I won my unemployment appeal now what - next steps after Washington ESD appeal victory?

Thank you! Do I need to keep filing weekly claims while they process the back pay?

Yes, continue filing your weekly claims as normal. The back pay will be separate from your ongoing weekly benefits.

Good point about direct deposit. How much back pay did you end up getting?

got 8 weeks worth, came to about $3200 after taxes. was a huge relief

Never heard of Claimyr before. Is it legit or one of those scam services?

It's legitimate - they just help you get through the phone system faster. No scam involved, just saves time dealing with busy signals.

I used Claimyr when my claim got stuck in adjudication. Worked perfectly and got me connected to an actual ESD rep in minutes instead of hours of calling.

My hearing was on January 8th and I got the decision letter yesterday, so about 3 weeks total.

Okay so I should hear something soon hopefully. The waiting is killing me financially.

Appeal decisions are typically issued within 30 days of the hearing date, so you're still within the normal timeframe.

That's terrifying. What reasons are they giving for the delay?

First they said 'system processing delays' then 'additional verification needed' then 'waiting for employer response' - it's all BS excuses!

This is exactly why services like Claimyr are helpful - you can actually get to someone who can track down where your case is stuck instead of getting bounced around.

Good reminder about job search. I've been keeping my logs updated throughout the appeal process.

Wait, do you still have to do job searches during an appeal? I thought that was suspended.

You should continue job search activities unless specifically told otherwise. Better to be safe than create new issues.

Thanks for the heads up about the separate letter. I'll watch for that.

Yeah it's confusing because you get the appeal decision first, then later you get the 'redetermination' notice when they actually fix your claim.

I hadn't thought about that. My original determination was based on limited wage history because of the timing.

If additional wages become available due to the appeal timeline, Washington ESD should automatically recalculate your weekly benefit amount.

I had email chains showing my supervisor's actual reasons for termination, plus my employee handbook showing the progressive discipline policy they didn't follow.

That's smart. I'm gathering similar evidence about my situation.

Honestly I cried happy tears. The financial stress was eating me alive for weeks.

I can imagine. I've been surviving on savings and help from family. Really hoping I get good news soon.

Good point. I'll probably save most of it just in case.

While errors can happen, once an appeal is decided in your favor, it's very rare for Washington ESD to reverse that without another appeal process.

Oh wow, I hadn't thought about the tax implications. Thanks for mentioning that.

Yeah he ended up owing more taxes because it pushed him into a higher bracket. Might want to set some aside.

I was skeptical about Claimyr at first but ended up trying it when my claim got stuck. Worked exactly as advertised and saved me hours of phone frustration.

I'll definitely keep that in mind if I don't see progress in the next week or two.

Thank you! Don't give up hope - if you have good documentation and were wrongfully denied, the system can work.

Good catch. I moved during the appeal process so I should double-check my address is updated.

Definitely update that ASAP. Address mismatches can cause significant delays in benefit payments.

About 3 months total - initial denial in October, filed appeal in November, hearing in early January, decision this week.

That's actually faster than I expected. Thanks for sharing the timeline.

No, I hadn't received any benefits yet when they initially denied me. The disqualification happened during my initial claim review.

ah ok that makes it cleaner. my situation is more complicated with overpayment issues

Absolutely. I've been filing every week throughout this whole process just to be safe.

Perfect. That's the smartest approach and will prevent any gaps in your benefit eligibility.

Thanks! It definitely feels like a huge weight off my shoulders.

I'll definitely bookmark that for reference. Hopefully I won't need it but good to have options.

Exactly - it's one of those things you hope you never need but are grateful to have when you do need it.

This is such helpful advice Tyler! I hadn't thought about documenting the implementation phase too but that makes total sense. Thanks for the heads up about the back pay potentially coming in chunks - I would have definitely panicked if I only saw a partial amount at first. I'm going to start taking screenshots of my account right now. Really appreciate you sharing your experience!