How long does Washington ESD unemployment appeal take to process?

Thanks for the timeline. Do you know if there's any way to check the status of my appeal online? I can't find anything in my SecureAccess Washington account.

Appeals don't show up in your regular Washington ESD account unfortunately. You'll need to call the appeals office directly, but good luck getting through - their phone lines are always jammed.

12 weeks total?? I can't wait that long without any income. Is there anything I can do to speed this up?

Unfortunately there's no way to expedite the process. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even during the appeal - if you win, you'll get backpay for all those weeks.

2 months?? That's insane. Did you try calling them at all or are you just waiting?

tried calling like 50 times, always busy signal or get disconnected after waiting on hold for an hour

That's reassuring, thanks. Did you win your appeal? I'm worried they'll side with my employer even though their story doesn't add up.

Yes I won. The key is having good documentation. Sounds like you have evidence on your side which is good.

Wait, they can expedite appeals? I had no idea that was even possible. What did you have to do?

The agent explained that if you have clear documentation proving wrongful disqualification, they can sometimes fast-track it. But you have to actually talk to someone first, which is nearly impossible without help.

Never heard of that service but honestly at this point I'll try anything. The phone system is completely broken.

Did you have a lawyer or represent yourself? I'm worried I won't know what to say during the hearing.

I represented myself. Just stick to the facts and bring all your evidence. The administrative law judge will ask questions to get the full story.

I've been checking constantly but it just says 'decision pending' still. No updates since the hearing date.

That's normal. The status won't change until they mail out the decision. Then it usually updates online a day or two later.

40% no-show rate? That's actually encouraging. My employer has been really difficult about this whole thing so maybe they won't even bother showing up.

Don't count on it though. My employer showed up with a lawyer and everything. Still won because I had good documentation but it was stressful.

That sounds too good to be true. How much does it cost?

It's worth checking out their site for pricing. The time I saved not sitting on hold for hours was huge, especially when I needed answers about my appeal timeline.

I've heard of Claimyr but never tried it. Might be worth it if you're desperate to talk to someone at Washington ESD.

I feel your frustration. Were you actually fired for misconduct or is Washington ESD just saying that?

They're saying showing up 10 minutes late twice in 6 months is 'willful misconduct.' Meanwhile I worked there 3 years with no other issues. The whole thing is a joke.

Yeah the back pay would be huge at this point. Fingers crossed for both of us!

Just so you know, if you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD to check on your appeal status, I used a service called Claimyr that helps you get through to them. Check out claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

4 months is crazy! Have you tried contacting your state representative's office? I heard they can sometimes help with Washington ESD issues.

Yeah I tried that too. They said they'd 'look into it' but never heard back. Honestly thinking about just giving up at this point.

Don't give up! Once you get to the hearing stage, if you have documentation proving you were laid off, you should win. The appeals judges are usually fair, it's just getting there that's the nightmare.

Congrats on winning! Did you get back pay for all the weeks you were waiting?

Yes, got back pay for the entire period once the decision was issued. That part was actually processed pretty quickly, about 2 weeks after the favorable decision.

Wow, that's exactly the kind of thing I'm worried about. Glad you got it sorted out. How long did it take them to get you through?

took about 2 hours but they kept trying until someone answered. way better than me sitting there redialing all day

Wait really? I have to keep doing the weekly claims even though I'm not getting paid anything?

Yes! Keep filing every week and keep doing your job search activities. If your appeal is successful, Washington ESD will pay you for all those weeks retroactively.

This is correct. I made this mistake and lost 4 weeks of benefits even though I won my appeal.

That's exactly what I'm worried about. They're already claiming I quit when I have the layoff email. Thanks for the heads up about keeping personal records.

Same thing happened to me. Employer made up a whole story about insubordination. Good thing I had email evidence showing they were the ones being unreasonable.

14 weeks is insane! Have you tried that calling service other people mentioned? Seems like a lot of people have hidden issues that only get resolved when they actually talk to someone.

I'm going to try it this week. At this point I'm desperate and will try anything.

Good to know! I think mine is scheduled for phone hearing but I'll definitely ask about earlier slots if it gets postponed again.

Phone hearings are actually better anyway. You can have all your documents spread out in front of you and refer to them easily.

Ugh 2-3 months would be brutal. I really hope mine doesn't take that long.

The 45 day thing is more of a goal than a hard deadline unfortunately. Budget cuts have really slowed down their appeals process.

Yes I've been filing every week just in case. Good to know I'm doing the right thing there.

Definitely keep filing. I made that mistake once and lost out on weeks of benefits even after winning my appeal.

Wait, I need to keep filing weekly claims even though I'm disqualified? Washington ESD never told me that!

Yes! It's called 'continued claiming' and it's required to preserve your rights. Should be an option in your account to indicate you're appealing.

This is crucial advice. I've seen people lose months of benefits because they stopped filing during their appeal.

What was your hearing like? I'm so nervous about having to explain everything to a judge.

