Do employers ALWAYS notify you when contesting your ESD unemployment claim?

The job separation form is standard procedure for ALL unemployment claims in Washington, not an indication your employer is contesting anything. ESD sends these out to verify the circumstances of your separation regardless of whether your employer has raised any issues. If your employer actually contests your claim, you'll receive a specific notice about it - usually titled something like "Notice of Adjudication" or "Request for Information" that clearly states your benefits are being questioned and why. Just fill out the form honestly with the details of your layoff (department elimination is a qualifying reason), submit any documentation you have of the layoff, and you should be fine. Make sure you keep doing your weekly claims while this is processing!

this hapened to me 2!! got the same form & thought my boss was being shady. turns out its normal. but DEFINETLY upload any proof u have of the layoff. my claim took 4ever because i didnt send enough proof the first time

To directly answer your question: No, you are not always immediately notified if an employer contests your claim. Here's how it actually works: 1. You file your initial claim 2. ESD sends the job separation form to both you and your employer 3. Your employer has 10 days to respond with their version of events 4. If their response contradicts yours OR they explicitly contest the claim, THEN your claim goes into adjudication 5. Only at that point would you receive a notice of adjudication Since you mentioned a department-wide layoff with notice, you're probably fine. But if your employer does contest it, you'll get a separate notice after they review both statements. Make sure you're extremely specific about the layoff being due to "lack of work" or "reduction in force" - those are the magic terms that help your claim proceed smoothly.

THE ESD SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY RIGGED!!!! They ALWAYS side with employers no matter what. I got laid off last year and my employer lied saying I quit. Even with proof they still denied me and I had to go through 3 months of appeals. The separation form is just the beginning of your nightmare.

I just went through this exact situation last month! The separation form is routine, but what happens next depends on how your employer responds. In my case, they contested saying I was underperforming (total lie - we all got laid off). Once they contested, I got an adjudication notice a week later and my claims showed as "pending" instead of processing normally. I was stuck calling ESD every day trying to speak with an adjudicator to explain my side, but couldn't get through for THREE WEEKS. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get connected to an actual person at ESD. They have this video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Once I got through to the adjudicator and explained the situation with my documentation, my claim was approved within 48 hours and I got all my backpay. So my advice: fill out that form super carefully, and if it does go to adjudication, don't waste time trying to call on your own.

My friend works at ESD (not posting officially) and says that over 70% of layoff claims go through with no issues as long as you document properly. Most employers don't contest legitimate layoffs because they know they'll lose and their unemployment insurance rates are affected by layoffs regardless of whether they contest. He says to just be honest, upload documentation, and don't worry too much unless you actually receive an adjudication notice.

One important thing to understand is that the separation form is actually for YOUR protection in the process. It gives you the opportunity to document your side of the story BEFORE any potential issues arise. Make sure you: - Use clear, factual language (no emotions or accusations) - Specify it was a layoff due to budget cuts/reduction in force - Include the names of managers who informed you - Note that others were also laid off (if applicable) - Upload your layoff notice - List any severance or final payments you received This creates a solid record that makes it much harder for an employer to successfully contest later. Many claimants make the mistake of providing vague information on this form, which can lead to unnecessary adjudication delays.