Unemployment hearing tomorrow: Need help proving I quit because my overtime was cut, not for school

I went through an appeal hearing last year. The judge will definitely ask specific questions about WHY you quit and the timeline of events. Be very clear that you stayed for 2 months after the overtime reduction trying to make it work. Have those paystubs organized chronologically to show the pattern of reduction - judges love documentation. Also, prepare a brief statement explaining that school was a RESULT of quitting, not the cause. Don't interrupt the employer or judge, even if they say something incorrect - write it down and address it when it's your turn to speak. Good luck!

Was your overtim eliminated completely or just reduced? This makes a HUGE difference with ESD!!! I got denied because mine was only reduced by 25% and they said thats not enough for good cause to quit. You need to prove it caused a "substantial" reduction in pay - like at least 25% of total income. Be ready with EXACT calculations of before and after pay.

Make sure you actually SAY during the hearing that you quit due to substantial loss of income, not because of school! Seems obvious but people get nervous and forget to directly state their main point. Also DON'T badmouth your former employer no matter how tempting - judges hate that and it makes you look unprofessional.

The fact that you enrolled in school right after quitting is going to be a challenge, not gonna lie. The employer will use this against you to show that was your plan all along. You need to be able to explain clearly how the timing worked out - maybe you only considered school AFTER realizing your income was permanently reduced? Also, did you ever formally request to maintain your previous hours in writing? Documentation is extremely important in these hearings.

Have you tried calling ESD directly to ask what specific evidence they're looking for in a case like yours? I was stuck trying to get through to them for weeks with no luck, constant busy signals and disconnections. Then I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual ESD agent in under 30 minutes! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. The agent I spoke with gave me specific advice for my hearing that made a huge difference. Might be worth trying before tomorrow.

hey i had hearing last month, the most important thing is DONT LIE about anything!!! they will catch you and then your totally screwed. just be honest about timeline, yes you went to school but that was AFTER you decided to quit becuz of hours cut. also the judge asked me like 20 questions rapid fire so be ready for that lol

One more important tip: Take notes during the hearing! When the employer makes statements, write them down. Often they'll contradict themselves or say something you can disprove. When it's your turn to respond, you can address these points specifically. Also, though this hearing is about YOUR reason for quitting, if you know other employees also left because of reduced hours, that can help support your case that this was a legitimate workplace issue, not just a personal preference.

GOOD LUCK today!!!! Let us know how it goes. The ESD system is so frustrating sometimes but occasionally they get it right lol

I JUST had a hearing last Thursday for a similar issue!!! Mine was reduction in hours too but different circumstances. The judge actually ruled in my favor ON THE SPOT which I wasn't expecting! Make sure you have your dates straight about when your hours were cut vs when you applied for school. My judge was super focused on the timeline of events. Judges know people need to support themselves so if you can show the hours cut made that impossible, you have a good chance!