Missed appeal hearing and got default judgment from ESD - should I worry?

A default judgment typically means the judge ruled against you because you didn't appear. Since you never received any benefits, there's likely no overpayment they would pursue. However, it's good practice to formally close out your claim by calling ESD and confirming the status. They'll document that you've found employment and no longer need benefits. This prevents any confusion if you ever need to apply for unemployment in the future.

dude i had the EXACT same thing happen!!! freaked out about it for months but literally nothing ever happened. been 2 years now and esd never contacted me. i think ur good as long as u didnt actually get any $$$

While the previous commenter is probably right in your specific case, I'd caution that default judgments CAN sometimes have consequences. If you were found ineligible and had already received benefits (which you didn't), they could have pursued overpayment collection. The default judgment also stays in their system and could theoretically impact future claims. I'd recommend at least sending a secure message through your eServices account stating that you found employment on [date] and are formally withdrawing any pending appeals or claims. Screenshot this for your records.

I've been trying to reach ESD for WEEKS about a similar situation and can't get through! Their phone lines are absolutely horrible - either busy signals or disconnects after waiting forever. So frustrating when you're just trying to resolve something simple.

ESD is such a nightmare!!!! I got a default judgment TOO and then 6 months later they sent me a notice saying I owed them $5,200!!! Had to fight it for MONTHS. The system is BROKEN and they don't care about regular people AT ALL.

To add some clarity: When ESD places you in default status after missing a hearing, it means the judge made a decision based only on the evidence in your file, without your testimony. Since you didn't receive benefits and subsequently found employment, there are two distinct considerations: 1. For this specific claim: You don't need to worry about overpayments since you never received money. You should formally withdraw your claim by sending a message through eServices stating you found employment on X date and are withdrawing all pending appeals/claims. 2. For future claims: The default judgment creates a determination in your record. If you ever need to file for unemployment again, you may want to request a copy of that determination so you understand if there were any disqualifying issues noted that might affect future claims. This is really more about record-keeping than any immediate concern.

One thing to remember is that there's a statute of limitations on these matters too. After a certain period (typically 3 years), ESD can no longer pursue most claims against you. Since you never received benefits, this is more of a technicality, but worth knowing for peace of mind.