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I just went through this exact same process about 6 weeks ago! The waiting period after the hearing is honestly the worst part because you just have no idea which way it's going to go. But based on what you're describing - having documented emails about safety concerns that were ignored - you actually sound like you have a really strong case. That's exactly the kind of "good cause" evidence that tends to win appeals for voluntary quits. A few things that might help while you wait: 1) Keep filing your weekly claims even while waiting for the decision (you won't get paid yet but it keeps your claim active), 2) The decision will show up in eServices usually a day or two before the paper copy arrives in the mail, and 3) Try not to read too much into how the hearing "felt" - I thought mine went terribly but I actually won! The timeline is usually 2-3 weeks like others mentioned. Hang in there and try to stay positive - documented safety concerns are one of the strongest reasons for a successful voluntary quit appeal.
This is so helpful, thank you! I've been continuing to file my weekly claims like you suggested, but I wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do. It's reassuring to hear from someone who went through this recently and had a positive outcome. I keep second-guessing whether I had enough documentation, but I do have a pretty solid paper trail of the safety issues I reported. How long did it take to get your back payments after you won?
I'm going through something similar right now - had my appeal hearing two weeks ago and still waiting for the decision! The anxiety is killing me. From what I've read here and researched online, it sounds like you have a really solid case with all that documentation about safety concerns. That's exactly the kind of evidence that shows "good cause" for leaving. One thing that's helped me manage the stress is setting up notifications in my eServices account so I get an alert as soon as anything changes. Also, I started keeping a little journal of all the timeline info people have shared here - helps me feel more in control when I can see the typical patterns. Really hoping you get good news soon! The fact that you took the time to document everything and report it through proper channels before leaving shows you were acting reasonably. Keep us posted on what happens!
I'm in almost the exact same situation! Had my hearing 10 days ago and checking eServices obsessively every day. The waiting is absolutely brutal - I can't focus on anything else. Your idea about keeping a journal is actually really smart, I might start doing that too. It's so reassuring to hear from people who have been through this process and know what to expect. Fingers crossed we both get positive decisions soon! The documentation really does seem to be the key factor from everything I'm reading here.
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I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago with a temp agency placement that lasted 5 months. The agency kept giving me the runaround about "maybe next week" for new assignments, so I finally just filed for unemployment benefits. Best decision I made! Got approved within about 2 weeks and have been collecting ever since while looking for permanent work. The key things that helped me were: 1) Filing immediately after my assignment ended rather than waiting around, 2) Being very clear on the application that my "assignment was completed" rather than saying I quit or was fired, and 3) Keeping all my paperwork from the temp agency just in case. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty about filing - you worked, you paid taxes, and you're entitled to these benefits just like anyone else whose job ended. The temporary nature of the work doesn't disqualify you at all in Washington state.
This is really reassuring to read! I'm in almost the same boat - my temp assignment just ended after 6 months and the agency is being vague about future opportunities. Your point about filing immediately rather than waiting around really hits home. I keep second-guessing myself about whether I should file, but hearing from someone who went through the exact same process and got approved makes me feel much more confident. I especially appreciate the tip about being specific with the separation reason - "assignment was completed" sounds much clearer than just saying "job ended." Thanks for sharing your experience and for the reminder that we earned these benefits!
I've been working temp assignments through agencies for about 3 years now and have filed for unemployment between assignments several times - never had a single issue! The process is exactly the same as if you were laid off from a regular job. My advice: file immediately when your assignment ends (don't wait for the agency to "maybe" find you something), be clear that your assignment was completed rather than saying you quit, and keep all your documentation from the temp agency. Washington state treats temp work the same as any other employment for UI purposes. You paid into the system through your paychecks, so you've absolutely earned these benefits. Don't let anyone make you feel like temporary work somehow doesn't "count" - it definitely does!
