ESD Commissioner's Review Office delay - how long for response to Petition for Review?

Omg I'm going through same thing right now!! Been 6 weeks for me and NOTHING. Not even a 'we got your petition' email. ESD is so frustrating. Did you fax your petition or mail it? I mailed mine and now I'm paranoid they never even got it.

The Commissioner's Review Office is notoriously slow, unfortunately. From my experience helping people with these cases, you should expect to wait 8-12 weeks just for the acknowledgment letter. The full decision can take 4-6 months from when you filed the petition. The time window for filing in Superior Court doesn't start until you get an actual decision, so don't worry about that deadline yet. Make sure you've sent your petition to the correct address: Commissioner's Review Office Employment Security Department PO Box 9555 Olympia, WA 98507-9555 If you want peace of mind that they received it, you can try requesting delivery confirmation if you mailed it, or keep your fax confirmation if you faxed it.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE U GIVE UP!!!! i waited 16 weeks for my commissioners review decision and they STILL denied me even tho i had PROOF my employer lied in the hearing. they dont care about us, they just want us to go away. i tried calling them 50+ times and never got through to anyone who could help. complete joke of a system.

Had same issue last year. Took about 9 weeks to get acknowledgment letter and almost 5 months for final decision. Try calling right when they open at 8am, sometimes works better.

If you're having trouble reaching ESD by phone to check on your petition status, you might want to try Claimyr. I was in the same position last year and couldn't get anyone on the phone after dozens of attempts. Someone on this forum recommended Claimyr (claimyr.com) and it actually worked - they got me connected to an ESD agent who could check my petition status. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 At least then you'd know if they received your petition or not. The waiting is the worst part.

I'm a former administrative hearing representative, and I can clarify a few things about the Commissioner's Review process: 1. The statutory requirement is that decisions should be issued within 60 days of receipt of the petition, but in practice, they often take 4-6 months due to backlogs. 2. The acknowledgment letter is typically sent within 4-6 weeks, but staffing shortages have extended this timeline. 3. The most important thing to know is that you should continue filing weekly claims during this entire process. If you ultimately prevail, you can only be paid for weeks you properly claimed, even if you were erroneously denied benefits during that time. 4. The 30-day deadline to file in Superior Court doesn't start until the Commissioner issues a decision, so you don't need to worry about missing that window yet. 5. You can verify receipt of your petition by calling the Commissioner's Review Office directly at (360) 570-5126. This is different from the main ESD number and sometimes easier to reach someone.

my cousin waited 7 months for commissioners review and won! they gave him all back pay from when he was denied. so dont give up! but ya the wait is crazy long just keep filing ur weekly claims

One additional note - while waiting for the Commissioner's Review decision, it's a good time to prepare for the possibility of a Superior Court appeal. If your case involves complex legal issues or substantial benefits, consulting with an attorney who specializes in unemployment appeals might be worthwhile. Some legal aid organizations offer free consultations for unemployment cases. Also, be aware that if you do eventually need to file in Superior Court, there are filing fees (currently around $290 in most counties), though fee waivers are available for those with financial hardship.

I'm in week 7 of waiting for ANY response from the Commissioner's Review Office and this thread is both helpful and terrifying! Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences. I mailed my petition with certified mail so I know they got it, but the silence is killing me. @Nia Davis - I'm going to try calling that direct number (360) 570-5126 you mentioned tomorrow. Really appreciate you sharing your expertise as a former hearing rep. @Keisha Williams - Had no idea about Northwest Justice Project, definitely going to look into that. The contingency fee info is super helpful too. One question for anyone who's been through this - did any of you get different outcomes at the Commissioner level than you did at the OAH hearing? I'm trying to stay hopeful but wondering if they actually overturn many decisions or if it's mostly just a formality before Superior Court. The stress of not knowing anything for months while bills pile up is almost worse than just getting denied quickly. At least then you know where you stand!

I'm in week 4 of waiting for any acknowledgment from the Commissioner's Review Office and this thread has been incredibly helpful - both reassuring and concerning at the same time! It's frustrating that there's no automated confirmation system in 2025, but at least now I know the 4+ week silence is unfortunately normal. @Nia Davis - Thank you so much for sharing that direct phone number (360) 570-5126 and your expertise as a former hearing rep. The timeline info is really valuable even though it's depressing to hear it could be 4-6 months total. I've been continuing to file my weekly claims even though I was disqualified, but I'm glad to see multiple people confirming that's the right thing to do. The thought of potentially getting months of back pay if I win makes the tedious weekly filing worth it. Has anyone had success with that Claimyr service mentioned earlier? I'm desperate enough at this point to try anything to get some kind of status update. The not knowing is honestly worse than just getting bad news quickly. Sending solidarity to everyone else stuck in this awful waiting game. The system really does seem designed to make people give up, but threads like this give me hope that persistence can pay off.