Need ESD adjudication HELP - unemployment denied after asking about job condition issues

You don't necessarily need a lawyer for an ESD appeal hearing. I went through this last year when my employer falsely claimed I quit (I was actually laid off). For the hearing, gather any evidence showing you were raising legitimate safety concerns - emails, texts, witness statements from coworkers if possible. The OAH judges are used to people representing themselves. Make sure you prepare to explain clearly why these weren't performance issues but retaliation for safety reporting. The most important thing is to stay calm and stick to facts during the hearing.

i had my claim denied to and got it overturned!! dont worry to much about having a lawyer, just make sure u have all ur documentation ready like emails or txt messages or anything showing u reported those safety issues. the timing of everything is super important so make sure u can show u got those performance warnings AFTER u complained

The Northwest Justice Project sometimes helps with unemployment cases, especially if there's a workplace safety angle. Call their CLEAR hotline at 1-888-201-1014. They do free legal help for people below certain income levels. You can also try the Unemployment Law Project at 206-441-9178. They specialize in exactly these kinds of cases. Don't give up - employers often count on people not appealing denials!

I've been through HELL with ESD this year and totally understand your panic. Have you tried calling ESD directly to ask about your case? I know it's nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get through on their phone lines (I tried for TWO WEEKS), but I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get connected to an actual human at ESD. They have this video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The agent I spoke with was able to explain exactly what evidence they were looking at and gave me tips for my appeal. Might be worth trying before your hearing since you're running out of time.

The entire ESD appeals system is RIGGED against workers. I went through this last year and lost even though I had evidence my boss was lying. These big companies have HR departments and lawyers who know exactly what to say to get claims denied. It's disgusting how they treat people who are just trying to survive. The whole "misconduct" rule is so vague they can twist almost anything into it. Good luck but don't get your hopes up.

Make sure you're very specific about the safety issues you reported. For your hearing, you need to establish: 1) These were legitimate safety concerns, 2) You reported them properly, 3) The performance warnings came AFTER you reported safety issues. Washington state has strong whistleblower protections, and terminating someone for reporting safety violations is illegal. If you can connect those dots clearly, you have a good chance of winning your appeal without an attorney. Also very important: make sure you continue filing your weekly claims EVERY WEEK even while your appeal is pending. If you win your appeal, you'll only get paid for weeks you properly filed claims.

Has anyone mentioned the Unemployment Law Project yet? They specifically help with ESD appeals and often take cases pro bono. Worth checking out!

whats the status now??? did u get any help?? hope ur appeal is going ok!