This is so frustrating! Something similar happened to me, though in my case it was quitting due to hostile work environment. The adjudicator completely misrepresented what I said. I wonder if they're overwhelmed and rushing through claims? One tip for your hearing - when I had mine, I wrote up a very clear timeline with dates and submitted it beforehand. The judge specifically mentioned how helpful that was. Be super concise about why you HAD to quit (no other options) and focus on the fact that caring for family with serious health needs is explicitly covered under good cause provisions. Also, start claiming weeks again right away if you haven't been. If you win the appeal, they'll only pay for weeks you've claimed, not automatically for the whole period. Found that out the hard way!

I just reread your post and noticed you mentioned qualifying under 3 other reasons too - what were those? Might be helpful for others to know all the valid quit reasons!

everyone giving great advice but nobody mentioned you should keep filing your weekly claims even while appealing!!!! if you stop filing and then win appeal later you might not get all backpay

I'm right in the middle of an OAH appeal after my CRO petition was denied twice too. It's so frustrating how they make this process so complicated! The hearing is next week and I'm super nervous. My lawyer said voluntary quit cases are winnable if you have good documentation, which it sounds like you do. Did you have a definite conversation with your boss about the reduced hours before you left? That's apparently really important to show at the hearing.

this happened to my sister last month!! she quit one job for another, then got laid off from the second job. ESD denied her claim initially saying she "voluntarily quit employment" which was technically true for the first job but not for the second!! she had to file an appeal and it was super stressful. the whole time ESD kept saying "keep filing weekly claims" even though she wasn't getting paid!! the system is so broken!!

Just to summarize what everyone has shared (which is all good info): 1. You CAN still receive benefits if only one employer approves 2. Benefits will likely be calculated using only the wages from the approved employer 3. Quitting one job for a better paying job is usually considered "good cause" in Washington 4. You MUST continue filing weekly claims during adjudication 5. Keep doing your 3 job search activities each week and documenting them 6. Adjudication times vary but seem to be taking 3-5 weeks currently 7. If approved, you'll receive backpay for weeks claimed during adjudication The most important thing is to keep filing those weekly claims and doing your job search activities while waiting. If your claim goes into adjudication for a while and you need to speak with someone at ESD, that's when options like Claimyr might help you get through faster.

Tried calling ESD to ask this exact same question last month when my hours got cut. Spent DAYS trying to get through just to have them hang up on me when I finally reached a person. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes. They have this video demo that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. The agent confirmed that substantial reduction in hours (25% or more) is good cause for quitting. Worth checking out if you want direct confirmation from ESD about your husband's specific situation.

One more thing to remember - since your husband is going directly to new employment, this might never even become an issue unless he files for unemployment that includes that union employer in his base year. When you file for unemployment, ESD looks at your work history for the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters. So if he works at the new job for a while before ever needing to file, the union job might not even be in his base year calculation.

wait do u need to kep doing job serch after winning appeal? i thought once u win u just get paid automatically?

UPDATE: I called ESD this morning and finally got through after being on hold for 2.5 hours! The agent confirmed they received the Commissioner's decision and are processing it. They're allowing me to backfile for all the weeks I missed, but I have to answer the job search questions for each week. She said I should see the payments within 7-10 business days. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

Just to follow up on your original question - the number specifically for PFML questions is 833-717-2273. They're supposedly open Monday-Friday 8am-5pm, but realistically their lines are often at capacity by 9am. Try calling right when they open for the best chance of getting through. And don't worry about the weekly claims - that's only for regular unemployment, not PFML.

Thank you! I'll try calling first thing tomorrow morning. It's reassuring to know I haven't been missing weekly claim filings this whole time!

One other important thing to remember is that you still need to do your 3 job search activities each week, even while the overpayment is being sorted out. I've seen people get denied because they thought they could skip this requirement while dealing with other ESD issues. Keep detailed records of all your job search activities!

Just to follow up on your question - yes, virtual job fairs still count as a job search activity as of 2025. Also, I want to clarify about the offset process: while 50% is standard, ESD does have an official financial hardship application that can reduce the offset percentage if you can demonstrate that the 50% offset would cause significant financial hardship. You'll need to provide documentation of your expenses versus income. The form is available in your eServices account under the "Upload a Document" section.

any update??? did u get thru to someone???

UPDATE: I finally got through!!! Used that Claimyr service someone recommended and got connected to an ESD agent who transferred me directly to my adjudicator at 3:45pm! We had a quick 10-minute conversation about my disability accommodations, and she said everything looks good and she'll be approving my claim! Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your help!

The statutory timeframe for OAH decisions is 30 days, but most judges try to issue decisions more quickly. From my experience helping claimants, the average is 10-14 days for a decision to be mailed. A few important tips: 1. Continue filing your weekly claims while waiting for the decision 2. Check both eServices and your physical mail 3. If you win, ESD typically processes payments within 3-7 business days 4. If you haven't received a decision after 3 weeks, you can contact OAH directly at 1-800-366-0955 Best of luck with your appeal. Based on what you described (employer claiming voluntary quit vs. layoff), if you presented clear evidence of the layoff, your chances are good.

Thank you everyone! I just received the notice today that the judgment was reversed and I'm owed all the back pay, whoo hoo!!! Edit: it's already showing my past weeks as paid. Whoo hoo! I'll see some money soon! Thank goodness!!!

mine just changed to PAID!!! check yours guys. its 1:45pm here

For future reference, these delays tend to happen around the same time every quarter - usually the third week of January, April, July and October when they do their system maintenance. I always budget a little extra cushion during these weeks just in case. Glad everyone's payments are coming through now!