What happens if employer doesn't respond to Washington ESD unemployment claim?
I filed for unemployment two weeks ago and Washington ESD sent my employer a separation notice to fill out. My former boss is notorious for ignoring paperwork and never responds to anything on time. What happens if they just don't respond at all? Will my claim get approved automatically or does Washington ESD assume I'm lying? I'm worried this could drag out my claim for months because of their incompetence.
60 comments


Keisha Thompson
If your employer doesn't respond within the timeframe Washington ESD gives them (usually 10 business days), your claim will typically be processed based on the information you provided. The employer forfeits their right to contest if they miss the deadline.
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TechNinja
•That's a relief! Do you know how long Washington ESD usually waits before making a decision?
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Keisha Thompson
•Usually about 2-3 weeks after the employer deadline passes, but it can vary depending on their workload.
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Paolo Bianchi
Same thing happened to me last year. My employer never responded and Washington ESD approved my claim after about 3 weeks total. They sent me a letter explaining that since the employer didn't provide information, they went with my version of events.
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TechNinja
•Did you have to provide any additional documentation when they didn't respond?
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Paolo Bianchi
•Nope, just waited it out. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims though!
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Yara Assad
honestly this is why i ended up using claimyr.com to get through to an actual person at Washington ESD. was getting so frustrated waiting and the automated system wasn't giving me clear answers. they have this video demo thing too https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works
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TechNinja
•Never heard of that service before. Does it actually work for getting through to Washington ESD?
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Yara Assad
•Yeah it got me connected within like 20 minutes instead of calling for hours. Was worth it to get a real person to explain what was happening with my claim.
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Olivia Clark
•I'm skeptical of paying for something that should be free but if it actually works...
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Javier Morales
There's actually a specific process Washington ESD follows when employers don't respond. They'll make a determination based on available information, which includes your initial claim, any documentation you provided, and their records. The employer can still contest later but they have limited appeal rights if they missed the initial response window.
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TechNinja
•What kind of documentation should I have ready just in case?
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Javier Morales
•Keep your termination letter if you got one, any emails about your separation, and documentation of your last day worked and final pay.
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Natasha Petrov
this is so typical of employers trying to screw us over even after they fire us!!! they dont want to pay higher unemployment taxes so they just ignore everything hoping we give up
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Connor O'Brien
•While that might happen sometimes, many employers just don't understand the process or have poor HR departments. Not everything is malicious.
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Natasha Petrov
•maybe but ive seen too many employers try to fight legitimate claims to give them benefit of the doubt
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Amina Diallo
How long do they usually give employers to respond? Seems like 10 days isn't very long
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Keisha Thompson
•It's 10 business days from when Washington ESD mails the notice. That's actually pretty standard across most states.
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Amina Diallo
•I guess that makes sense. Just seems short when you're waiting for your benefits.
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GamerGirl99
My sister went through this exact situation. Employer never responded and her claim was approved. The key is to make sure you filed everything correctly on your end and keep doing your weekly claims.
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TechNinja
•Good to hear another success story. Did Washington ESD send her any notification when they made the decision?
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GamerGirl99
•Yeah she got a letter in the mail and her account online updated to show approved status.
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Hiroshi Nakamura
wait so if my employer responds late can they still fight my claim?
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Javier Morales
•They can try to appeal but their options are much more limited. Washington ESD generally doesn't look favorably on employers who miss deadlines without good cause.
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Hiroshi Nakamura
•thats reassuring i guess. my old boss is the type to respond 3 weeks late then act like its no big deal
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Isabella Costa
I had the opposite issue where my employer responded with completely false information about why I was terminated. Took months to sort out through the appeal process.
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TechNinja
•That sounds awful. At least if they don't respond I won't have to deal with lies.
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Isabella Costa
•True. No response is definitely better than false accusations you have to fight.
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Malik Jenkins
•This is exactly why I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Got through to Washington ESD to check on my appeal status instead of just waiting and wondering.
