How long does an unemployment appeal take with Washington ESD?

Oh no, that's way longer than I expected. I thought it would be like 2-3 weeks max.

Yeah the backlog is pretty bad right now. My cousin waited 10 weeks just for her hearing date.

Wait, I have to keep filing weekly claims? Nobody told me that when I filed the appeal.

Yes absolutely! You have to continue filing every week or Washington ESD won't pay you for those weeks even if you win. It's in the appeal paperwork but easy to miss.

Thanks, I'll check that out. I've been trying to call for weeks but always get the busy signal or get disconnected.

Is that service free? I'm already broke from being denied benefits.

It's not free but it's way cheaper than losing weeks of benefits. Plus they actually get you through to someone who can help.

They said I was fired for misconduct but it was totally bogus. I was late a few times but never got written up or anything official.

Misconduct appeals can take longer because they have to investigate more thoroughly. Make sure you have documentation of your employment history and any communications with your employer.

There's another level of appeals after the hearing? This is getting ridiculous.

Yes, if you lose at the hearing level you can appeal to the Board of Appeals, but that can take another 3-6 months. It's a long process.

At least I'm not alone in this. The waiting is the worst part.

yeah and nobody at esd will tell you anything when you call. if you even get through

I think I submitted everything but how do I know for sure? They haven't asked for anything additional.

You should have received a confirmation notice listing what documents they received. If you didn't get that, you might want to follow up.

That's so frustrating! Can you request a different judge?

Nope, you get whoever they assign you. No choice in the matter.

That's encouraging at least. I've been gathering emails and my work schedule to show I wasn't as bad as they claimed.

Those statistics sound made up. Where did you get 60%?

It's from Washington ESD's annual report. The exact number varies year to year but it's usually around 50-65%.

Good to know! I'll definitely try that when I get my hearing notice.

How often do you have to call to check for cancellations?

I called every few days and got lucky after about a week. Worth the effort to get it over with sooner.

I'm definitely not giving up but it's hard to stay motivated when everything takes so long.

That's a pretty cynical view. The delays are mostly due to high volume, not some conspiracy.

That's really helpful to know where you stand in line. I'm going to try that service.

Seems like you're really pushing this Claimyr thing. Do you work for them or something?

No, I'm just a regular person who was frustrated with not being able to get through to Washington ESD. I understand the skepticism though.

That gives me hope! How long did your whole process take from filing the appeal to getting paid?

About 11 weeks total - 8 weeks to get the hearing, then 3 weeks for the decision and payment. The backpay came all at once.

Wait, I have to do job searches while my claim is denied? That doesn't make sense.

Yes, you still have to meet all the requirements including job searches. It's confusing but that's how the system works.

Good to know it's not a long hearing. I was worried it would be like a court trial or something.

It's more informal than a court but still official. The judge will ask you and your employer questions and then make a decision.

I hadn't thought about other assistance programs. I'll look into that, thanks.

Also check with local food banks and churches. Many have programs to help people in situations like this.

That's great! I'm definitely going to try it. Did they charge you right away or after they got you through?

They explained everything upfront and I felt comfortable with it. Much better than spending hours trying to call myself.

That's somewhat reassuring at least. I'm just hoping I won't need to worry about that.

True, but you still have to pay back any overpayments if you lose the appeal and had been receiving benefits before.

Oh wow, that would be a disaster. I'll definitely put it in my calendar as soon as I get the notice.

You can usually reschedule if you have a good reason, but it's better to just make sure you're available when they call.

Good advice. I've been keeping everything in a folder but I should probably organize it better.

Yeah, create a timeline of events with supporting documents for each date. It helps you tell your story clearly during the hearing.