Does Washington ESD unemployment contact your employer when you file a claim?

Thanks for the info! Do you know how long after filing they usually contact the employer?

Usually within a few days to a week. The employer then has 10 days to respond to Washington ESD's request for information.

This is reassuring. I was worried my old boss would think I was trying to scam the system or something.

Nah, employers know unemployment is a legitimate safety net. They've probably dealt with dozens of these requests before.

How does that service work exactly? I'm always getting busy signals when I try to call Washington ESD.

It basically handles the calling and waiting for you so you don't have to sit on hold. Pretty straightforward process.

They ask for your dates of employment, wages earned, reason for separation, and whether you were terminated for misconduct or quit voluntarily. They also want to know if you have any outstanding debts to the company.

That makes sense. So they're basically just confirming the basic facts of your employment situation.

I get the concern, but it's really just paperwork to them. They're not sharing personal details about why you need unemployment or anything like that.

yeah i guess you're right. just feels weird having them know i'm on unemployment

If they don't respond within the 10-day window, Washington ESD will typically process your claim based on the information you provided. But it's pretty rare for employers not to respond since it can affect their unemployment tax rates.

My employer never responded when I filed last year and my claim went through fine. Took about 3 weeks total though.

It matters a lot. If you were laid off, the employer usually confirms that and your claim goes through smoothly. If you quit, Washington ESD needs to determine if you had good cause to quit, which can trigger an adjudication process.

What counts as good cause for quitting?

Things like unsafe working conditions, significant changes to your job duties or pay, harassment, or health issues that make continuing work impossible.

That's really helpful to hear from the employer side! Makes me feel much better about filing.

Do you ever contest unemployment claims?

Only if there was clear misconduct or if the employee quit without good cause. Most of the time we just confirm the facts and let Washington ESD make the decision.

If everything is straightforward, usually 2-3 weeks from filing to first payment. But if there are any issues or your claim needs adjudication, it can take longer.

What would trigger adjudication?

Things like discrepancies between what you reported and what your employer says, questions about why you left, or issues with your work history.

This is exactly what I needed to hear. I was building it up in my head as this huge dramatic thing.

Yeah, unemployment is just a normal part of the employment system. Employers factor it into their costs and expect it to happen sometimes.

Yes, Washington ESD will contact all employers from your base period - typically the first four of the last five completed quarters. They need to verify wages from all sources to calculate your benefit amount.

Good to know. I had three different jobs last year so I guess they'll be reaching out to all of them.

That's good - streamlines the process so claims don't get delayed by slow mail.

Exactly. The faster employers respond, the faster your claim gets processed.

I might need to try that if I have questions after filing.

Definitely worth it if you need to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD. Their regular phone lines are a nightmare.

What kind of documentation would be helpful?

Emails, performance reviews, any written warnings, witness statements - basically anything that supports your side of the story.

This is why I saved every email when I was having issues at my last job. Better to have it and not need it.

That makes sense. They probably have better things to do than fight legitimate unemployment claims.

Exactly. Plus if they contest too many claims unnecessarily, it can affect their relationship with Washington ESD.

Thanks everyone for all the info! I feel much better about filing now.

Good luck with your claim! The whole process is much more routine than it seems at first.

That's really reassuring. I was worried it would burn bridges or something.

Nah, if anything it shows you're being responsible by using the system properly instead of just struggling on your own.

That's not a bad idea. Might actually make it less awkward than having it come out of nowhere.

I did this when I filed and my old manager actually wished me luck finding a new job. People are generally understanding about unemployment.

Good to know there are options when you need to actually speak with someone.

Yeah, saves so much time and frustration compared to the regular phone system.

Will do! I'm planning to file this week now that I understand the process better.

Looking forward to hearing how it goes. These threads are so helpful for people going through the same thing.