What happens at an OAH hearing after Christmas? When to expect payment if approved?

I had my OAH hearing back in March. It was over the phone and lasted about 45 minutes. The judge will ask you to swear an oath to tell the truth, then they'll explain the issue being appealed. For me it was about being fired vs. quitting (ESD said I quit, but I was actually laid off). They ask very specific questions about your employment situation, dates, who said what, etc. An ESD representative will be there and might ask questions too. Make sure you have ALL your documentation ready - paystubs, termination letter, any emails with your employer, etc. I got my decision in 7 business days by mail, but it also showed up in my online account after 5 days. Once approved, payment took another 3 days to process. So all in, about 10 days from hearing to money in my account. Good luck!

my hearing was way diff from what the other person said. mine was about job search requirements that esd said i didnt do right. judge was super mean and kept interupting me. took like 20 mins total. got denied 2 weeks later. whole thing was BS tbh

I'm an employment attorney who occasionally helps with UI appeals. Here's what to expect: 1) Prepare 2-3 days before by organizing ALL evidence chronologically 2) The hearing is formal but not like court - business casual dress is fine for video 3) Judge will identify the legal issue (separation, availability, job search, etc.) 4) You'll testify first, then any witnesses, then ESD may question you 5) Be SPECIFIC about dates, times, names, and events - vague testimony hurts your case 6) Don't interrupt - note points to address later 7) Decisions typically come in 7-14 days, with payment 1-3 days after if approved Most importantly: stick to FACTS rather than emotions or opinions. The judge cares about what happened, not how you feel about what happened.

I waited 3 MONTHS after my hearing to get paid!!! The system is completely broken. The judge ruled in my favor but then ESD took forever to actually process the payment. I had to call them literally 27 times before I got through and even then they gave me the runaround saying it was "in processing" whatever that means. Don't get your hopes up about timing.

have you tried calling esd to ask? they might tell u what to expect

I was in your exact situation last year! Had my hearing on December 28th, 2024. It was actually pretty straightforward - my advice is to be super organized. Write down bullet points of your main facts with dates, and have copies of EVERYTHING. The judge started by explaining the procedure, then asked me specific questions about my situation. The whole thing took about an hour. The ESD rep asked a few follow-up questions, but wasn't aggressive or anything. I got my decision letter exactly 8 business days later, and since I won, the money showed up in my account 4 days after that. So about 2 weeks total from hearing to payment. Oh - and one tip! If you're doing it by phone, find a quiet place with good reception. My call dropped once and it was super stressful getting back in.

not to go off topic but has anyone else noticed that esd sends all their mail super slow these days? i got my hearing notice a week after the date on the letter which only gave me 3 days to prepare instead of 10!!

btw if u need to talk to esd before ur hearing theres this service called claimyr that can help u get thru. my friend used it when she couldnt get anyone on the phone for 2 weeks. it costs money but she said it was worth it cuz they got her connected in like an hour. their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3

Just a heads up - since your hearing is the day after Christmas, there might be some delays with the decision and payment processing due to the holiday season. Many ESD staff take vacation time around the holidays, which can slow things down. I'd mentally prepare for an extra week beyond the normal timeframes just to be safe.