Can you appeal unemployment denial? Washington ESD rejected my claim

Yes, you can absolutely appeal! You have 30 days from the date on the denial letter to file your appeal. Don't wait - that deadline is strict. You can appeal online through your SecureAccess Washington account or mail in the appeal form. The good news is you don't need a lawyer for most appeals.

I went through this exact thing last year. Budget cuts but they coded it as misconduct somehow. The appeal hearing was actually pretty straightforward - just had to explain what really happened.

Before you do anything else, you need to get your separation paperwork from your employer. If they told Washington ESD it was misconduct but told you it was budget cuts, you have documentation proving the discrepancy. That's your strongest evidence.

I tried calling Washington ESD to ask about my denial but could never get through. After weeks of trying, I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to an agent. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. The agent was able to explain exactly why my claim was denied and walked me through the appeal process. Check out claimyr.com if you're having trouble reaching anyone.

The appeal process has several steps: 1) File appeal within 30 days 2) Attend phone hearing with Administrative Law Judge 3) Present your evidence 4) Wait for written decision. If you lose at this level, you can appeal to the Board of Appeals.

ugh the whole system is so messed up. they deny people for no reason then make you jump through hoops to fix their mistake

One important thing - make sure you understand exactly what they're claiming happened. 'Misconduct' has a specific legal definition in unemployment law. If it was really just budget cuts, that's not misconduct at all and should be an easy win.

I'm dealing with something similar right now. My employer is claiming I quit when I was actually laid off. It's so frustrating when they get the facts wrong.

Pro tip: When you file your appeal, write a detailed statement explaining exactly what happened. Don't just check the box - use the space to tell your story. The more documentation you provide upfront, the better.

Just want to add that you should also file for food stamps and other assistance while you're waiting for the appeal. Don't assume UI will be resolved quickly.

Update on my earlier comment about Claimyr - they actually helped me prep for my hearing too. The agent explained what questions to expect and what evidence would be most important. Really helped me feel confident going in.

Remember that your employer will also be at the hearing. They'll present their side of the story, so be prepared to respond to their claims. Stay calm and stick to the facts.

I won my misconduct appeal last month. The key was showing that my employer's definition of 'misconduct' didn't match the legal standard. Just being bad at your job isn't misconduct - it has to be willful or deliberate.

Don't forget to check if your employer is fighting the claim. Sometimes they don't even show up to the hearing and you win by default.

whatever you do dont give up. I almost didn't appeal because I thought it was hopeless but I ended up winning and got 8 weeks of back pay

Question about appeals - if I win, do I get all the benefits I would have gotten if approved initially?

For anyone reading this thread later - make sure you file your weekly claims even while appealing. I didn't know this and lost out on 4 weeks of benefits even though I won my appeal.

I used Claimyr when I couldn't get through to Washington ESD about my appeal status. The agent was able to tell me exactly where things stood and when to expect my hearing notice. Saved me weeks of wondering what was happening.

Final thought - even if your appeal doesn't go as planned, you can still appeal to the Board of Appeals. I had to go through two levels but eventually won. Don't give up after the first hearing if you truly believe you're right.

Thank you everyone for all the advice! I'm filing my appeal tomorrow and feeling much more confident about the process. I'll keep filing my weekly claims and gather all my documentation. Really appreciate this community!