My employer hasn't responded to ESD claim after 3 weeks - what's the deadline?

I had the same issue last month! Employers have 10 days to respond according to ESD's website, but mine took almost 4 weeks. I was going crazy waiting. After trying for days to reach someone at ESD, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to an agent in about 25 minutes. They told me my employer had finally responded but the claim was stuck waiting for processing. The agent pushed it through that day and I got paid the following week with all backpay included. Check out their video if you want to see how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3

Employers technically have 10 days to respond to ESD after they receive the request for information. If they don't respond within that timeframe, ESD is supposed to make a determination based on the information they have available from you. However, with current workloads, this doesn't always happen automatically or quickly. If your claim has been pending for 3+ weeks, I'd suggest a few things: 1. Check your eServices account for any alerts or action items 2. Make sure you're continuing to file weekly claims while waiting 3. Contact your former employer's HR to confirm they received the request 4. Keep trying to reach ESD - early mornings (right when they open) tend to have shorter wait times If your employer never responds and your separation was a straightforward layoff, ESD should eventually approve your claim, but the timelines are unpredictable right now.

theyd BETTER respond!!! my boss tried to ignore my claim last yr & ESD ended up just approving me anyway but it took like 6 weeks!!!! the whole system is rigged against us working ppl i swear

my claim took 7 weeks to process last yar and i was FREKAING OUT!!! but then boom one day everything got approved at once and i got all my back weeks in 1 big payment. keep filing every week so when it does get approved you'll get everything you're owed!! good luck

To give you the precise information: According to WAC 192-130-060, employers have 10 days to respond to ESD's request for separation information. If they don't respond within that timeframe, ESD should make a determination based solely on your information. However, there are a few practical realities to be aware of: 1. The 10-day clock starts when the employer receives the notice, not when you file 2. With current backlogs, ESD doesn't always immediately process claims when employers fail to respond 3. Some employers request extensions, particularly if they're dealing with multiple layoffs One thing that can help is to check if your employer has a designated Third-Party Administrator (TPA) that handles their unemployment claims (like Equifax or Thomas & Thorngren). If they do, you might be able to contact that TPA directly to see if they received the request from ESD. Continue filing weekly claims and document all your attempts to resolve this issue.

is anyone else notcing that covid made everything with esd way worse?? my 2019 claim was easy but now its like they dont even care anymore honestly

Just wondering - did you get laid off from a major retail chain? I work in HR (not unemployment specific) and know some of the bigger companies have been really slow responding to ESD lately because they've been doing massive layoffs and their unemployment teams are swamped. Doesn't make it right but might explain the delay.

I'm going through something similar right now - filed 2.5 weeks ago and still showing "pending employer response." It's so stressful not knowing when it'll get resolved, especially when bills are piling up. Reading through these responses is really helpful though. I think I'm going to try calling ESD first thing Monday morning and also contact my former employer's HR to see if they even received the request. It sounds like even if employers don't respond, we should eventually get approved, but the waiting is brutal. Hang in there - at least we're not alone in this situation!

I'm in a similar boat - filed 4 weeks ago and still stuck on "pending employer response." What's really frustrating is that I was laid off due to budget cuts, so there shouldn't be any dispute about eligibility. I finally got through to ESD yesterday after calling for 3 days straight (tried calling right at 8am when they open) and the agent told me my employer still hasn't responded. She said she put a note on my file to expedite processing if they don't respond by next week. The agent also mentioned that with straightforward layoffs like ours, they typically approve the claim based on our information alone if the employer doesn't contest it within the required timeframe. Keep filing your weekly claims and don't give up on calling - persistence seems to be key with ESD right now.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago - filed after a layoff and waited almost 5 weeks with "pending employer response" status. It was incredibly stressful watching my bank account drain while waiting. What finally helped was documenting everything: dates I called ESD, when I contacted my former employer, screenshots of my claim status, etc. When I finally got through to an ESD agent, having all those details ready made the conversation much more productive. The agent was able to see that my employer had actually responded weeks earlier but it got stuck in their system somehow. I ended up getting approved that same day with full backpay. My advice: keep detailed records of all your attempts to resolve this, continue filing weekly claims religiously, and don't give up on calling ESD - the early morning strategy really does work better. Also, if your layoff was truly straightforward with no performance issues or misconduct, you have a very strong case even without employer input.

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now - filed my claim 3 weeks ago after being laid off from my marketing job and I'm still stuck on "pending employer response." The financial stress is really getting to me since I was already living paycheck to paycheck before the layoff. From reading all these responses, it sounds like the 10-day employer response rule under WAC 192-130-060 isn't being enforced consistently due to backlogs. I'm planning to try the early morning calling strategy starting tomorrow and also contact my former employer's HR to confirm they received the request from ESD. One thing I'm wondering - has anyone had success getting their state representative's office involved? I've heard sometimes they can help push things along with state agencies when people are having trouble getting responses. I'm getting close to considering that option if I can't get through to ESD soon. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in this frustrating process!

I'm in almost the exact same situation - filed my unemployment claim 3.5 weeks ago after being laid off from my job at a local credit union, and I'm still seeing "pending employer response" with no updates. The waiting is absolutely nerve-wracking, especially since I have rent due next week and my emergency fund is nearly depleted. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both helpful and frustrating - helpful because I now know about the 10-day rule under WAC 192-130-060 and that I should try calling ESD right at 8am, but frustrating because it's clear this is a widespread problem that shouldn't be happening. It's ridiculous that straightforward layoff cases are taking weeks or months to process when the regulations clearly state employers have 10 days to respond. I'm going to start documenting everything like Savannah suggested - call attempts, dates, screenshots - and try the early morning calling strategy starting tomorrow. If that doesn't work by Friday, I think I'll reach out to my state representative's office like Rudy mentioned. We shouldn't have to jump through all these hoops just to get the benefits we're entitled to after losing our jobs through no fault of our own. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences and advice - it really does help to know I'm not alone in this mess, even though none of us should be going through it in the first place.