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My husband went through something similar with his construction job layoff. When we called, nobody even mentioned a supervisor review? I wonder if that's only for certain types of claims or if his adjudicator just skipped telling us that part. His took exactly 24 hours to change from pending to paid after talking to the adjudicator. I remember because we were checking constantly too!
So relieved to see your update! I went through almost the exact same thing 3 months ago - adjudicator said it looked approved, then I spent 2 days obsessively refreshing my account. The waiting is honestly the worst part when you're stressed about money. For anyone else going through this, the overnight system updates seem to be pretty consistent. Mine switched to paid at like 3am and the funds were in my bank account by noon the next day. Hope your rent situation works out okay now!
Does anyone know if the OAH hearings are still all by phone because of COVID or are they doing in-person again? I had mine over the phone last year and felt like it was harder for the judge to connect with my situation. Would've been better in person where they could see how genuinely upset I was about the whole thing.
They're still mostly doing phone hearings but you can request video now too. I had mine by video in February and it worked really well. Just make sure you test your setup beforehand because technical issues can eat into your hearing time. The official OAH notice will have instructions for requesting video instead of phone.
I'm facing a similar situation right now and this thread is incredibly helpful! My employer created such a hostile work environment that my panic attacks got worse, but ESD is treating it like I just decided to quit one day. One question for those who won their OAH hearings - did you submit your medical documentation before the hearing or bring it up during? I have detailed records from my psychiatrist about how work stress was affecting my PTSD, but I'm not sure about the timing of when to present everything. Also, has anyone dealt with an employer who claims they "offered accommodations" that weren't actually reasonable? My boss said I could "just ignore" the coworker who was triggering my episodes, which obviously isn't a real accommodation. I'm worried the judge might think that counts as them trying to help.
Last resort option - you can actually file your weekly claim over the phone if you absolutely can't get into the website. The automated phone system for weekly claims is separate from the regular customer service line. The number should be on your paperwork from when you first filed your claim.
UPDATE: I tried the incognito browser suggestion and it worked! I was able to log in immediately. Thanks everyone for all the help. Turns out it was some kind of browser cache issue after all.
Glad you got it sorted without needing to call. Always try the free fixes first, but good to know there are options like Claimyr if you really get stuck.
UPDATE: I had my appeal hearing yesterday and I want to thank everyone for the advice. The judge was WAY more understanding than the original adjudicator. I presented emails showing the increased workload, text messages to family about my deteriorating mental state, and had my former coworker testify about the conditions. The judge seemed particularly interested in the fact that I had gone to my manager's boss with concerns that were ignored. She said they'll mail the decision in 2-3 weeks, but honestly I feel hopeful for the first time since this started. Even if I don't win, at least someone finally listened to my side of the story without making me feel worthless for prioritizing my health.
That's such great news Omar! The fact that the judge was actually listening and asking thoughtful questions is a really positive sign. You did exactly what you needed to do - presented concrete evidence, had witness testimony, and showed you tried to resolve things internally first. The difference between adjudicators and hearing judges is like night and day. The judges actually understand that people don't just quit good jobs for fun, especially parents with bills to pay. Your case sounds strong based on everything you presented. Keeping my fingers crossed for you! And honestly, even just having someone in authority validate that your situation was legitimate must have felt incredible after that awful initial phone interview. You should be proud of yourself for fighting this.
Sophia Bennett
Bottom line - you don't need to work for any specific company for a minimum amount of time. It's all about your total earnings during the base period. With 18+ months of work history, you should be fine. Just file your claim and see what happens!
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Maria Gonzalez
•Perfect summary! I'm going to file my claim this week. Thanks again everyone for all the help and advice!
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Aiden Chen
•Good luck with your claim! Feel free to post back here if you run into any issues during the process.
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Jamal Anderson
Just wanted to add that I went through something similar last year. I had worked at 4 different jobs over 15 months - some only for a few weeks, others for several months. I was worried I wouldn't qualify because I kept switching jobs, but it turned out my total earnings during the base period were more than enough to meet the requirements. The application process was pretty straightforward once I gathered all my employer information and separation details. Don't let the multiple jobs discourage you from applying - Washington ESD really does just care about your total wages during those specific quarters, not how long you stayed at each place.
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Carmen Ruiz
•This is really encouraging to hear! I was definitely worried about having multiple employers on my record, but it sounds like that's actually pretty common. Did you have any trouble during the application process with providing all the different employer details, or was it pretty straightforward to list everything out?
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