ESD denied my claim despite employer support - hearing scheduled but need faster resolution

Your situation is fairly common, actually. Sometimes there's miscommunication between different departments at the employer, or someone responds incorrectly to ESD's request for information. The good news is that employers CAN help fix these situations, but you need to be proactive. Here's what you should do: 1. Ask your employer specifically to submit a written statement to ESD immediately stating they support your claim and made an error in their initial response 2. Continue with your appeal process - don't cancel it just because your employer says they'll fix it 3. Keep filing your weekly claims even while denied 4. Call ESD to explain the situation and ask if they can expedite review once they receive the employer's correction In my experience, this can speed things up significantly compared to waiting for the hearing. But getting through to ESD by phone is critical.

omg the EXACT same thing happend to me last yr!!! my boss said they didnt mean to deny but it took FOREVER to get fixed. the hearing was like 3 months away and i was freaking out about bills. ended up having to borrow $ from family which sucked

The unemployment system is deliberately designed to be this broken and frustrating. They WANT you to give up! Your employer might mean well, but ESD doesn't care what they say after the initial determination. Once they've made a decision, they'll drag their feet and make you jump through hoops even when it's THEIR mistake. I went through something similar in 2024 and the hearing wasn't scheduled for 14 WEEKS! Absolute joke. The only thing that worked was contacting my state representative's office. They have special channels to ESD and can sometimes get things expedited.

I've helped clients resolve this exact issue before. There's actually a specific process for this called a "Redetermination Request" that can be much faster than waiting for an appeal hearing. Both you AND your employer need to take specific actions: 1. Your employer should submit a "Request for Redetermination" to ESD, specifically stating they provided incorrect information and now support your claim. They should include your claim ID, their ESD employer number, and any relevant documentation. 2. You should still file your appeal by the deadline as a backup, but also submit your own Request for Redetermination that references the employer's request. 3. The key to making this work is actually getting through to an ESD claims specialist who can flag the case for expedited review once they receive both requests. Honestly, getting through to ESD is the hardest part. I recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com) - they can get you connected to an ESD agent without waiting on hold for hours. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 that shows how it works. I've seen redeterminations process in as little as 2-3 weeks when handled correctly, which beats waiting for a hearing.

I work in HR and we had to fix something similar last year for an employee. We submitted a letter to ESD stating it was our error and included a copy of the employee's work schedule showing the reduced hours. The important thing is that we had to submit it to a specific department - not just the general ESD address. Ask your HR person to call the employer assistance line at ESD, as they have different contact options than claimants do.

I'm dealing with ESD right now too and its a NIGHTMARE!!! Been trying to call for 2 weeks straight and either cant get through or get disconnected. My situation is different (identity verification issue) but I'm also facing weeks of delay while bills pile up. The whole system is broken!!! Have you tried going to a WorkSource office in person? I've heard sometimes they can help escalate issues.

One more important thing - check if your denial is based on something specific that might need addressing beyond just your employer's support. For example, if ESD determined you quit voluntarily vs. having hours reduced, or if they think you're not able and available for work, those require different approaches. The denial letter should state the specific reason for denial with reference to the relevant RCW (law). Make sure your employer's correction addresses that specific reason.

I checked back to see if you'd had any progress. Based on your latest comments, you have a strong case for a quick resolution IF your employer moves quickly and you can get through to ESD. Since you're still working reduced hours, this should qualify as a partial unemployment claim. Make sure you're accurately reporting your part-time earnings each week when you file. Have you had any luck getting through to ESD by phone yet?

I used Claimyr last month when I had an adjudication issue and it worked really well. Got connected to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of trying for days. The agent was able to see notes on my account that weren't visible to me online and fixed my issue while I was on the phone. Definitely worth it when you're in a time-critical situation like this.