ESD denied my appeal after forced relocation due to eviction - need help with 2nd appeal

I went through something similar last year. For your 2nd appeal, you need to focus on proving that staying employed at your job was "not suitable" due to the housing crisis. The key phrase in WAC 192-150-140 is 'compelling personal reason.' Your argument should be that the lack of housing within a reasonable commuting distance constitutes such a reason. Make sure you have ALL of these: 1. Copy of eviction notice with timeline 2. Documentation of EVERY housing application you submitted 3. Screenshots/printouts of rental listings showing prices 4. Written calculation of your take-home pay vs. housing costs showing financial impossibility 5. Bus/transit schedules proving a 3-hour commute each way 6. Letter from your former employer confirming they couldn't accommodate remote work The OAH judges look for exhaustive evidence that you tried EVERYTHING before quitting.

The whole ESD system is rigged against workers!!! I got denied after my landlord doubled my rent and I couldnt afford it anymore. They expect us to live in cardboard boxes just to keep our jobs. Their stupid "suitable work" rules dont account for REAL LIFE housing problems. The adjudicators just use their checkboxes and dont care about actual circumstances. Theyll tell you that you could have lived in your car or something equally ridiculous.

Have you considered reaching out to the Housing Justice Project? They sometimes work with unemployment advocates and can help document that your housing situation was legitimately untenable. Also, make sure to emphasize in your appeal that you've been actively job searching in your new location - that shows you're not trying to just collect benefits without seeking work.

my cousin got aproved after he got evicted but he had like 5 kids so maybe thats why. did u tell them u had no other options? sometimes u gotta really spell it out for them

Im confused... doesn't the law protect you from evictions if the owner sells? I thought they had to honor your lease or give you more than 20 days. Maybe you should be fighting the eviction not just the ESD denial?

For your second appeal, you need to understand the burden of proof is on YOU to demonstrate you had no reasonable alternatives. You must show: 1. Quitting was the only reasonable option (WAC 192-150-050) 2. You exhausted all alternatives before quitting 3. The lack of housing constituted a "compelling personal reason" under WAC 192-150-140 Common mistakes I see in these cases: - Not documenting ALL housing applications with rejection reasons - Failing to calculate and show affordability metrics - Not bringing evidence of transportation limitations - Not exploring temporary housing options like extended stay hotels (yes, they expect you to consider this) If you have the exact wording of your denial, I can help you craft counter-arguments specific to their reasoning.

Have you been trying to call ESD to speak with an agent about your specific case? Their online system only shows the basic denial reason but an actual agent can sometimes provide more insight on what specifically was missing in your appeal. I was in a similar situation last year and kept getting the runaround from the automated system for weeks. I finally got through to a real person using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - they have a service that helps you reach an ESD agent quicker. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 showing how it works. The agent I spoke with gave me specific guidance on what documentation would strengthen my case for my particular circumstance, which was super helpful for my appeal.

Based on your denial reason, you need to directly address their claim that you didn't explore "all reasonable alternatives." For your second appeal, create a detailed timeline showing: 1. When you received eviction notice 2. ALL housing searches with dates, locations, prices, application fees paid 3. Show financial calculations proving the available rentals exceeded 50% of your income (courts often use this as a threshold) 4. Document any attempts to find roommates 5. Evidence you asked your employer about remote work, schedule changes, or relocation assistance 6. Proof that extended stay hotels were financially impossible Focus on the fact that you didn't quit for "personal convenience" but due to a forced relocation caused by factors entirely beyond your control.

wait so ur parents own a rental and ur living there? does ESD know thats where u moved? they might think ur just trying to help ur family business or something

Looking at the exact wording of your denial, I'd recommend requesting copies of all documents in your claim file through a formal records request ASAP. You need to see exactly what the adjudicator documented in their fact-finding. Sometimes they misinterpret information or record something incorrectly. For housing-related quits, ESD is specifically looking for documentation that: 1. The housing change was truly involuntary 2. The cost of available housing near your job would create significant financial hardship 3. The commute would be unreasonable by normal standards For your second appeal, I strongly recommend submitting a pre-hearing brief that clearly addresses each point in the denial letter with corresponding evidence. This gives the judge a roadmap to follow during your hearing.