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.

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.

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.

MAKE SURE you keep doing your job search activities even while waiting for everything to update!!! I know someone who thought winning their appeal meant they didn't have to do job search for a while (no idea why they thought that) and they got disqualified all over again for a completely different reason. Don't give ESD any excuse!

I went through something similar last year! The system lag is frustrating but totally normal. One thing I'd add to the great advice already given - if you haven't already, I'd recommend requesting a copy of the written appeal decision for your records. Sometimes it takes a few weeks to arrive by mail, but having that official document can be really helpful if any questions come up later about your eligibility. You can usually request it by calling the appeals office directly (they're easier to reach than the main ESD line). Congrats on winning your appeal!

One more thing - if you're getting other benefits like workers comp or disability, it can affect your unemployment eligibility. They don't want you 'double dipping' even if the situations are different.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that they can also deny you if you're receiving severance pay or other separation payments. Washington ESD considers this as wages for the period it covers, which can delay when your benefits start or affect your weekly benefit amount. If you got a severance package, make sure to report it accurately when you file - they'll find out anyway when they verify your wages with your employer. Better to be upfront about it than have them discover it later and potentially hit you with an overpayment.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm bookmarking this for future reference. One thing I'd add for anyone still struggling - if you're using Safari on Mac, try switching to Chrome or Firefox. Safari has some weird compatibility issues with the ESD site that cause similar login loops. Also, make sure your browser is updated to the latest version. I spent hours troubleshooting only to find out my Chrome was like 6 months out of date and that was causing the redirects to fail. The whole SAW integration is honestly a mess, but at least there are workarounds!

Just wanted to add another potential fix that worked for me when I had the same issue last year - if you're still getting stuck in loops even after following all the great advice here, try logging into SAW from an incognito/private browser window. Sometimes cached session data from previous login attempts can interfere with the authentication process. Also, I noticed that if you have multiple Washington state services linked to your SAW account (like licensing, voting registration, etc.), it can sometimes cause conflicts. In my case, I had to temporarily remove my business license service from SAW, add the unemployment insurance service, complete the setup, and then re-add the business license later. It's a pain but it worked when nothing else did!