Does your former employer know if you are collecting unemployment in Washington ESD system?

Oh okay, that makes sense. I was laid off due to budget cuts so there shouldn't be any issues with contesting it.

They also get charged for the benefits through their unemployment insurance tax, which is why some employers try to contest claims.

Thanks, I guess I was overthinking it. Just don't want them to think badly of me.

Interesting, I've been trying to call Washington ESD for days and can never get through. Might have to check that out.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already tight on money while job hunting.

It's worth it when you really need to talk to someone at Washington ESD. The time I would have spent calling over and over was better used job searching.

What kind of information do they typically include in their response?

Usually details about why you left - whether it was a layoff, termination for cause, voluntary quit, etc. They might also include documentation or their version of events if there's any dispute.

That sounds awful! How long did it take to get resolved?

About 6 weeks total. Had to go through the whole adjudication process and provide my layoff paperwork, emails about the budget cuts, everything.

This is exactly why I used Claimyr when I had adjudication issues. Being able to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD instead of waiting weeks for a callback made all the difference.

I didn't know standby was different from regular unemployment. What's the main difference?

Standby is for when you're temporarily laid off with a specific return-to-work date. You don't have to do job searches like with regular UI claims.

Have you checked your online account? Sometimes there are notifications there that aren't obvious.

Yeah I've checked everywhere on the SecureAccess site and I still can't figure out what's going on with my claim.

This is exactly the kind of situation where Claimyr really helps. Instead of guessing what's happening with your claim, you can actually get through to an agent who can tell you the status.

That's reassuring to hear from someone on the employer side. I was definitely laid off due to company downsizing so I should be fine.

Do you know if employers can see how much someone is getting in benefits or just that they're collecting?

We get notified about the claim and the potential charges to our account, but I don't think we see the specific weekly benefit amount the person receives.

That's good to know! I was worried it might affect future references or something.

Most reasonable employers understand that people need to collect benefits when they're unemployed. It's not a reflection on you personally.

If you were terminated for misconduct like chronic tardiness, there's a good chance they might contest it. Washington ESD will then have to determine if it qualifies as misconduct that disqualifies you from benefits.

ugh great, so I probably won't get approved then

Not necessarily! You still have the right to present your side of the story during the adjudication process. Sometimes there are mitigating circumstances.

Yeah, I think I'm having the same paranoia you had. It's just weird knowing they'll be notified.

The stigma around unemployment is real but most employers who do layoffs expect people to file. It's part of business.

Thanks, that makes me feel better about the whole situation.

Exactly! And if there are any issues with your claim, Washington ESD will investigate and make a determination based on the facts.

You can request a copy of your unemployment file from Washington ESD which should include any employer responses. You might need to call or submit a records request.

Good luck getting through on the phone though! That's why services like Claimyr are so helpful - you can actually reach someone to ask about stuff like this instead of waiting weeks for a callback.

I'll look into that records request option. Thanks for the info!