Group Case Employment Safety Department Questions Appeal Process

A sign on the Capitol in Olympia, the headquarters of the State Department of Employment Defense in Washington. (AP Photo / Ted S. Warren, file)

Good news for people waiting on unemployment appeals after benefits are denied: Governor Inslee’s office said the number of people waiting for appeals has risen from 20,000 to 4,000 in the past month.

But non-profit That is the case The Department of Employment Security on behalf of unemployed people questions the appeal process in the ESD.

Andra Gransler, a lawyer Unemployment Legal PlanHe questioned why the ESD could now resolve so many claims, despite months of denials and no updates on their situation. What has changed other than increased research from the public?

Take a look at Washington’s five job security audits

Between March and August, about 90,000 people filed 109,000 appeals.

“We don’t really understand how they can solve it [most of] 90,000 [so quickly] – We say, ‘Great, what you did was good, but in theory, you could have given those people extra pay,’ ‘he said.

He wonders how many people could have benefited without worrying about how their next bills would have been paid if all of these individuals had truly qualified for the benefits – and how many had failed to modify their denial without appealing.

“Left and right for people to deny EST benefits and accommodate everyone?” He questioned. “What does this mean – if you were one of those who were unfortunate enough not to file an appeal, would you never have had adverse treatment?”

This has been a difficult year for the Department of Employment Security. The last half year has seen Register unemployment applications Hundreds of millions of dollars in rates not seen after the Great Recession Paid to fraudsters, And tens of thousands of people Unemployment is waiting for benefits, Some of them for months without any word from the ESD.

Last week, Government Insley expressed its confidence in Employment Safety Commissioner Susie Levine, calling her a “consistent leader” in a statement to KIRO Radio, and said this year’s issues in the ESD were “not the result of Suzy’s performance”. “

However, Gransler had a different answer.

“The ESD has failed to do as it pleases. Susan Levine has not done her duty, and hardship has been born of deserving claimants,” Gransler said in an email. Despite these washers actively trying to contact the ESD, the phone call did not come in a timely manner. The financial catastrophe was born of ESD and the vulnerabilities are severe for many, which is depressing. ”

At a press conference in mid-September, he said he hoped the governor would have the remaining unemployment backlog – and then wait to see if about 20,000 people would qualify for the benefits – by the end of the month to “return to a normal system”. Oct. 1, That queue is about 22,000 people.