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Freya Andersen
Does Washington ESD send any reminders to employers who don't respond initially?
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Keisha Thompson
•Not usually. They send one notice and that's it. The employer is expected to respond within the timeframe or forfeit their chance to provide input.
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Freya Andersen
•Seems harsh but I guess they have to draw the line somewhere.
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Eduardo Silva
Been dealing with Washington ESD for years and this is pretty standard. Non-responsive employers usually result in claims being approved based on the claimant's information. Just keep filing your weeklies and be patient.
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TechNinja
•Thanks for the reassurance. It's nerve-wracking when you're depending on these benefits.
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Eduardo Silva
•Totally understand. The waiting is the worst part of the whole process.
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Leila Haddad
what if the employer claims they never got the notice?
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Javier Morales
•Washington ESD sends notices by mail to the employer's address on record. If there's a legitimate delivery issue, the employer can usually request an extension, but they need to prove the problem.
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Leila Haddad
•makes sense. cant just claim you didnt get it without proof
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Emma Johnson
This whole system is so stressful. Why can't Washington ESD just make decisions faster instead of waiting around for employers who obviously don't care?
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Ravi Patel
•I get the frustration but they have to give employers due process. It's actually protecting your rights too in case there are disputes.
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Emma Johnson
•I suppose that makes sense legally but emotionally it sucks when you need the money
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Astrid Bergström
Pro tip: if you're worried about the timeline, that Claimyr thing actually worked for me to get real updates instead of just guessing. Way better than calling for hours and getting nowhere.
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TechNinja
•How much does it cost? Seems like everyone who's tried it has good things to say.
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Astrid Bergström
•Not sure about the exact cost but it was worth it to get actual information about my claim status. Check out their site.
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PixelPrincess
In my experience non-responsive employers are actually a blessing in disguise. Much easier than dealing with employers who lie or provide misleading information to try to disqualify you.
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TechNinja
•That's a good way to look at it. Better to have them ignore it than actively work against me.
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PixelPrincess
•Exactly. Just be patient and keep doing everything you're supposed to do on your end.
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Omar Farouk
does this affect how long it takes to get your first payment?
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Keisha Thompson
•It can add 1-2 weeks to the process since Washington ESD has to wait for the employer response deadline to pass before making a final determination.
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Omar Farouk
•ugh that sucks but i guess its not too bad in the grand scheme of things
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Chloe Martin
Just went through this exact situation last month. Employer never responded, Washington ESD approved my claim, and I got my first payment about 3.5 weeks after filing. Keep your chin up!
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TechNinja
•Thank you so much for sharing your timeline. That gives me hope that this will resolve soon.
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Chloe Martin
•No problem! The waiting is definitely the hardest part but it worked out fine in the end.
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Diego Fernández
I tried calling Washington ESD about this same issue but could never get through. Phone system is impossible.
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Anastasia Kuznetsov
•That's exactly why services like Claimyr exist. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to get answers.
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Diego Fernández
•might have to look into that if my claim takes much longer
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Sean Fitzgerald
Bottom line is that employers who don't respond are basically giving up their right to contest your claim. Washington ESD will proceed based on your information and their own records. Stay patient and keep filing your weeklies.
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TechNinja
•Perfect summary. I feel much better about my situation now. Thanks everyone for the helpful responses!
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Sean Fitzgerald
•Good luck with your claim! Should work out fine if you keep doing everything right on your end.
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Natasha Romanova
I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago with my previous employer who was terrible about responding to anything official. Washington ESD gave them the standard 10 business days to respond, and when they didn't, my claim was approved automatically. The whole process took about 3 weeks from start to finish, and I received a letter explaining that since my employer failed to provide their side of the story within the required timeframe, they proceeded with my version of events. Just make sure you keep filing your weekly claims during this waiting period - that's super important. The silver lining is that non-responsive employers can't come back later and cause problems with your claim like some of the horror stories you hear about employers who lie or contest everything.
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