ESD appeal timeline after unemployment denial - typical waiting periods?

I appealed my denial last year. Here's my timeline: - Filed appeal within 30 days of determination letter (very important deadline!) - Got acknowledgment letter about 2 weeks later - Received hearing notice 6 weeks after filing appeal - Actual hearing was scheduled 3 weeks after that notice (so about 9 weeks total from appeal filing) - Decision came about 3 weeks after hearing So all in, it was roughly 3 months from appeal to final decision. And YES, absolutely continue filing your weekly claims during the entire process! If you win your appeal, they'll only pay you for weeks you properly filed claims.

my neibor got denied 2 and his took like 5 months from start 2 finish. he said the worst part was just waiting and not knowing. good luck!

The official ESD guidelines state that most appeals are scheduled within 30-90 days of filing, but there's currently a significant backlog at the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH). Your case will be assigned a docket number when you file your appeal, and you can actually call OAH directly at 360-407-2700 to check your status (much easier to reach than ESD). Be sure to thoroughly prepare for your hearing by gathering: - Any documentation showing you didn't voluntarily quit (emails, texts, schedule changes) - Names of witnesses who can support your case - Timeline of events leading to separation You absolutely must continue filing weekly claims during this time. If you win your appeal, you'll only receive benefits for weeks properly claimed.

DONT EXPECT ANYTHING FAST FROM ESD!!!! My appeal took SEVEN MONTHS from start to finish and they denied me AGAIN even with all the evidence showing I was laid off not fired!!! The whole system is RIGGED against workers. They will make you jump through hoops while you're struggling to pay bills and then still find some BS reason to deny you. I'm still fighting them on my second appeal!!

I went through this last fall and got my benefits after appealing. One tip I didn't see mentioned: if your financial situation is dire, you can request an expedited hearing by submitting a hardship letter along with your appeal. You need to clearly explain your financial hardship (risk of eviction, utility shutoff, inability to afford medicine, etc). It doesn't guarantee a faster hearing, but it can help. Also, have you tried calling ESD to discuss your determination? Sometimes they'll reconsider without a formal appeal if there was a simple misunderstanding. I tried calling for weeks with no luck - constant busy signals or disconnects. Then I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an ESD agent in about 30 minutes. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. It might be worth trying before going through the full appeal process.

It worked for me, but I've heard mixed experiences. Some people get through quickly, others still wait a while. Still better than the alternative of calling for weeks with no success. You just have to decide if it's worth trying.

i forgot 2 mention, make sure u save copies of EVERYTHING!! my neibor lost his first appeal cuz he didnt have proof of something. take screenshots of ur eservices messages 2!

To answer your question about the hearing format - most ESD appeal hearings are currently being conducted by phone due to the high volume of cases. They'll send detailed instructions with your hearing notice. The judge (called an Administrative Law Judge or ALJ) will call all parties at the scheduled time. Also important to know: the burden of proof in a voluntary quit case is typically on the employer. They need to prove you voluntarily quit without good cause. Since you have documentation showing schedule changes that conflicted with your childcare needs (which you disclosed at hiring), you have a strong case for establishing "good cause" for leaving.

I had to appeal last year too, and wanted to mention something nobody talked about yet. When I got my hearing notice, it had a packet with all the evidence ESD was using for their decision. READ THIS CAREFULLY! My employer had submitted totally false information claiming I was fired for misconduct, but their own attached documentation contradicted this. I was able to point this out during the hearing and won my appeal. Also, during the appeal process, I was so stressed about money I had to get a part time job. Make sure if you do work while waiting, you accurately report those hours/earnings on your weekly claims. I almost messed this up and it would have created a whole new problem!

Wait I'm confused... is an appeal different from adjudication? My claim has been in adjudication for 5 weeks now. Is that the same thing or different?