Does my ESD claim auto-approve if my employer doesn't respond by deadline?

they don't automatically approve it, but it definitely helps your case if the employer doesn't respond. ESD still has to make their own determination about whether u qualify based on the info they have. quitting is usually tricky tho even with employer not responding

Unfortunately, there's no automatic approval. Even if your employer doesn't respond, ESD will make their determination based on the information available. Since you mentioned you quit, they'll need to determine if it was for "good cause" as defined in their guidelines. A substantial reduction in hours (like yours - from 40 to 15) is often considered good cause, but they still need to review your specific situation. The employer not responding typically works in your favor, as ESD will primarily have your side of the story to consider. However, they may still try to contact the employer by phone or request additional information from you. Keep filing your weekly claims while you wait for the decision. This ensures you'll get paid for those weeks if approved.

same thing happened to me last month!!! my employer never responded and i still got approved but it took like 2 more weeks after their deadline. hang in there!!

As others have mentioned, there's no automatic approval, but it does simplify the process when employers don't respond. Your situation of having hours reduced from 40 to 15 actually falls under what ESD considers "good cause" for voluntary quits, specifically "substantial involuntary deterioration of work conditions." Typically after the employer response deadline, ESD takes about 5-10 business days to make a determination if no additional information is needed. If they need to investigate further, it could take 2-3 weeks. If you're in a financial emergency, you might want to try reaching out directly to ESD to explain your situation and ask if they can expedite your claim. Fair warning though - getting through to them can be challenging.

I was in the same boat last month with trying to reach ESD. After getting disconnected dozens of times, I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual ESD agent in about 15 minutes. It basically keeps dialing for you and puts you in line when there's an opening. Saved me days of frustration. Check out their site at claimyr.com or their demo video https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 to see how it works. It was super helpful for getting my adjudication issue resolved when I was in a time crunch with bills.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A JOKE!!! My employer NEVER responded and I STILL got DENIED because ESD said they "couldn't verify my reason for separation" even though I told them EXACTLY what happened and provided proof!!! Had to appeal and wait ANOTHER month just to get what I deserved in the first place. Don't count on them doing ANYTHING efficiently or fairly!!!

Just to add some balance to the conversation - while there are certainly frustrating cases like what @profile5 experienced, many claims with good documentation (especially for hour reductions) do get approved without appeals. Make sure you've submitted any documentation that proves your hours were reduced - schedules, paystubs showing the change, any written communication about the reduction, etc. This significantly improves your chances of approval on the first review.

btw i was wondering this too but does anyone know if the 10 day deadline is business days or calendar days??? mines coming up on wednesday but i'm not sure if weekends count

Quick update - I finally reached an ESD agent this morning after using the Claimyr service someone recommended. The agent told me that my employer did NOT respond before the deadline, and they're now processing my claim. She said I should have a decision within 5-7 business days. She also confirmed that my substantial reduction in hours is generally considered good cause for quitting, which makes me feel better about my chances. Thanks everyone for the help and advice!