are uploaded again (both sides of ID, SS card, proof of address) 2. Call ESD directly - the expedite request doesn't guarantee immediate action 3. Check your spam/junk folders for any ESD correspondence 4. If you uploaded docs via smartphone, try re-uploading via computer if possible (better image quality) In January 2025, ESD implemented a new identity verification system that has been causing many claims to be flagged for review. The average resolution time is currently 17-21 days even with expedite requests.
Has your issue been resolved yet? It's been a few days since your post. If not, I really recommend trying to get through to an actual ESD agent rather than waiting. The governor's office expedite is helpful but still leaves you waiting without knowing what's happening.
wait so ur parents own a rental and ur living there? does ESD know thats where u moved? they might think ur just trying to help ur family business or something
My parents own a small rental property that happened to be vacant when I needed to move. I'm supposed to pay them rent (which I'm now behind on). But you bring up a good point - maybe ESD misunderstood the situation. I'll make sure to clarify that this is a legitimate landlord-tenant arrangement with my parents.
Looking at the exact wording of your denial, I'd recommend requesting copies of all documents in your claim file through a formal records request ASAP. You need to see exactly what the adjudicator documented in their fact-finding. Sometimes they misinterpret information or record something incorrectly. For housing-related quits, ESD is specifically looking for documentation that: 1. The housing change was truly involuntary 2. The cost of available housing near your job would create significant financial hardship 3. The commute would be unreasonable by normal standards For your second appeal, I strongly recommend submitting a pre-hearing brief that clearly addresses each point in the denial letter with corresponding evidence. This gives the judge a roadmap to follow during your hearing.
One thing no one mentioned - if you worked AT ALL during your benefit year (even part-time), you might qualify for a new claim. Worth checking into. The base period for a new claim would be different from your original one.
Based on your comment about working for 2 months last summer, you should definitely apply for a new claim. The worst they can say is no, but you might qualify for at least some benefits. Make sure to have all your employment information ready when you apply, including employer name, address, dates worked, and earnings.
i filed for 3 months before getting paid so dont feel bad lol. the key is to KEEP FILING every week even if ur not getting paid cuz once they fix whatever the problem is they'll pay u all the back weeks. but only if u filed! just be patient its super annoying but eventually they figure it out
This is crucial advice - absolutely continue filing your weekly claims even when payments aren't coming through. Think of it as reserving your place in line for each week. If you stop filing because you're not getting paid, you'll lose eligibility for those weeks permanently, even if the original issue gets resolved. Always better to have claims on file that can be paid retroactively once issues are cleared.
After reviewing your situation, I can confirm what others have said about the Able and Available adjudication holding up your payments. However, there's something important nobody has mentioned yet: you should check if you've been assigned to any mandatory WorkSource activities. Sometimes when there's an Able and Available flag, they also require participation in job search activities through WorkSource. Missing these can extend the adjudication period. Check your eServices account for any notices about WorkSource requirements. Also, when you do connect with an agent about your adjudication issue, ask them to verify there are no other hidden issues with your claim that could cause problems after the current one is resolved. Once the adjudication is complete and if they rule in your favor, you should receive all back payments for properly filed weeks in a lump sum.
I just checked and I don't see any WorkSource requirements on my account, but that's definitely good to know about! I'll make sure to ask about that specifically when I talk to an agent. Thank you so much for all the helpful information. I feel much less stressed now that I understand what's happening with my claim. I'll update here once I get this resolved in case it helps someone else in the future.
I actually came here looking for information about standby status but saw your post and wanted to chime in. My daughter went through something very similar with a toxic boss at her accounting firm. Her anxiety got so bad she had to quit. For her appeal, she had her therapist write a detailed letter explaining how the workplace conditions directly impacted her mental health. That seemed to make a big difference - she won her appeal. Maybe ask your doctor for something similar?
Thank you all for the helpful advice! I've started putting together my appeal packet with: 1. Timeline of harassment incidents with manager 2. Copies of both HR complaints 3. Email showing my denied transfer request 4. Doctor's notes and anxiety diagnosis 5. Text messages from coworkers who witnessed some incidents I'm going to ask my doctor for a more detailed letter specifically connecting my anxiety to the workplace harassment. And I'll definitely keep filing my weekly claims while this is all happening. Still nervous about the hearing, but feeling much more prepared now. Will update once I have a decision!
This sounds like a really solid approach. One more tip - at the hearing, be ready to explain why you couldn't resolve the issue AND why the situation was so bad that any reasonable person would have quit. Those are the two main hurdles in these cases. Wishing you the best of luck!
You can still change your payment method even after your claims show PAID status. Log in to eServices, go to Settings > Payment Method, and update it to direct deposit with your bank information. If you do this within 24 hours of the PAID status appearing, there's a good chance the payment will go to your bank account instead of the card. However, if it's been more than a day, the payment may already be processing to the card. In that case, once you receive the card, you can transfer the funds to your bank account through the card's online portal.
jst a tip, make sure u print ur wage report when they send it to u becuz i didnt and then i noticed they missed like $4000 from one job and by the time i called to fix it was too late, had to struggle with smaller payments then i shoulda got
Update: I went ahead and applied yesterday. My monetary determination showed they used Q1-Q4 2024 as my base year. I'm actually ok with the benefit amount they calculated. Thanks for helping me understand how it works everyone!
another thing - i think someone else kinda said this but make sure u keep filing claims until ur working full time (32+ hrs). u can still get partial benefits if ur hours are low at first
Just to add one more important detail - when reporting your work activity, you'll need to enter your hours and gross earnings (before any deductions). For the earnings, use your hourly rate × hours worked that day if you don't have a pay stub yet. Remember that ESD considers you to be "unemployed" for that week if you work less than full-time hours AND your earnings are less than your weekly benefit amount + $5 (or 15% of your weekly benefit, whichever is greater). So with only one day of work, you should still receive a significant portion of your benefits for that week.
Maggie Martinez
my freind had this same problem but with L&I not ESD i think all the state agencys dont talk to eachother lol. she got her money back after like 2 months. good luck!!
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Lourdes Fox
•L&I and ESD both terrible! But at least your friend got her money back. Some people never see a dime after the government wrongfully takes it!
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Teresa Boyd
Just to follow up on this thread: I checked with a colleague at ESD today about the current timing. For refunds of tax offsets when there's an approved waiver, they're currently processing these in about 4 weeks if you provide all the documentation correctly. Make sure you've submitted the Form 483-B specifically, as this initiates the refund process in their system. Without this form, your case might get delayed even if you've called and emailed.
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Mohamed Anderson
•Thank you for checking! I finally got through to someone yesterday and they confirmed they received my Form 483-B. They said it would take 3-5 weeks to process. I'm just glad there's a path to getting our money back. I'll update here when we get it!
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