OAH appeal timeline? Been waiting 7 weeks for ESD judge hearing date

I went through the appeals process last summer. It took about 8 weeks to get assigned a hearing date, and then the actual hearing was 3 weeks after that. Unfortunately, the ESD rep is correct - once it moves to OAH (Office of Administrative Hearings), ESD doesn't control the timeline anymore. That said, you can contact OAH directly at 1-800-366-0955. I called them after about 6 weeks and they were able to at least confirm they had my case and give me a rough estimate of when I might expect a hearing. Also, make sure you're checking your physical mail - they sometimes send the hearing notice by regular mail rather than email or through the portal. When you do get your hearing date, make sure you gather ALL documentation that supports your case. I won my appeal because I had emails showing exactly why I had good cause to leave my position.

I had to appeal last NOV. and it took foreverrrrr!!! almost 10 weeks just to get a date and then another month until the actual hearing. its ridiculously slow. your better off looking for another job while u wait tbh

I work as an employment counselor and see this situation frequently. The OAH backlog has unfortunately grown since the department reduced staffing post-pandemic. The 7-8 week timeline others have mentioned is accurate based on what I've seen recently. There are a few things you can do while waiting: 1. Contact OAH directly as suggested above 2. Reach out to your state representative - sometimes their constituent services can help expedite cases where financial hardship is involved 3. Contact your local WorkSource office. While they can't speed up the hearing, they may be able to connect you with emergency assistance resources while you wait 4. File your weekly claims EVERY WEEK during this waiting period - if you win your appeal, you'll only be paid for weeks you properly filed 5. Prepare your appeal evidence thoroughly - organize chronologically and create a simple timeline of events One thing many claimants don't realize is that OAH judges are completely separate from ESD. They're independent and often overturn ESD decisions if the evidence supports it. Be factual, concise, and professional during your hearing.

my cousin had this exact problem last month. he was going crazy trying to get through to someone at ESD for weeks with no luck, always getting hung up on during the automated system. then he found this service called Claimyr that got him past the phone tree and connected to an actual ESD agent in less than 15 minutes! the agent told him his appeal had actually been assigned a date but the letter got sent to an old address. might be worth checking out if you need to talk to someone at ESD again - claimyr.com there's a video that shows how it works here: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3

I went through the EXACT SAME THING in January/February!!! It is so frustrating and the system is COMPLETELY BROKEN. I waited 9 weeks for my hearing date and nearly got evicted while waiting. Here's what eventually worked for me - I contacted my state senator's office and explained my hardship situation. Their constituent services person contacted OAH on my behalf, and suddenly I had a hearing date within 3 days! I'm not saying it will definitely work, but it's worth trying. Also - VERY IMPORTANT - when you do get your hearing notice, read it CAREFULLY. Mine had a pre-hearing conference call scheduled that I almost missed. If you miss any scheduled calls or the hearing itself, you automatically lose your appeal! Hang in there. The system is frustrating but there is an end to it eventually.

i think i read somewhere that the average wait for OAH heraings is like 8-10 weeks now dont quote me on that but its def getting worse every year. ive done two appeals (won 1 lost 1) and second one took way longer than first one trick is to call right when they open at 8am thats when u can actully get a human on the phone

One thing I forgot to mention in my earlier reply - once you do get your hearing scheduled, you may have the option to do it by phone rather than in person. I HIGHLY recommend doing it by phone if possible. It's less intimidating, and you can have all your notes and documentation spread out in front of you where you can easily reference them. Also, judges typically allocate 45 minutes for each hearing, so practice explaining your situation concisely. Focus on the key facts that demonstrate why you qualify for benefits under Washington law. The judge will likely ask both you and your former employer specific questions, so just answer truthfully without embellishment. The good news is that a significant percentage of appeals are decided in the claimant's favor, especially when the employer doesn't present strong evidence for disqualification.