How long is the protest period for unemployment benefits in Washington?

Thanks for the info. Do you know if weekends count in those 10 days or just business days?

It's calendar days, so weekends count. But if the 10th day falls on a weekend or holiday, they get until the next business day.

How long did it take in your case? I'm already stressed about bills coming due.

about 3 weeks total but that included the adjudication interview. make sure you have all your documentation ready

What kind of documentation should I gather? I have my termination letter but not sure what else.

Termination letter is good. Also any emails about the layoff, performance reviews, company memos about downsizing, anything that supports your version of events.

I had to deal with this and couldn't get through to Washington ESD for weeks to check my status. Finally used Claimyr to actually talk to someone - they have a service where they call for you and get you connected. Saved me so much frustration trying to get through their busy phone lines.

That's reassuring. I was definitely laid off due to company restructuring, so I have documentation of that.

Even with good documentation it can take time. The adjudication process is thorough.

Did you get all your back benefits once it was resolved?

yes got everything backdated to my original filing date. just took patience

Good point! I was wondering about that. So I keep doing my weekly claims even though they're protesting?

Absolutely. Keep filing every week and doing your job searches as required. Just won't get paid until the protest is resolved.

This is crucial advice. I stopped filing during my protest and lost out on 2 weeks of benefits even after I won.

I feel you but there has to be some process to prevent fraud. It's frustrating when you're legitimate though.

Sure but maybe make the penalties harsher for employers who file frivolous protests

So if they don't respond within 10 days, my claim just gets approved automatically?

Not automatically approved, but their chance to protest that specific issue is over. Washington ESD still does their own review.

Thank you for being reasonable! Not all employers are like that unfortunately.

That's good to hear. I hope my situation gets resolved quickly since it was clearly a layoff.

Good reminder. I've been checking my mail and online account daily.

Also check your spam folder for emails. Sometimes their notifications end up there.

True but it's still stressful when you're waiting for money you need to survive.

Absolutely understand the stress. Just trying to explain the reasoning behind the system.

That sounds like a nightmare. Were they just being vindictive?

Seemed like it. They protested my eligibility, then my job search efforts, then tried to claim I had unreported income. All bogus but had to fight each one.

That's when I'd use something like Claimyr to stay on top of my case status. Their phone service helps you actually get through to Washington ESD agents when you need updates. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ - super helpful for staying informed during lengthy adjudications.

I'll start gathering everything today. Better to have too much documentation than not enough.

Screenshots of any company announcements about layoffs posted on internal systems can be helpful too.

That's reassuring. I was worried it could drag on for months.

Sometimes complex cases take longer but straightforward layoff situations usually resolve pretty quickly.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information. Feeling much more prepared to handle this process now.

You've got this! Most protests against legitimate layoffs get denied anyway.