This is incredibly helpful! As someone new to temp work, I was really worried about whether filing for unemployment would somehow be "wrong" or if there would be complications because the job was temporary. Your experience over 3 years really puts things in perspective - it sounds like this is a normal part of how temp work functions. I especially appreciate you emphasizing that we earned these benefits through our paychecks. Sometimes it's easy to forget that we've been paying into the system just like everyone else. Your advice about filing immediately and being clear about the separation reason is going to be really useful when I submit my application. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience!
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I went through something very similar a few months ago and was absolutely panicking! Like others have said, the key is calling ESD as soon as possible to correct it. When I finally got through (took me about 4 tries over 2 days), the agent was actually really understanding and said they see this mistake constantly. One thing that helped me was having my work schedule/timesheet ready when I called, so I could give them the exact dates and hours. They were able to make the correction on the spot and it didn't affect my benefits since I was still under the threshold. For stopping your claim when you go back to work full-time, you really can just stop filing - no formal closure needed. Your claim will automatically go inactive after 4 weeks of not claiming, but it stays open for the full year in case your employment situation changes. Congrats on the new job and don't stress too much about this - you're doing the right thing by fixing it proactively!
Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really comforting to hear from someone who went through the exact same thing. I'm definitely going to have all my paperwork ready before I call - that's a great tip. It sounds like ESD agents are pretty used to dealing with this kind of mistake, which makes me feel a lot better about the whole situation. I was worried they'd think I was trying to game the system or something, but it sounds like they can tell the difference between honest mistakes and intentional fraud. Really appreciate you taking the time to share the details of your experience!
I just wanted to add my experience since I went through this exact same thing about 6 months ago! I was reporting income based on when I got paid instead of when I worked, and I was terrified when I realized my mistake. What really helped me was calling first thing in the morning (around 8:05 AM) right when the lines opened - I got through on my second try that way instead of calling during peak hours. The agent was super helpful and explained that this is literally one of the most common mistakes they see, especially for people new to unemployment. She fixed my previous weeks on the spot and even explained the rule more clearly: you report hours for the Sunday-Saturday week you actually performed the work, regardless of when the paycheck arrives. Simple once you know it, but definitely confusing at first! The whole call took maybe 15 minutes and saved me weeks of stress. Definitely call ASAP though - they told me that self-reporting mistakes early shows good faith and makes the whole process much smoother.
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I went through almost the exact same thing two years ago - fired 5 days after returning from maternity leave for alleged "performance issues" that were never mentioned before I left. Washington ESD approved my claim and my former employer's contest was denied at the hearing. The administrative law judge basically said the timing was too suspicious and they couldn't provide any evidence of actual performance problems prior to my leave. It took about 8 weeks total but I got full benefits plus backpay. The stress was awful with a new baby, but don't let them intimidate you - this kind of retaliation is exactly what unemployment insurance is designed to protect against. Your case sounds even stronger than mine was since you were only out 3 days before they fired you. Stay strong and keep fighting!
This is so reassuring to hear from someone who went through the exact same thing! The timing in your case (5 days) and mine (3 days) is almost identical - it's like they don't even try to hide the retaliation anymore. I'm definitely feeling stressed about the whole process, especially with everything else going on with the new baby, but hearing that you got approved and won the hearing gives me hope. Did you have a lawyer for the hearing or did you represent yourself? I'm trying to figure out if I need to start looking for legal help now or wait to see what happens with the initial claim.
I represented myself at the hearing and it went fine - the evidence was pretty clear-cut. The employer's lawyer couldn't really explain away the timing, and I had all my documentation organized. If you have your FMLA paperwork and that recent performance review showing you were meeting expectations, you should be in good shape. I'd say wait to see if they contest before getting a lawyer, since most of these cases are pretty straightforward. The administrative law judges see this pattern all the time and know retaliation when they see it. Focus on taking care of yourself and your baby right now - you've got a strong case!
