How to check unemployment appeal status online - Washington ESD system confusing
Filed an appeal with Washington ESD about 6 weeks ago after they denied my claim for supposedly not being available for work. I've been trying to figure out how to check the status online but the eServices portal doesn't seem to have any clear section for appeal tracking. When I log into my account, I can see my original claim but nothing about the appeal process. Has anyone figured out how to track appeal status through the Washington ESD website? Getting really frustrated not knowing what's happening with my case.
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Lauren Zeb
Appeals are handled by the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), not directly through the regular Washington ESD eServices portal. You should have received a confirmation with an OAH case number when you filed your appeal.
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Ryan Andre
•I do have an OAH case number but I'm not sure how to use it to check status. Is there a separate website for that?
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Lauren Zeb
•Yes, OAH has their own case tracking system but it's pretty basic. You can call them at 360-407-2700 to check on your hearing date.
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Daniel Washington
The appeal process is separate from regular claim tracking. Once you file an appeal, you're basically in a different system. Your regular Washington ESD account won't show appeal status - only your original claim information will be there.
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Aurora Lacasse
•This is so confusing! Why can't they just put everything in one place? I've been checking my eServices account every day thinking I was missing something.
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Daniel Washington
•I know it's frustrating. The systems aren't integrated unfortunately. Appeals go through OAH while regular claims stay with Washington ESD.
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Anthony Young
I went through this same thing last year. The Washington ESD online system doesn't track appeals at all. You have to either call OAH directly or wait for them to mail you updates. There's no real-time online tracking for appeal status like there is for regular claims.
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Ryan Andre
•How long did your appeal process take? I'm worried this is going to drag on for months.
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Anthony Young
•Mine took about 3 months total from filing to getting the hearing decision. The waiting is the worst part because you don't know what's happening.
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Charlotte White
If you're having trouble getting through to check your appeal status, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me connect with Washington ESD representatives. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Even though appeals go through OAH, sometimes Washington ESD can give you updates on where things stand.
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Admin_Masters
•Never heard of that service. Does it actually work for getting through to people?
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Charlotte White
•Yeah, it saved me hours of calling. I was able to get clarification about my claim status and they explained the appeal process better than the website does.
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Matthew Sanchez
Pro tip: Keep your OAH case number handy and call them every 2-3 weeks for updates. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Also, make sure you're still filing your weekly claims with Washington ESD even while your appeal is pending - if you win, you'll get back pay for those weeks.
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Ella Thompson
•Wait, I need to keep filing weekly claims during the appeal? Nobody told me that! I stopped filing because I thought my claim was denied.
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Matthew Sanchez
•Yes! Keep filing even though you're not getting paid. If your appeal is successful, you'll get retroactive benefits for all those weeks you filed.
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Ryan Andre
•This is exactly the kind of info I needed. I had no idea about continuing to file weekly claims during the appeal.
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Aurora Lacasse
The whole system is a mess honestly. I'm dealing with the same thing - filed an appeal 2 months ago and have no idea what's happening. Can't get through on the phone, no online tracking, nothing. It's like appeals go into a black hole.
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JacksonHarris
•Same boat here. Filed my appeal in October and still waiting for a hearing date. It's ridiculous how long this takes.
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Daniel Washington
•The appeals process has been backed up since COVID. They're still working through a huge backlog unfortunately.
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Jeremiah Brown
Check your mail religiously. OAH sends most updates through regular mail, not email. I almost missed my hearing notice because it got mixed in with junk mail.
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Ryan Andre
•Good point. I'll make sure to check everything that comes from any government office.
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Royal_GM_Mark
•Yes! And update your address immediately if you move. Friend of mine missed his hearing because the notice went to his old address.
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Amelia Cartwright
There's supposed to be an online portal for OAH cases but I could never get it to work properly. The website is ancient and half the links are broken. Phone calls are really your best bet for getting actual information.
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Lauren Zeb
•The OAH website is terrible. I tried to create an account multiple times and it kept erroring out. Gave up and just started calling instead.
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Chris King
Document everything! Keep records of when you call, who you talk to, what they tell you. Appeals can get complicated and having a paper trail helps if there are any issues later.
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Ryan Andre
•Great advice. I'll start keeping a log of all my calls and any information I get.
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Rachel Clark
•This is smart. I wish I had done this from the beginning. Would have saved me a lot of confusion.
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Zachary Hughes
Try calling OAH first thing in the morning right when they open. I had better luck getting through around 8:30 AM than later in the day.
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Mia Alvarez
•What's the best number to call? I've been trying the main Washington ESD line but they just tell me to contact OAH.
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Zachary Hughes
•360-407-2700 is the OAH number. Sometimes you have to call multiple times but they're more helpful than the general Washington ESD line for appeal questions.
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Carter Holmes
I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it was actually pretty helpful. Got connected to someone at Washington ESD who could at least confirm my appeal was received and in the system. Worth trying if you're getting nowhere with regular calls.
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Ryan Andre
•I might try that. At this point I'm willing to try anything to get some answers about my appeal status.
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Sophia Long
The lack of transparency in the appeal process is awful. You're basically flying blind for months not knowing if your case is progressing or sitting in a pile somewhere. Really hope they modernize this system soon.
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Angelica Smith
•Couldn't agree more. For something as important as people's ability to pay rent and buy food, the system should be much more transparent and user-friendly.
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Logan Greenburg
One thing that helped me was reaching out to my state representative's office. They have staff who can sometimes check on appeal status for constituents. It's not a guarantee but worth a try if you're really stuck.
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Ryan Andre
•That's an interesting idea. I never thought about contacting my representative about this. How do you even go about doing that?
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Logan Greenburg
•Just call their local office and explain your situation. They deal with government agency issues all the time. Sometimes they can cut through red tape that individuals can't.
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Charlotte Jones
Bottom line - there's no good online tracking for appeals. It's all phone calls and waiting for mail. Keep calling OAH, keep filing weekly claims with Washington ESD, and be patient. The system is slow but appeals do eventually get processed.
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Ryan Andre
•Thanks everyone for all the advice. At least now I know I'm not missing some obvious online tracking feature. I'll start calling OAH regularly and keep filing my weekly claims.
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Lucas Bey
•Good luck with your appeal! The waiting is brutal but stick with it. Many appeals are successful if you have a good case.
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