It was way less scary than I expected. The judge just asked me to explain what happened, then asked my former employer questions. Whole thing took maybe 20 minutes.

They said voluntary quit but I was definitely laid off. My employer is claiming I quit after getting written up but that's not what happened at all.

Sounds like a typical employer trying to avoid their unemployment tax increase. Those cases usually go in favor of the employee if you have any documentation of the layoff.

That's really helpful! I'm going to create a timeline of everything that happened leading up to my layoff. Did you have a representative or represent yourself?

Represented myself. Most appeals are straightforward enough that you don't need a lawyer if you're organized and honest.

Oh no, what would have happened if you missed the hearing because of lost mail?

They would have made a decision without me, which probably would have meant losing the appeal. Always good to double-check your appeal status.

8 weeks jeez. I'm at 8 weeks total since filing the appeal but only 2 weeks since the hearing.

That's a good idea. I hadn't thought of contacting my rep's office.

Before going that route, I'd try Claimyr first. Much easier than dealing with politicians and you actually get to talk to Washington ESD directly.

Easier said than done when you're behind on bills and stressed about money!

I totally get it. The financial stress makes everything worse. Hang in there.

God I hope I don't have to go through another round of appeals. This is already taking forever.

Most people don't need to go to the Board level. The first appeal usually resolves things one way or another.

Congrats! That gives me hope. What was your case about?

Similar to yours actually - employer claimed I quit but I was laid off. Had my termination paperwork which made all the difference.

That's frustrating but explains a lot. Seems like every government agency is understaffed these days.

How much does that service cost? I'm already strapped for cash waiting for this appeal.

It's worth checking out their site claimyr.com for the details. I found it helpful just to know my case wasn't lost in the system.

That's encouraging! My judge was pretty neutral so hard to read which way it might go.

Thanks for the encouragement. Really hoping it doesn't come to that though.

Yeah I brought everything I could think of. Layoff notice, emails from my supervisor, even witness statements from coworkers.

2 months just to schedule? That's crazy. At least mine was scheduled within 3 weeks.

Good point, I should double check that. Would hate for it to get lost in the mail.

Thanks! Really appreciate all the support and advice from everyone here.

I might give it a try if I don't hear anything in the next week or two. The anxiety is definitely getting to me.

That's so frustrating! My company laid off 30 people but they're still fighting every unemployment claim. Makes sense now.

Yep, it's a common corporate strategy. They know most people will give up if the process takes long enough.

Congratulations! That gives me hope since I have similar documentation. Did you get your back pay quickly after the decision?

Took about 10 days for the back pay to hit my account. Washington ESD processes appeal payments faster than regular claims for some reason.

Good to know! I'm still going through old emails and might find more evidence. Thanks for the tip!

Just make sure you follow the proper procedure for submitting additional evidence. Has to go through the appeals office, not regular Washington ESD.

Oh wow, that's terrifying! I'm definitely going to check on my appeal status now. Thanks for sharing that.

washington esd communication is the worst. they send important notices to old addresses or don't send them at all

Glad to hear your hearing got scheduled! I'm going to try that calling service to check on mine. This community has been amazing for navigating this nightmare system.

Good luck with your hearing! Remember to stay calm and stick to the facts. You've got this!

You're going to do great! Having that layoff documentation should make it a straightforward win.

How would I know if my employer is going to show up or not?

You won't know until the hearing starts. But smaller companies sometimes don't bother sending anyone, especially if they think it's not worth their time.

I have the email about the layoffs but that's about it. My manager who laid me off isn't there anymore.

That email should be enough, especially if it clearly states it was due to restructuring and not performance issues.

That gives me hope! Did you have a strong case or were you worried you might lose?

I was worried because my employer was claiming I quit without notice, but I had emails showing they told me not to come back. Documentation saved me.

I might try that this week. I'm going crazy not knowing what's happening with my case.

Just used Claimyr yesterday for my appeal question. Worked exactly like they showed in their demo video.

11 weeks?? That's way longer than what others are saying. Have you tried calling to check?

tried calling like 50 times, never get through. maybe i should try that claimyr thing people mentioned

Thanks for the encouragement. Some days I wonder if it's even worth fighting.

It's definitely worth fighting if you have a legitimate case. The backpay alone makes it worthwhile.

Good point, I'll double check my address is current. How do you update it?

You can update it online through your SecureAccess Washington account or by calling (if you can get through).

That makes sense. I never submitted any resignation or gave any notice, so hopefully that works in my favor.

I know right? It feels like they're hoping people will just give up and stop trying.

That's probably exactly what they're hoping for. Don't let them wear you down!

Congrats! That's awesome to hear. Gives me hope that mine will work out too.

Keep fighting it. The waiting sucks but it's worth it when you win.

I thought about getting a lawyer but wasn't sure if it was necessary.

For a straightforward case like yours where you have documentation, you probably don't need one.

Thanks everyone for all the advice. Feeling a bit more confident about this whole process now.

Good luck with your appeal! Most people with legitimate cases do end up winning.

Great idea! I'll start putting together a timeline this weekend.