This is absolutely outrageous but unfortunately all too common. Employers think they can get away with FMLA retaliation because they assume people won't know their rights or will be too overwhelmed to fight back. The fact that you were terminated just 3 days after returning from leave is textbook retaliation - no legitimate employer fires someone for "performance issues" that suddenly developed while they were on protected leave. You should definitely be eligible for unemployment benefits, and I'd also strongly encourage you to file a complaint with the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division about the FMLA violation. Document everything, keep all your paperwork, and don't let them gaslight you into thinking this is legitimate. You did nothing wrong by taking leave to care for your newborn, and they're the ones who broke the law here.
James Johnson
Just stumbled across this thread and wow, Oliver - what an absolutely insane ordeal you've been through! I'm relatively new to dealing with ESD but this whole situation has me both furious on your behalf and terrified about my own potential issues. The fact that you were stuck for 10+ weeks because your employer had the audacity to falsely claim you "quit" from what was clearly a documented mass layoff is beyond infuriating. That's not just wrong - that's filing fraudulent information and should have real consequences. What really strikes me is how this exposes the complete breakdown in ESD's communication system. You never got the adjudication questionnaire, never received any notification about the dispute, nothing. It's terrifying to think about how many other people might be stuck in identical situations right now, just refreshing their portal every day with no clue that there's actually something they need to respond to. I'm definitely going to check out Claimyr - it's absolutely ridiculous that we need to pay third-party services just to communicate with our own state unemployment office, but if it's the difference between getting through and being stuck in limbo for months, it sounds like money well spent. Your persistence and detailed documentation throughout this nightmare is going to be invaluable for anyone else who finds themselves in a similar situation. Really hoping that 72-hour timeline actually holds up and you get approved with full backpay for every single week of this mess. After the financial stress and anxiety you've endured because of their system failures, they owe you way more than just the standard benefits. Please keep us updated on the final outcome - we're all invested in seeing this finally resolved for you!
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Miguel Herrera
•I'm also new here and just finished reading through Oliver's entire saga - what an absolutely wild ride! It's incredible that you had to go through all of this just to find out your employer was basically lying about the circumstances of your termination. A mass layoff with 12 people getting falsely reported as individual "quits" is just shameless on their part. I'm so glad you finally broke through with Claimyr and got to the bottom of what was happening. It really makes you wonder how many other people are sitting in the exact same situation right now, completely unaware that their employer contested their claim or that there's paperwork they never received. The fact that ESD's system can just silently fail like this without any alerts or notifications is honestly terrifying. I'm definitely keeping Claimyr bookmarked for future reference - it seems like the only reliable way to actually reach a human being when you need help. Really hoping you get that approval within the promised timeline and receive every penny you're owed in backpay. After 10+ weeks of this nightmare, they better make it right! Thanks for sharing your experience so openly - it's going to help so many people who find themselves in similar situations.
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Scarlett Forster
This entire thread has been such a rollercoaster to follow! Oliver, I'm so sorry you had to endure 10+ weeks of financial stress because of such massive system failures - that's absolutely unacceptable. The fact that your employer had the nerve to falsely claim you "quit" when you were clearly part of a documented layoff with 12 other people is just outrageous and should honestly result in penalties for filing fraudulent disputes. I'm really glad you finally got through using Claimyr and discovered what was actually happening with your claim. It's terrifying that the adjudicator never sent you the required questionnaire - you could have been stuck in limbo indefinitely without even knowing there was something you needed to respond to. This really highlights how broken ESD's communication system is and makes me wonder how many other people are currently stuck in similar situations. I'm definitely bookmarking Claimyr for future reference - it's ridiculous that we need third-party services just to reach our own state agencies, but if it's the only way to actually talk to a human being then it's clearly worth it. Your persistence in documenting everything and trying different approaches is going to be so valuable for anyone else who finds this thread when dealing with similar nightmares. Really hoping that 72-hour timeline holds up and you get approved with full backpay for all those weeks of wrongful delay. After everything you've been through, they owe you way more than just the standard benefits. Thanks for being so transparent about sharing your journey - it takes courage to be open about such a stressful situation, but your experience is going to help countless others navigate this broken system. Please keep us updated when you hear back!
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