What does Washington ESD ask your employer when you file for unemployment?

Washington ESD sends employers a form called the 'Employer Response to Claim for Benefits' which asks pretty standard questions. They want to know your last day worked, reason for separation, if you were fired or quit, any misconduct issues, and your wage information. Pretty straightforward stuff but the separation reason is the big one that affects your eligibility.

been through this twice, employers get asked about your job duties, why you left, if you violated any policies, attendance issues, and whether they'd rehire you. they also have to provide documentation if they claim you were fired for cause

I had a situation where I couldn't get through to Washington ESD for weeks to check on my claim status after my employer contested it. Kept getting busy signals and the online system wasn't showing details. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real agent who could explain what my employer had submitted. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Game changer for dealing with the phone system.

Washington ESD asks employers about separation details, whether termination was voluntary or involuntary, specific reasons for discharge, final wages paid, and if there are any known issues that might affect benefit eligibility. They also inquire about work availability - like if you had restrictions or scheduling conflicts that led to separation. The key areas they focus on are misconduct, voluntary quit situations, and ability to work.

I'm going through this right now and it's so stressful! My claim has been in adjudication for two weeks because my employer said I was fired for attendance. I know I had some tardiness issues but I don't think it was that bad. Now I'm worried Washington ESD will believe them over me. Has anyone successfully appealed when their employer exaggerated the reasons?

The Washington ESD employer questionnaire covers a lot of ground. They ask about job performance, disciplinary actions, company policies you might have violated, whether you gave notice, if you were offered other positions, and detailed circumstances around your separation. Some employers are thorough, others just want to get it over with quickly.

ugh the whole system is so biased toward employers anyway. they always believe whatever the company says even when its obvious BS. washington esd needs to do better at actually investigating instead of just rubber stamping employer responses

just had a thought - if you're really worried about what your employer might say, you could try to get copies of your personnel file before you file. some states require employers to provide that but not sure about washington

Been there with a contested claim. Washington ESD asks employers very specific questions including dates of incidents, witness names, policy violations, progressive discipline steps taken, and whether alternative positions were offered. My employer submitted a 3-page response with dates and details going back months. It was way more thorough than I expected.

My sister used that Claimyr service when her employer contested her unemployment. She couldn't get through to Washington ESD for days to find out what was happening with her claim. The service got her connected right away and the agent explained exactly what her employer had submitted and what the next steps would be. Really helped reduce her stress about the whole situation.

heads up - employers can also submit additional information later if they want to contest benefits even after initially not responding or giving minimal info. happened to me 3 weeks after I started getting paid

Washington ESD also asks employers about any severance pay, vacation payouts, or continuing benefits that might affect your claim timing. Plus they want to know if you're eligible for rehire and whether the separation was due to a reduction in force versus individual performance issues.

The worst part is not knowing what they're going to say. My manager was really unprofessional toward the end and I'm worried she'll make stuff up out of spite. At least with the adjudication process you eventually get to see what they submitted, right?

just be honest on your claim about why you left. if your employer contradicts you, at least you have the truth on your side. washington esd has seen it all and they can usually tell when employers are being unreasonable

From what I understand, Washington ESD sends a pretty standard form but employers can attach additional documentation if they want to contest. The basic form asks about separation reason, final day worked, wages, and whether they'd rehire you. But if they're fighting it, they might include write-ups, emails, policy manuals, witness statements, whatever they think supports their case.

Update on my situation - I ended up using Claimyr again when I had questions about some additional documentation my employer submitted. The agent was able to walk me through exactly what it meant for my case and what my options were. Really helpful to have someone who actually understands the system explain things instead of trying to figure it out from the confusing notices Washington ESD sends.

Bottom line is Washington ESD asks employers standard questions but the level of detail in their responses varies wildly. Some just check boxes, others write novels. The good news is you get a chance to respond to whatever they say, and if there's a dispute, you can request a hearing where both sides present their case.

thanks everyone for all the info. this thread has been really helpful. i'm still nervous about what my employer might say but at least now i know what to expect from the process. fingers crossed they just give basic info and don't try to fight it

One thing I learned from my experience - keep records of everything even after you file. Save all the notices from Washington ESD, document any phone calls you make, keep copies of your weekly claims. If things get disputed later, you'll be glad you have all that information organized.

i've been reading this whole thread and now i'm worried about my own claim. my employer said i quit but i felt like i had no choice because of the hostile work environment. do they ask employers about workplace conditions or just focus on the final incident?

I went through this exact situation last year and was terrified about what my employer would say. Turns out Washington ESD's employer questionnaire is pretty comprehensive - they ask about your job duties, attendance record, any disciplinary actions, policy violations, whether you received warnings, and the specific circumstances of your termination. The good news is that even if your employer says something negative, you get to respond and provide your side of the story. I'd recommend being completely honest in your initial claim because consistency is key if it goes to adjudication. Also, don't panic if you hear nothing for a while - sometimes employers don't respond at all and your claim gets approved automatically.