How long does the appeal process take for unemployment with Washington ESD?

Mine took about 6 weeks from filing to getting the hearing scheduled, then another 2 weeks for the decision. Appeals are really backed up right now.

The whole appeals process can take 8-12 weeks total in Washington. First they have to review your appeal, then schedule the hearing, then make a decision. If you're having trouble getting through to check status, I actually found this service called Claimyr that helped me reach an ESD agent directly. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

During the appeal process, keep filing your weekly claims even though you're disqualified. If you win the appeal, those weeks will get paid retroactively. Don't skip filing or you'll lose those weeks permanently.

ugh the whole system is so slow!! been waiting 2 months for my hearing date and still nothing. meanwhile rent is due and credit cards are maxed out. how are we supposed to survive this long without income???

Just had my appeal hearing last week. The whole process took 10 weeks from filing to decision. Won my case though! The key is having all your employment records and any witnesses lined up. The administrative law judge was actually pretty fair.

The appeals process varies but expect at least 2-3 months total. Washington ESD is understaffed and hearings get scheduled based on when you filed. Earlier appeals get priority.

Pro tip: if you can't reach ESD to check your appeal status, try that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. I used it last month and actually got through to a real person who could tell me where my appeal stood in the queue. Way better than the automated system.

Mine took forever too - filed in October and didn't get my hearing until January. But I did win and got all my back pay. The waiting is the worst part.

The timeline really depends on how complex your case is. Simple cases might get resolved faster but if there are multiple issues or your employer contests it heavily, expect longer delays.

just a heads up - even after you win your appeal, it can take another week or two for the payments to actually hit your account. don't expect money immediately after the decision

I work for a nonprofit that helps people with unemployment appeals. The average time right now is about 8-10 weeks from filing to decision. Make sure you respond to any requests for additional information immediately or it will delay your case even more.

Been through this twice unfortunately. First appeal took 3 months, second one took 6 weeks. Seems like timing just depends on their current workload and how backed up they are.

If anyone needs to check their appeal status and can't get through the normal way, I had success with Claimyr too. They connected me to an ESD rep who could actually look up my case details. Found out my hearing was scheduled for the following week - something I never would have known otherwise.

Keep your chin up OP. I know the waiting sucks but most people who were legitimately laid off win their appeals. Just takes time for the system to work through everything.

The appeals process has definitely gotten slower since COVID. Used to be 4-6 weeks total, now it's more like 8-12 weeks. Staffing issues at ESD are real.

One thing that helped me was setting up direct deposit before my appeal was decided. That way when the back pay came through, it deposited automatically instead of waiting for a check in the mail.