How long does ESD standby status actually take to get approved?
I just got laid off from my construction job (they're saying it's temporary - about 6-8 weeks while they wait for permits on a big project). My supervisor told me to apply for unemployment but request 'standby' so I don't have to do the job search requirements since they'll be calling me back. I submitted everything yesterday and my claim shows 'pending' now. Does anyone know how long standby typically takes to get approved? The ESD website is super vague and just says 'decision will be made after review' but I need to plan my finances. Is it days or weeks? Do they usually approve standby requests for construction? I've never done this before.
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Diego Flores
Standby approval usually takes 3-5 business days in my experience, assuming your employer confirms the temporary layoff. Make sure you continue filing your weekly claims while waiting for standby approval - just answer 'Yes' to being on standby and 'No' to performing job search activities. The system will hold your payments until standby is approved, then release them all at once.
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Chloe Robinson
•Thanks! Do they contact my employer directly to verify? My boss said they'd approve it but I'm worried they might forget to respond to ESD.
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Anastasia Kozlov
i waited 2 weeks for my standby to get approved last winter. construction too. they did eventually approve it but then had to backpay me for the weeks i was waiting. make sure ur employer put the return to work date!!! thats super important
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Chloe Robinson
•Oh crap, I'm not sure if I put a specific return date or just estimated 6-8 weeks. Should I try to update that somehow?
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Sean Flanagan
Standby is basically NEVER approved for construction workers anymore!!!!! They changed the rules after Covid. I got DENIED even though my boss said it was temporary. Had to do all the stupid job search activities even though I knew I was going back. The whole system is rigged against us!!
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Zara Mirza
•This is incorrect information. Standby is absolutely still available for seasonal and temporary construction layoffs. The key requirements are: 1) Your employer must verify you have a definite return date within 8 weeks, 2) You must have worked enough hours with that employer to establish an attachment to the job, and 3) You must be available to return when called. The approval rate for properly documented standby requests in construction is around 85% according to recent ESD data.
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NebulaNinja
I've been trying for THREE WEEKS to reach someone at ESD to check on my standby status. I keep calling the 800 number and either getting disconnected or sitting on hold for hours. I've sent messages through eServices but no response. How is anyone supposed to get answers?? This is so frustrating!
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Luca Russo
•I was in the exact same situation last month and finally found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual ESD agent in about 20 minutes. It was such a relief after days of getting nowhere. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 and their website is claimyr.com. The agent I spoke with was able to check my standby status and tell me exactly what was missing. Saved me weeks of waiting!
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Nia Wilson
my cousin works for esd and says standby is super backed up right now cuz of all the tech layoffs happening. said they're prioritizing first-time claims over standby approvals. might be a few weeks
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Chloe Robinson
•Ugh, that's not what I wanted to hear but thanks for the info. Wonder if I should start looking for temp work just in case...
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Zara Mirza
To answer your original question with current accurate information: The standard processing time for standby applications is 5-7 business days when ESD has normal workloads. Currently (as of late 2025), there's a slight backlog that's pushing processing to 10-12 business days for most applicants. For construction specifically, you should know: 1. Your employer MUST confirm the temporary nature of the layoff 2. You MUST have a specific return-to-work date (not just a range like "6-8 weeks") 3. The return date must be within 8 weeks of your layoff date 4. You should continue filing weekly claims while waiting If your standby isn't approved for any reason, you'll need to retroactively document job searches for any weeks claimed. So I recommend keeping a basic job search log even while waiting for standby approval, just in case.
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Chloe Robinson
•This is super helpful, thank you! I'll call my employer tomorrow to make sure they specified an actual return date. Really appreciate the detailed info!
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Diego Flores
One more thing to know: if your standby request is denied, you'll get a letter explaining why. You have 30 days to appeal that decision if you think it's incorrect. In the meantime, start doing your 3 job search activities each week and documenting them, because if your standby is denied, they'll require proof of job searches for any weeks you've claimed benefits.
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Chloe Robinson
•I really hope I don't have to appeal. Just called my employer and they confirmed they put April 22nd as my return date, so it should be within the 8-week window. Fingers crossed it goes through the first time!
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