How to access OAH portal after filing ESD appeal? Need help!

You should definitely get a letter in the mail with instructions. I got mine about 10-12 days after filing my appeal last month. It had a OAH case number and temporary passcode to setup your portal account. Until then, you cant access anything online.

The OAH will send you two separate communications: first an acknowledgment letter confirming they received your appeal (usually within 7-10 business days), then later a Notice of Hearing with your hearing date, case number, and portal access information. The portal is at https://oah.wa.gov/. You can't access it until you receive your case number and temporary password. In the meantime, I recommend preparing by gathering all evidence that shows your work hours during your base year - paystubs, W-2s, employment contract, etc. You'll want to upload these to the portal once you have access.

i went thru this last yr... the OAH is WAY better organized than ESD btw. but ya gotta wait for the mail. my letter came exactly 2 wks after i appealed. dont stress

When I appealed in January, I never got my letter (must have gotten lost in mail) and had to call them directly. Turns out they had sent it a week earlier! So if you don't get anything by day 14, definitely call them at 360-407-2700. I had a good experience with them actually - much more professional than the ESD folks.

Just want to mention - if you're struggling to reach ESD to ask questions about your denial before your hearing, I found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending days trying. It was incredibly helpful for understanding exactly why my claim was denied before my appeal hearing. There's a video about how it works at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 and the website is claimyr.com. Might be worth checking out while you wait for your OAH portal access, especially if you want clarification on the "insufficient hours" determination.

I NEVER GOT MY LETTER EITHER!!! Had to wait 3 weeks and finally called them. Turns out they had WRONG ADDRESS even though my ESD account had correct one!!!! CHECK YOUR ADDRESS IN ESD ACCOUNT IS CORRECT!!! And make sure your mail is being delivered properly. The whole system is BROKEN!!

I appealed back in February after they said I didn't look for work enough (I did!) and my experience was different from what others are saying. My letter actually came through my eServices correspondence folder AND in the mail about 8 days later. So maybe check both places? The portal itself was pretty straightforward once I got the login info. You'll be able to upload documents, see all communications, and even request a different hearing date if needed.

BTW make sure you keep doing your weekly claims even while your appeal is pending. If you win your appeal, they'll only pay you for weeks you submitted claims for!!!