Wait I'm confused... is an appeal different from adjudication? My claim has been in adjudication for 5 weeks now. Is that the same thing or different?

Just wanted to add something that helped me during my appeal process - if you're struggling financially while waiting, check if you qualify for emergency assistance programs. I applied for emergency rental assistance through my county and food assistance through DSHS while my appeal was pending. It helped bridge the gap during those 3.5 months I was waiting. Also, when you file your appeal, consider sending it certified mail with return receipt requested. I did regular mail and spent weeks worried they didn't receive it. The peace of mind is worth the extra few dollars. One more thing - start keeping a detailed log of every interaction you have with ESD (dates, times, who you spoke with, what was discussed). It can be really helpful if there are any discrepancies later. Good luck with your appeal!

Good luck with your claim! Having witness statements and HR documentation puts you in a much stronger position than most people who try to prove hostile work environment.

I went through something similar last year with psychological harassment from my manager. Washington ESD approved my claim, but the key was showing a clear pattern of behavior that escalated over time. Beyond what others mentioned, I'd recommend keeping a timeline that shows how the hostile environment progressively worsened - this helped demonstrate that quitting was inevitable rather than impulsive. Also, if you have any performance reviews from before the harassment started showing you were a good employee, that can counter any claims that you were terminated for poor performance. The medical documentation you mentioned for stress-related issues is really valuable too.

I'm going through something similar right now - 7 weeks in adjudication with my former employer disputing my layoff claim. It's absolutely maddening how broken this system is. A few things that have helped me stay somewhat sane during this process: 1. Document EVERYTHING - every call, every message, every interaction with dates and times 2. Set up email alerts in eServices so you get notified immediately if anything changes 3. Join the Washington State Unemployment Facebook groups - there are people there who share real-time updates about which phone numbers are actually working 4. Consider reaching out to local news stations - they've been covering ESD delays and sometimes that public pressure helps The most important thing is to keep filing those weekly claims no matter what, even if it feels pointless. When your claim finally gets approved (and it will), you'll get all the back pay for those weeks. Has your claim status changed at all since January, or has it been completely stuck on "adjudication in progress" this whole time? Sometimes there are small status changes that aren't super obvious but indicate movement in the system. Hang in there - you're not alone in this nightmare.

I feel for you - 9 weeks is brutal and the lack of communication from ESD makes it so much worse. I went through a similar situation last year (though only 6 weeks, so I can't imagine how frustrated you must be at this point). A few things that might help based on what worked for others in my situation: - Try calling first thing Monday morning right at 8am - I had better luck getting through then vs later in the day - When you visit WorkSource (which definitely try!), ask them specifically if they can see whether a fact-finding interview has been scheduled in their system but the notice got lost somewhere - Keep screenshots of your eServices status with timestamps - if this drags on much longer you might need them for an appeal - Consider filing a complaint with the state auditor's office if WorkSource doesn't help - they track ESD performance issues The hardship documentation route mentioned above is definitely worth trying too. Even a late rent notice might bump you up in priority. It's infuriating that you have to jump through all these hoops when you've done everything right, but don't give up. Your claim will eventually get resolved and you'll get all that back pay. Keep us posted on how the WorkSource visit goes!

Thanks, appreciate the support. This whole process has been way more stressful than I expected.

I'm going through something similar right now - filed in late March and still stuck in adjudication. It's incredibly frustrating not knowing what's causing the delay or how much longer it might take. I've been keeping detailed records of all my job search activities and filing weekly claims religiously, but the uncertainty is really getting to me. Has anyone had luck with that Claimyr service that Josef mentioned? I'm running out of savings too and might need to try anything that could help me get through to an actual person at ESD.

I missed filing twice in a row earlier this year due to some personal issues and was able to backfile for both weeks without any problems. The system walked me through each week separately and I got paid for both. Washington ESD is pretty understanding about life happening - just make sure you have your job search documentation ready for each week you're claiming. You'll be fine!

I had a similar panic attack when I missed my first filing deadline about 6 months ago! The Washington ESD system is actually really forgiving about this - when you log in this Sunday, you'll see both weeks available to claim. The interface will guide you through filing for the missed week first, then the current week. Just make sure you have all your job search activities documented for both weeks since you'll need to report them separately. I got both payments in one deposit a few days later with no issues. Don't stress too much about it - they know life happens and one missed week definitely won't hurt your claim status!