Washington ESD unemployment appeal hearing next week - how to win an unemployment appeal?

Thank you! I do have some emails saved and one coworker said she'd write a statement. How long did your hearing take?

Mine was about 45 minutes. The judge asked questions, let me tell my side, then questioned my former employer. Make sure you're in a quiet place with good phone reception.

I did report to HR twice but they basically did nothing. I have the emails where I reported it and their responses.

Perfect! That shows you tried to resolve it through proper channels first. Bring copies of everything.

I had the same problem until I found claimyr.com - they help you get through to Washington ESD agents. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

Really? I'll check that out. I've been calling for 3 weeks straight with no luck.

That's encouraging! What was your situation if you don't mind me asking?

They said I was fired for misconduct but it was really just a personality conflict with my manager. I had performance reviews showing I was doing good work.

Same here - brought all my performance reviews and emails showing I was meeting expectations. Documentation is everything.

I haven't heard that term before. How do I prove constructive discharge?

You need to show the working conditions were so intolerable that quitting was your only reasonable option. Document everything - harassment, unsafe conditions, significant changes to your job duties, etc.

Good idea. Should I prepare for specific questions they might ask?

Yes - they'll ask why you quit, what you did to try to resolve the problem, whether you looked for other work first, and about any warnings or discipline you received.

What if they bring up things I didn't know they were going to talk about?

You'll get a chance to respond. Ask for clarification if you don't understand something and don't be afraid to disagree if they're wrong about the facts.

At least you got a hearing scheduled! I can't even get through to talk to someone about my appeal status.

That's exactly why I started using claimyr - I was spending entire days trying to reach Washington ESD. The service connects you directly with agents instead of dealing with the busy signals.

I did see my doctor about stress but didn't think to get a letter. Is it too late to get one now?

Not at all! Call your doctor's office and explain you need documentation for your unemployment appeal. They can write a letter about your visits and how work stress affected you.

This gives me hope. My employer is definitely trying to avoid paying unemployment taxes by fighting legitimate claims.

Exactly! That's why documentation is so important. It shows the real story instead of letting employers make up whatever narrative they want.

Wait really? I thought you couldn't file claims while appealing?

You should definitely keep filing. If you win your appeal, those weeks will be paid retroactively. If you don't file them, you lose that money even if you win.

This is correct - always continue filing weekly claims during appeals. Washington ESD will hold the payments until the appeal is resolved.

Same experience here. Winning the appeal is just the first step - then you have to wait for them to process everything and release the payments.

Well at least there's hope! I'm just focused on getting through the hearing right now.

Is that legal? I don't want to do anything that might hurt my case.

In Washington you need permission from all parties, so you'd have to ask the judge and your employer first. Probably not worth the hassle for most cases.

That's going to be tough. My former supervisor loves to twist things around.

Just remember the judge has heard it all before. They can usually tell when someone is being dishonest, especially if you have documentation that contradicts what they're saying.

Good point. They said I quit without good cause but didn't seem to consider any of the circumstances that led to my resignation.

That's typical. The initial review is pretty superficial. The appeal hearing is where you get to tell the full story with all the details and context.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already struggling financially.

Way less than I expected and definitely worth it compared to the time I was wasting. Check out their site at claimyr.com - they explain how it works.

Thanks everyone. I feel a lot more prepared now. I'll update after my hearing next week!

Good luck! Remember to stay calm and organized. You've got this!