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Oliver Cheng

ESD appeal verdict says 'Reversed' - am I approved or disqualified?

Finally got the verdict for my appeal hearing from last month and it just says 'Reversed!' at the top of the decision letter. Honestly I'm confused if this means good news or bad news for me? Does 'reversed' mean they reversed the original disqualification and now I'll get benefits, or did they reverse and say I'm disqualified after all? I tried calling ESD to get clarity but can't get through to anyone. The rest of the letter has a bunch of legal language I don't really understand. Has anyone dealt with an appeal decision that says 'Reversed' before?

REVERSED IS GOOD NEWS!!! It means they're reversing whatever decision was made before. So if you were originally denied benefits and you appealed, then 'Reversed' means they overturned that denial and you should get approved. Congrats!

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Oh thank goodness! I've been so stressed waiting for this decision and then couldn't figure out if it was good or bad. The original determination said I was disqualified for quitting without good cause, but I had documentation that my work environment became toxic. Thanks for explaining!

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Actually, it depends on what you were appealing. 'Reversed' just means they flipped the previous decision. If ESD originally approved your benefits and then your employer appealed, a 'Reversed' decision would mean you're now disqualified. But if ESD originally disqualified you and you appealed, then 'Reversed' would mean you won your appeal and should get benefits.

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I was the one who filed the appeal after being disqualified, so based on what you're saying, this is good news for me! Do you know how long it typically takes for payments to start after an appeal decision?

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got the same thing last year! reversed means u won ur case! but read the whole letter cause sometimes they add conditions or only reverse part of the decision. took about 10 days for my money to show up

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This is exactly why ESD needs to use clearer language in their communications. "Reversed" is a legal term that makes sense to lawyers but is confusing for regular people trying to navigate the unemployment system. The letter should clearly state "Your appeal was successful" or "Your appeal was denied" at the top instead of using terms that can be interpreted different ways. I've seen so many people confused by this exact same issue.

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Exactly! The whole letter is full of legal phrases and case law citations. Would it kill them to add one clear sentence explaining what it means for my benefits?

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Congratulations! 'Reversed' means they overturned the previous decision. Since you were appealing a disqualification, this means you've won your appeal. Here's what happens next: 1. ESD will update your claim status within 5-7 business days 2. Any back benefits you're owed will be processed (this can take 1-3 weeks) 3. You'll need to continue filing weekly claims if you're still unemployed Make sure to check your ESD account daily for updates and continue to meet all eligibility requirements like job search activities. Sometimes you might need to call ESD if the payments don't start automatically after a reversal.

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Thank you for such detailed info! I'll keep filing my weekly claims and watch my account. I'm actually still looking for work so this is a huge relief knowing the benefits will help while I search.

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did u have a hearing before this? jw cause im waiting on mine and wondering how long after the hearing did u get this decision?

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Yes, I had a phone hearing with an Administrative Law Judge about 3 weeks ago. It took exactly 17 days after the hearing to get this decision letter in the mail.

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I struggled getting through to someone at ESD for WEEKS after my appeal was reversed. Kept getting busy signals or disconnected. I finally tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to a real person in 20 minutes who confirmed my benefits would be paid. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Worth it to get actual answers about your payment timeline after a reversal.

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I've used Claimyr too when I couldn't get through about my adjudication issue. It worked, but I still recommend checking your online account first to see if things update automatically. Sometimes after an appeal reversal, the system updates itself within a week without needing to call.

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if the decision was mailed 2day how long til u actually get paid tho?? my bills are due next week n im panicking

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depends. sometimes its super fast like 3-5 days but mine took almost 2 weeks cause they had to calculate all the back pay from when i was denied. might want to call and ask for a hardship expedite if ur bills are due

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For future reference for anyone reading this thread - always request a copy of your complete case file if you're going through an appeal. The full decision letter (usually 3-5 pages) will have a section called "Conclusions of Law" that explains the reversal in detail and specifically states whether benefits are allowed or denied. That's much clearer than just looking at the "Reversed" header. You're entitled to this information as part of your appeal rights.

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This is really helpful. I actually do have the full letter and there is a Conclusions section - I just got stuck on the 'Reversed' part and panicked. I'll read through it more carefully now. Thank you!

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Just want to add that after you get a "Reversed" decision in your favor, make sure to keep documenting your job search activities extra carefully. Sometimes ESD does random audits after appeal reversals to make sure you're still meeting all the ongoing eligibility requirements. I learned this the hard way when they asked for my job search log 2 months after my successful appeal. Also, if you had any overpayment issues before the appeal, the reversal should clear those up too, but double-check your account to make sure the overpayment balance goes to zero.

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