ESD sent standby denial letter but I never requested it - will this affect my regular benefits?

This is actually pretty common! The standby denial won't affect your regular benefits as long as you're meeting the job search requirements (which you are). When you first applied, there's a question about whether you expect to return to your employer within 8 weeks - if you checked yes or maybe to that, the system automatically processes a standby request even if you didn't specifically ask for it. Then it evaluates and often denies it. Just keep doing what you're doing - 3 job search activities per week, filing on time, etc. Your regular UI should continue without issues.

got the same letter last month lol dont worry about it

Don't just ignore it! When I got one of these "standby denials" last year, my payments actually DID stop for two weeks while they put my claim under review. I had to call them multiple times to sort it out. The ESD system is so messed up, you can never assume anything is fine even when people here say it should be. CALL THEM IMMEDIATELY and get this straightened out. Make sure you have your claim ID and the letter reference number when you call. Document everything!!

i think it depends on your specific situation. my husband got a standby denial in january and nothing happened to his regular benefits. but my cousin had her payments stop for a similar issue. esd is so inconsistent!

Okay, I want to clarify something important here. The standby denial itself won't automatically stop your regular benefits if you're already doing job searches. However, if there was another issue with your claim that triggered both the standby review AND that other issue is still pending, then yes, you might see an interruption. What matters is what your current claim status shows online. Log into your eServices account and check if there are any alerts, pending issues, or if your claim shows "Adjudication in Progress." If everything looks normal there and you've been getting paid regularly, you're likely fine. If you're concerned or see any issues in your online account, definitely try to contact ESD. But don't panic just based on this letter alone if everything else looks normal.

Have you tried calling ESD to ask about this? I know its frustrating getting through but i had a similar situation and needed clarification

I had EXACTLY this same issue in February! It was super confusing. When I first applied, my employer told me they might bring me back, so I answered the return-to-employer question as "yes." That automatically triggered a standby request. Then when ESD reviewed it, they denied it because my employer didn't actually submit the required documentation for standby status. The good news: it had ZERO effect on my regular benefits. I just kept doing my job searches (the 3 per week) and everything continued normally. I even double-checked with an ESD agent when I finally got through on a different issue, and they confirmed the standby denial was basically irrelevant as long as I was doing my job searches. Don't stress about it! Just keep doing what you're doing.

Just to add some clarification on standby status since there seems to be some confusion in this thread: 1. Standby status is when you're temporarily laid off and expected to return to your employer, and ESD can waive job search requirements for up to 8 weeks (or more in some industries). 2. To qualify, both you AND your employer need to certify the temporary nature of the layoff. 3. If you're denied standby, it simply means you must complete job search activities (minimum 3 per week) like a regular UI claimant. 4. The denial itself doesn't impact your eligibility for benefits as long as you meet all other requirements. Based on what you've described, you're already doing everything correctly by performing and documenting your job searches, so you should be fine. The letter is just officially informing you that you need to continue doing exactly what you've been doing.

Update us after your next payment is supposed to come through! I'm curious if yours processes normally or if you hit the same problems I did.

UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know my payment came through normally! Looks like you all were right that the standby denial didn't affect my regular benefits. Thanks for all the help and reassurance!