How long does employer have to deny unemployment claim in Washington ESD?

Thanks! So after 10 days I should be in the clear? Or can they still cause problems later?

They can technically still contest later but it becomes much harder for them to prove good cause for missing the initial deadline. Most of the time if they don't respond in those first 10 days, your claim moves forward.

That's reassuring to hear. I'm hoping mine just lets it slide too.

Same thing happened to me. I was stressed for weeks but they never contested it.

I've never heard of that service before. Does it actually work for getting through to Washington ESD?

Yeah, I used it last month when I had an adjudication issue. Got through to someone in about 20 minutes instead of spending all day calling.

Interesting, I'll have to look into that if I run into problems with my claim.

Good to know! What kind of reasons did they give?

they claimed i was fired for attendance but i had documentation showing my absences were all approved or due to illness with doctor notes

That's not really accurate. Washington ESD has to investigate all contested claims and follow specific guidelines. They can't just take the employer's word for it.

Tell that to my friend who got denied because his boss lied about him being late all the time

If there was false information, your friend should have appealed the decision. That's exactly what the appeal process is for.

You should get a notice from Washington ESD if your employer contests your claim. If you haven't received anything after two weeks, they probably didn't respond.

Should I call to double check or just wait it out?

I'd definitely call to check, especially if you're worried about it. Like I mentioned before, Claimyr can help you get through to Washington ESD faster if you're having trouble with the phone lines.

It's 10 calendar days from when the employer receives the notice from Washington ESD.

Thanks for clarifying that!

They would need to prove good cause for not responding within the deadline. Just claiming they didn't receive it usually isn't enough unless there's documented proof of a delivery issue.

Washington ESD keeps records of when notices are sent and how they were delivered, so it's hard for employers to claim they never got it.

How long did the investigation take after they contested?

About 3 weeks total. They had to interview me and my supervisor, then review all the documentation.

That's helpful insight from the employer side. Do most companies actually bother to contest?

In my experience, probably only about 30% of the time. It depends on the circumstances and company policy. Some companies contest everything, others are more selective.

Interesting perspective. I always wondered how often employers actually fight these claims.

Layoffs due to lack of work are rarely contested since there's no misconduct involved. The employer would have no grounds to object.

That makes sense. I was laid off due to budget cuts so I should be fine then.

Same here! I've been obsessively checking my SecureAccess Washington account.

I did the same thing when I filed. The anxiety is real when you're waiting to see if your claim gets contested.

Glad I'm not the only one who found this useful! I feel much less stressed now.

How much does something like that cost?

I'd rather not get into pricing here, but it was worth it for me to get real answers instead of just guessing about what was happening with my claim.

I might have to try that if I don't hear anything soon. The uncertainty is killing me.

Perfect summary! Thanks everyone for all the helpful information.

Agreed, this has been a really informative discussion.

I totally understand that anxiety! I was in the exact same boat when I filed my claim. The waiting period is honestly the worst part because you just don't know what to expect. Since you're at 8 days, you're almost through the initial 10-day window. Working condition disputes can be tricky, but if you have any documentation about the issues you raised with management, that could help your case if they do decide to contest. Most of the time though, employers are dealing with their own stuff and don't want to spend time and resources fighting every claim unless it's really egregious.

Hang in there! I went through the same anxiety when I filed my claim after leaving due to workplace issues. The fact that you left over working conditions rather than just quitting without cause actually works in your favor. Washington ESD recognizes that unsafe or unreasonable working conditions can be "good cause" for leaving. Even if your employer does contest within the next couple days, you'd have the opportunity to explain your side during the investigation. Keep any emails, texts, or notes you might have about the working condition issues you raised - that documentation could be really valuable if needed.

I'm dealing with something similar right now too. Filed my claim 5 days ago after leaving due to what I felt were unsafe working conditions, and the anxiety of waiting to see if they'll contest is real. What's helping me is remembering that employers have to have legitimate grounds to contest - they can't just do it out of spite. Since you left over working conditions, that's actually considered "good cause" under Washington law if the conditions were truly unreasonable. Try to stay positive - you're almost through that critical 10-day window!

I can really relate to your situation! I filed my claim about 3 weeks ago after leaving due to hostile work environment issues, and I was a nervous wreck during those first 10 days. The good news is that "working conditions" disputes often fall under what Washington ESD considers valid reasons for leaving, especially if you tried to address the issues with management first. Since you're already at day 8, you're so close to being through that initial window. Even if they do contest in the next couple days, don't panic - the investigation process is pretty thorough and they'll look at both sides. I'd suggest keeping any documentation you have about the working condition issues handy, just in case. You've got this!