Another option is to visit your local WorkSource office in person. They can't fix your claim directly, but they have special contact channels to ESD that the public doesn't. I was stuck in a similar situation last year and the WorkSource staff were able to get an ESD specialist to call me back within 48 hours.

Update: I tried both the governor's complaint form AND calling OAH this morning. OAH was actually really helpful - the person I spoke with said they're seeing this issue a lot lately. They're sending me a paper appeal form and said I should include a written statement explaining why my appeal is late, with all the documentation of my attempts to contact ESD. They said as long as I can show I made reasonable efforts to resolve it with ESD first, they'll likely grant the good cause exception. Feeling a bit more hopeful now!

One important thing to note: "just cause" in the employer's mind doesn't necessarily equal "misconduct" in ESD's determination. This is actually good news for you. Under Washington unemployment law, simple attendance issues typically don't rise to the level of misconduct unless they involve deliberate violation of known policies after warnings. If your absences were for medical reasons, even if your employer didn't accept them at the time, ESD likely will. This is why thorough documentation is so crucial. When the adjudicator reviews your case, they're looking at whether your actions meet the legal definition of misconduct, not whether your employer felt justified in firing you. In the meantime, have you contacted your local WorkSource office? They sometimes can help with emergency resources while you're waiting for unemployment benefits.

btw did u appeal ur termination with ur company before filing for unemployment? that can speed things up somtimes cuz it shows u tried to resolve it first

I work in HR and deal with unemployment issues regularly. This is definitely an identification mix-up in the ESD system. I've seen many cases where ESD has confused claimants with similar names or SSNs. I'd recommend doing all of the following: 1. Continue trying to reach a live agent (others have suggested methods) 2. Submit a formal appeal through the OAH (Office of Administrative Hearings) - this is different from the eServices appeals you've submitted 3. Go to your local WorkSource office in person - sometimes they can help escalate these issues 4. Contact your state representative as someone suggested 5. Continue filing weekly claims despite the denial Most importantly, document EVERYTHING. Note the dates/times of all calls, take screenshots of all online submissions, and keep copies of all documents you submit. This creates a paper trail showing your due diligence that can help get any waiting week penalties waived once the issue is resolved.

UPDATE: I finally got through to a real person at ESD! I used the Claimyr service that someone suggested above, and it worked great. Got a call back in about 2 hours. The agent confirmed it was indeed a case of mistaken identity - they had somehow merged my records with someone else's who had the same last name but different first name and SSN! They've escalated my case to a claims specialist who will call me within 48 hours to process the correction. I'm still going to submit that OAH appeal as backup, but it looks like things are finally moving in the right direction. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!

I'm wondering if this is related to that system update they announced last month? They sent an email about upgrading some parts of eServices but I don't remember the exact dates. Maybe we're seeing the aftermath of a botched update rollout.

Yes, you're right. They're in the middle of a phased system modernization project that was announced in their April 2025 claimant newsletter. Phase 2 was scheduled for implementation throughout May and June, with weekend maintenance windows. The claim filing issues some people are experiencing are likely related to this transition period.

Just wanted to update you - I helped someone last month with a similar situation, and we discovered that if you mark your waiver application as "financial hardship" AND "equity and good conscience" (there should be checkboxes for both), it increases your chances of approval. Also, be persistent about calling. If you use that Claimyr service I mentioned, ask specifically for a tier 2 agent who can look at both your adjudication and your waiver status.

Update that by calling them. "Equity and good conscience" applies well to your situation since you never received notification of the overpayment. That's actually a due process issue they take seriously. Also, regarding the "eligibility issues" - that's typically code for one of three things: 1) they think you didn't report some income, 2) they question your availability for work during those weeks, or 3) there was an employer protest that was processed late. Any of these sound possible?