How long does it take for an unemployment appeal to be processed in Washington ESD?

12 weeks?! That's way longer than I expected. Is there any way to check the status or get an update?

You can call the OAH directly at their hearing line, but honestly their phone system is pretty overwhelmed too. Your best bet is to make sure all your documentation is ready for when the hearing notice comes.

That's somewhat reassuring about the retroactive pay. Did you have to represent yourself at the hearing or did you get help?

I represented myself. The administrative law judge was pretty fair and asked good questions. Just make sure you have all your evidence organized and can clearly explain why the initial determination was wrong.

Never heard of that before. Is it legit? I'm getting desperate to talk to someone about my appeal.

Yeah it's legitimate. They basically help you get through Washington ESD's phone system when it's busy. I was able to confirm my appeal was properly filed and get some timeline info.

9 weeks is even longer than what I'm dealing with. What was your appeal about if you don't mind me asking?

misconduct allegation that was complete bs. my former employer lied about what happened and now i have to prove my innocence

I've been doing that but it feels weird filing when my claim is denied. Are you sure that's the right thing to do?

Yes, absolutely continue filing. Washington ESD specifically tells you to keep filing during the appeal process. If you don't file those weekly claims, you could lose eligibility for those weeks even if you win your appeal.

This is correct. I made the mistake of not filing during my appeal and lost 3 weeks of benefits even after I won. Don't make my mistake!

Yes, I have the official layoff notice and my severance agreement that clearly states it was due to workforce reduction. I submitted copies with my appeal.

That should be pretty straightforward then. The administrative law judge will review that documentation and it should be clear you didn't voluntarily quit.

Good to know about the hearing length. I'm nervous about having to present my case but 30 minutes doesn't sound too intimidating.

OAH is notoriously hard to reach by phone. They're understaffed and dealing with a huge caseload. Your best bet is to wait for the official hearing notice to arrive by mail.

I actually used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier to get through to Washington ESD about my appeal timeline. They couldn't give me the exact hearing date but confirmed my appeal was moving through the system normally.

4 months?! that's insane. how are people supposed to survive that long without income?

That seems unusually long. Most appeals I've seen processed recently are in the 8-14 week range. There might have been specific complications with those cases.

Good point. I've been paranoid about missing any mail from Washington ESD or OAH. Do they send it certified mail or just regular?

Usually just regular first-class mail, which is why it's easy to miss. Some people have had success updating their address with both Washington ESD and OAH to make sure the notice goes to the right place.

That's a great idea. I should organize everything chronologically so I can present a clear case.

If you win your appeal, Washington ESD should automatically process your retroactive payments within 1-2 weeks of the decision. You don't need to take any additional action, but you should continue filing your weekly claims.

Mine took about 10 days after the favorable decision to see the payments hit my account. They paid everything in one lump sum for all the weeks I had been denied.

exactly! the system is designed to make you give up. most people probably can't afford to wait months for an appeal

I understand the frustration, but the appeals process exists to ensure fair hearings. The backlog is definitely a problem that needs addressing though.

I didn't know you could have witnesses. That might be helpful since my former manager who gave me the layoff notice still works there.

Good point about the phone hearing. I'll make sure I'm somewhere with strong cell service when the time comes.

Thanks for sharing your experience. It helps to hear from people who've actually been through it successfully.

Happy to help. The waiting is stressful but if you have good evidence like you do, you should be fine. Just hang in there.

Already done! I made copies of everything and have them organized in a folder. Learned my lesson from dealing with Washington ESD's system.

That's really helpful advice about preparing for the employer's participation. I hadn't really thought about them actively contesting it, but you're right - they probably will since they reported it as voluntary quit in the first place. Do you know if employers usually send someone to these hearings or just submit written statements? I want to make sure I'm prepared for either scenario.