ESD appeal timeline - what's your experience waiting for an unemployment hearing?

I went through the appeal process back in January 2025 and can share my timeline: - Filed appeal: Jan 5 - Got hearing notice: Feb 2 (about 4 weeks wait) - Actual hearing date: Feb 23 - Decision received: Mar 4 So all in, it took almost 2 months from filing to decision. My hearing was over the phone with an Administrative Law Judge from OAH (Office of Administrative Hearings). They were actually pretty fair and let me explain my situation thoroughly. Definitely submit those text messages as evidence! Documentation was crucial in my case - I had emails showing my employer changed job conditions significantly. Make sure to submit everything ahead of time through the OAH portal they'll give you access to when your hearing is scheduled. Also important: keep filing your weekly claims during the entire appeal process. If you win, they'll pay all those weeks retroactively.

im still wating for my hearing and its been 7 WEEKS already!!! called ESD five times and keep getting different stories about when ill get scheduled. one person said theres a backlog and another said my papers probably got lost!! can they really just leave us hanging like this with no money coming in???

My experience was actually better than expected. Got my hearing scheduled after about 3 weeks, had the phone hearing a week later, and won my appeal! Judge ruled that constructive dismissal applied in my situation since my employer reduced my hours by more than 25% without warning. Sounds like your situation might be similar with the reduced hours.

Has anybody tried calling ESD while waiting for an appeal? I've been trying for days but can never get through to ask about my appeal status! So frustrating!!!

My appeal took FOREVER. 3 months total and I lost anyway. The judge didn't even seem to read my evidence. The whole system is rigged against workers!!

Something important to understand about appeals is that the OAH (which handles the hearings) is separate from ESD. This is why: 1. ESD representatives often can't give you accurate information about hearing schedules 2. You'll get separate communications from OAH once your appeal is transferred to them 3. You need to submit evidence to OAH, not to ESD For your specific situation with reduced hours, you'll want to focus on documenting: - Your previous regular schedule (paystubs, schedule screenshots) - The reduction (again, paystubs, schedule notifications) - Any communications showing this was done to push you out The legal standard for a "constructive dismissal" generally requires showing that your hours were reduced by at least 25% without good cause, creating an intolerable work situation that would cause a reasonable person to quit. Those text messages will be very helpful evidence.

I had my hearing last month and they overturned the disqualification! One thing that really helped was I printed out the relevant parts of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) about constructive dismissal and had it ready to reference during my hearing. The judge seemed impressed that I'd done my homework.

Just a heads up - my appeal hearing got rescheduled TWICE with only 24 hours notice each time. Be prepared for that possibility and keep your schedule flexible around your hearing date if possible.

One more tip from my appeal experience: The judge will likely ask very specific questions about dates, times, and what exactly was said in conversations with your employer. Having a timeline document prepared with all these details organized chronologically made a huge difference in my hearing. I came across as credible because I could quickly reference exact dates and details without hesitation.