Anyone used Unemployment Law Project for ESD appeal? Need experiences ASAP

I used Unemployment Law Project last year for a similar situation. They're a non-profit that provides free/low-cost legal help specifically for unemployment cases. They were honestly amazing for me. They don't charge if you're low income - they asked about my finances and said I qualified for free representation. A lawyer helped me prepare all my evidence and even represented me at the hearing. In my case, ESD originally disqualified me saying I didn't meet job search requirements, but ULP helped me prove I actually did complete them but the employer's system wasn't recording them properly. We won the appeal and I didn't have to pay back anything. Their website is unemploymentlawproject.org - you should contact them ASAP because they get super busy. They prioritize cases that are close to hearing dates though, so with 3 weeks left you should be fine.

ULP is good but they are SWAMPED with cases. i tried to get help from them but they couldnt take my case bc they had too many ppl already. ended up representing myself and lost :( make sure you call them TODAY not tomorrow bc seriously they fill up fast

I'm an employment attorney and while I don't work directly with ULP, I can confirm they provide excellent services. For your specific situation (schedule change affecting childcare), you should gather these documents before your hearing: 1. Any written communication about your original work schedule when hired 2. Documentation of the schedule change (emails, texts, new posted schedules) 3. Evidence of your childcare situation (provider hours, contracts) 4. Any communication where you explained the conflict to your employer 5. Witnesses who can testify about your attempts to resolve the issue Under Washington law, a substantial involuntary schedule change that conflicts with necessary childcare can qualify as "good cause" for leaving employment, especially if you made reasonable efforts to resolve the conflict before leaving. ULP can help you frame this argument properly. If ULP can't take your case due to capacity issues, consider contacting the Northwest Justice Project or your county's volunteer legal services as alternatives.

My cousin used them last summer and they helped her win her appeal but she had to wait like 2 weeks for them to get back to her initially. Something about intake process? Just keep calling if you don't hear back right away

I had a HORRIBLE experience with ESD claims last year. Waited 4 months for a determination only to be denied for ridiculous reasons. Called ULP and they were booked solid. Ended up just getting hung up on by ESD every time I called to explain my situation!! FINALLY found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual ESD agent in about 20 minutes after waiting for weeks. The agent was able to look at my file and actually found that there were notes in the system supporting my case that the adjudicator missed!! If you need to talk to ESD directly (which you might alongside ULP), check out their video to see how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 and their website is claimyr.com. Literally saved my sanity during the whole appeal process.

The system is RIGGED against workers!!! ESD automatically sides with employers because they don't want to pay out benefits. I had ULP help me and even WITH their help I still lost my appeal. The OAH judge totally ignored my evidence. Now I'm stuck with a $7,200 overpayment that I'll NEVER be able to pay back. The whole unemployment system is corrupt and broken!!!

Back to the original question about ULP: when you call them, have these things ready: 1. Your ESD claim ID number 2. The date of your scheduled hearing 3. A copy of your disqualification letter 4. A basic timeline of what happened with your job They'll do an initial screening to see if they can take your case. If they can, they'll schedule a longer meeting to go through everything in detail. The attorney I worked with spent about 2 hours helping me organize my evidence and prepare my testimony. They know exactly what the Administrative Law Judges are looking for in these cases. Be completely honest with them about all aspects of your situation - even things you think might hurt your case. They need the full picture to represent you effectively.

my friend had a situation with ULP where they couldnt take her full case but still gave her a free consultation with advice on how to handle her own hearing like what evidence to bring and what to say it was still super helpful even tho they didnt represent her

UPDATE: ULP called me back and agreed to take my case! They're assigning me an attorney who specializes in "voluntary quit" cases. I have a meeting with them next week to go through all my evidence. They said based on what I described, I have a decent chance of winning my appeal, especially since I have texts showing I tried to work with my employer on the schedule issue before leaving. Thanks everyone for your advice! I'll post another update after my hearing to let you know how it goes. For anyone facing a similar situation, definitely reach out to ULP as soon as possible!