Approved after employer falsely claimed I quit! 7-week adjudication nightmare finally over
Just got approved for unemployment at 2:15 AM today after fighting with ESD for almost 7 weeks! My case had been stuck in adjudication since March 3rd with no movement whatsoever. My former company tried claiming I voluntarily quit because I 'couldn't meet standards' which was complete BS - they actually laid me off. After 5 weeks of silence, I called the governor's office (desperate times!) and my claim was escalated. Finally got a call from an adjudicator's assistant yesterday who let me explain what really happened. I was ready to take this way beyond just ESD if they'd denied me based on my employer's false statements. Thank goodness my claim status finally changed to PAID at 2:15 AM! Should see the money within 2-3 days. The backpay will be around $5,800 which I desperately need after burning through savings. If anyone's dealing with employer misrepresentation or stuck in endless adjudication, I'm happy to share what worked for me!
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Jabari-Jo
Congrats! the same thing happened to my brother-in-law last month his boss said he quit but he was actually fired they do this ALL THE TIME to avoid their unemployment rates going up!!!
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Seraphina Delan
•Exactly!! I was shocked when the adjudicator told me what my employer claimed. They know perfectly well I was called into a meeting and told my position was eliminated. Trying to avoid those UI tax increases I guess.
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Kristin Frank
What number did you call at the governor's office? I've been stuck in adjudication for 4 weeks now and can't reach anyone at ESD. Getting desperate as rent is coming due and I'm almost out of savings.
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Seraphina Delan
•I called the main constituent services line at 360-902-4111. I explained that I had exhausted all normal channels and was facing financial hardship. They took my info and someone from their office contacted ESD on my behalf. Got a call from ESD about 8 days later. Definitely worth trying!
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Micah Trail
This is actually quite common, unfortunately. Employers often misrepresent separation circumstances to avoid increases in their UI tax rate. When they report a voluntary quit or misconduct termination rather than a layoff, it triggers automatic adjudication. For anyone facing similar issues: 1. Document everything about your separation (emails, texts, termination letter) 2. Respond to ESD questions with specific facts, not emotions 3. Be prepared to explain exactly why the employer's statement is incorrect 4. If stuck more than 3 weeks, request escalation via your state representative The fact pattern actually matters significantly in these cases. ESD generally approves claims when the evidence shows the employer's statement is inconsistent with documented facts.
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Kristin Frank
•This is really helpful. My former employer is claiming I was terminated for attendance issues, but I have doctor's notes for every absence. Should I upload those to my ESD account or wait until they ask for them specifically?
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Nia Watson
Did you have any documentation to prove you were laid off rather than quitting? I'm currently fighting a similar battle with my ex-employer who's claiming I voluntarily left due to "inability to perform duties" when they actually eliminated my entire department. Just wondering what kind of evidence helped your case.
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Seraphina Delan
•I had saved emails where my manager discussed the 'upcoming restructuring' a week before I was let go. Also had a text from HR asking me to turn in my badge that said 'following your separation meeting today.' The adjudicator seemed most interested in the timeline and whether I had any written evidence contradicting their claim. Even statements from coworkers who witnessed what happened can help.
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Alberto Souchard
Why did u wait 5 weeks to contact the govners office tho? Seems like u could of done that way sooner and not had to wait so long just sayin
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Seraphina Delan
•Trust me, I asked myself the same question! Honestly I kept believing the system would work on its own. ESD kept telling me 'just be patient, adjudication takes time' whenever I called. Lesson learned - I should've escalated WAY earlier.
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Katherine Shultz
I've been trying to call ESD for 3 weeks straight about a similar issue and can't get through - constant busy signals or it hangs up because of 'high call volume.' Did you find any good way to actually reach a human being there before you contacted the governor's office?
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Marcus Marsh
•I was in the same boat last month trying to reach ESD. After wasting days getting nowhere, I tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me through to an actual person at ESD in about 20 minutes. They have this system that waits on hold for you and calls when an agent picks up. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 - way better than constantly redialing yourself.
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Katherine Shultz
•Thank you!! I'll check this out right now, anything is better than what I've been doing. I've literally set alarms to call at different times of day thinking I might catch them when it's less busy but no luck at all.
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Micah Trail
Additional tip regarding employer misrepresentation: During your fact-finding interview, be sure to specifically address why you believe the employer made an incorrect statement about your separation. The adjudicator needs to understand why there's a discrepancy. Also, if you receive benefits and later get an overpayment notice because your employer appeals, remember you have appeal rights too. Don't automatically assume you have to repay if you were truthful in your application.
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Seraphina Delan
•That's really good advice. The adjudicator did ask me why I thought my employer would claim I quit, and I explained that they've had several layoffs recently and are probably trying to keep their UI costs down. Being prepared for that question definitely helped.
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Jabari-Jo
7 WEEKS is ridiculous!!! the system is BROKEN!!! glad you finally got approved but why should anyone have to call the literal governors office just to get their legitimate benefits?? we need to completely overhaul ESD
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Nia Watson
•While the frustration is understandable, I think it's worth noting that most claims don't require adjudication at all. It's typically only when there's conflicting information between what the claimant and employer report. That said, 7 weeks is still far too long even for an adjudication case.
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Kristin Frank
After you called the governor's office, did they tell you approximately how long it would take for someone to contact you? I'm planning to call them tomorrow but wondering what timeframe to expect.
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Seraphina Delan
•They told me 7-10 business days, and I got a call on day 8. They said they'd send an urgent request to ESD's escalation team. The person who called from the governor's office was really helpful and took detailed notes about my situation.
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