ESD sent 'able and available' questions - will it block my payment?

This is actually a common issue with ESD. The "able and available" requirement means you need to be physically and mentally capable of working (able) and ready to accept work (available) during your normal work hours. Did you report being sick, out of town, or having limited hours for any reason on your weekly claims? They often send these notices when something in your weekly certification triggered a flag.

i got the SAME MESSAGE last month!! freaked me out too. ended up being because i said i couldnt work one day when my kid was sick. they made me fill out this questionnaire thing explaining why i wasnt "available" that day and then they approved it after like a week. just be honest but make it clear u were available all the other days

The "able and available" requirement is one of the core eligibility factors for unemployment benefits. You need to respond to their questionnaire promptly and thoroughly. Here's what you should do: 1. Log into your eServices account 2. Go to your messages/alerts section 3. Look for the questionnaire about the week(s) in question 4. Explain your situation in detail If it was just a doctor's appointment, that's usually fine as long as you were available the rest of the week. Just make sure to explain that it was a one-time appointment and that you remained available for work during all other customary work hours. Temporary, reasonable absences for medical appointments generally don't disqualify you.

When I got these questions it took FOREVER to get a response from ESD after I submitted my answers!! My payments were held up for almost 3 weeks while they "reviewed" my case. I called like 20 times and couldn't get through to anyone. So frustrating! Just warning you it might delay your payment even if you answer right away.

Yes, definitely mention that it was a routine appointment and that you could have rescheduled for work. That shows you were prioritizing employment, which is exactly what ESD wants to see. Also emphasize that you were actively job searching during that week and available for all other hours. Be careful how you word things though. For example, don't say "I couldn't work during my appointment" but rather "I had a brief appointment but remained available for work opportunities throughout the week." ESD is primarily concerned with patterns of unavailability, not one-off appointments.

I went through the EXACT same thing in February! The issue was that I had marked that I was "not able and available" for ONE DAY because I had to drive my mother to a hospital appointment. ESD held my payments for TWO WEEKS while they "investigated" whether I was truly available for work! I ended up having to upload a letter explaining the situation and that it was a one-time thing. Honestly the whole able and available requirement is ridiculous sometimes. Like we're not allowed to have ANY personal emergencies or appointments while on unemployment??

To answer your question about timing - it varies. Simple cases might be resolved in 3-5 business days, but it can take up to 2-3 weeks if they're backlogged. If your payment status is "pending," that means they're reviewing your answers. One thing that can help speed up the process is to upload any supporting documentation if you have it. For a doctor's appointment, you could upload an appointment confirmation if you have one. The more evidence you provide, the faster they can make a determination. If it goes longer than 10 business days, then you might want to try contacting them for a status update.

UPDATE: Good news! I just checked my account and my payment status changed from "pending" to "paid"! They must have reviewed my answers and found them acceptable. Thank you all so much for your help and advice. For anyone else who gets these "able and available" questions in the future - just be honest, explain your situation clearly, and emphasize that you were available for work during all other times. And don't panic like I did! 😅

That's such a relief to hear your payment went through! I'm actually dealing with a similar situation right now - got the "able and available" questionnaire yesterday after mentioning I had to take my car to the mechanic during work hours last week. Reading through everyone's experiences here has really helped calm my nerves. It sounds like as long as you're honest and show it was a one-time thing, ESD is pretty reasonable about it. Thanks for sharing your outcome - gives me hope mine will resolve just as quickly!