What happens after an ESD appeal hearing? Still confused about next steps

I went through this last month. After the hearing, the administrative law judge (ALJ) usually issues a written decision within 2-3 weeks. They mail it to you and also post it in your eServices account. If the decision is in your favor, ESD will process your back payments within about 7-10 business days. If it's not in your favor, you have 30 days to file a Petition for Review with the Commissioner's Review Office. My advice is to check your eServices account daily - sometimes the decision shows up there before the mail arrives.

the judge will send u a letter with there decision and it takes FOREVER mine took like 45 days to arrive and i was checking the mail everyday!!! so frustrating

Went through this last year. Don't get your hopes up too high. I had all the evidence and still lost my appeal. The system is rigged in favor of employers because they pay into unemployment insurance. Just saying...

I had my hearing back in January and actually won! Like others have said, it took about 3 weeks to get the decision letter. What really matters is if you had good evidence to back up your side of the story. Did you bring witnesses? Submit documentation? If your employer just made verbal claims without evidence, you might be OK. Also, I'm curious - what was the reason they denied your benefits initially? The specific reason can affect your chances at appeal.

If you've been waiting to get through to ESD to check on your appeal status, try using Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was in the same boat as you after my hearing and was getting really anxious. Used their service and got connected to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending days trying to get through. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. The agent was able to tell me exactly where my appeal was in the process and when to expect the decision.

Here's exactly what happens after an appeal hearing: 1. The ALJ reviews all evidence and testimony (this takes 1-2 weeks typically) 2. The ALJ issues a written decision (you receive by mail and in eServices) 3. If you win, ESD implements the decision, removes any disqualifications, and processes payments within 7-14 days 4. If you lose, you have 30 days to file a Petition for Review with the Commissioner's Office 5. If neither party appeals within 30 days, the decision becomes final Your safety concerns documentation sounds promising - that's exactly the kind of evidence that often leads to successful appeals for voluntary quits. The key factor will be whether you can prove you made reasonable efforts to resolve the issues before quitting.

wait I'm confused is the OAH hearing the same as a commisioner review or is that a different type of appeal????

I had a hearing last year about being fired vs. laid off and let me tell you my story real quick. I thought the hearing went terrible because my boss kept interrupting me and the judge seemed annoyed with both of us. But guess what? I actually won! Got my decision letter after about 2.5 weeks and all my back benefits came through the following week. It was over $5,000 they owed me! So don't lose hope even if you think it went badly. Sometimes these judges are just hard to read.

One important thing to remember is that if you win and they rule in your favor, sometimes the employer can also appeal the decision to the Commissioner's Review Office. So even winning at the OAH level doesn't always mean the case is finished. However, the good news is that ESD will typically begin paying benefits after an OAH decision in your favor, even if the employer appeals. But be aware you could potentially have to repay them if the employer wins at a higher appeal level.