What happens if employer doesn't respond to unemployment claim in Washington?
I filed my unemployment claim two weeks ago and I know Washington ESD sent paperwork to my former employer but they haven't responded yet. My claim status still shows 'pending' and I'm worried this is going to delay my benefits. Does anyone know what Washington ESD does when employers don't respond to unemployment claims? Will my claim automatically get approved or denied? I really need these benefits to start coming through.
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Leeann Blackstein
When employers don't respond to Washington ESD within the required timeframe (usually 10 days), the state typically proceeds with the claim based on the information you provided. In most cases, this works in your favor since you filed in good faith.
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Liv Park
•That's reassuring to hear! Do you know how long Washington ESD usually waits before moving forward?
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Leeann Blackstein
•Usually about 2-3 weeks total from when they first contact the employer. If there's no response, they'll make a determination based on your application.
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Ryder Greene
this happened to me last year and my benefits got approved after about 3 weeks when my old company never responded. washington esd assumes the employer has no objections if they don't reply
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Liv Park
•That's exactly what I was hoping to hear! Did you have to do anything else or just wait it out?
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Ryder Greene
•just kept filing my weekly claims and eventually got a big backpay when it was approved
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Carmella Fromis
I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks about my own claim status and can never reach anyone. The phone system is absolutely broken. I discovered this service called Claimyr that actually got me through to a real person at https://claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing exactly how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to speak with someone about your pending claim.
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Liv Park
•Interesting, I've never heard of that service. Did they actually help you get answers about your claim?
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Carmella Fromis
•Yes, they got me through to an actual Washington ESD representative who could see my claim details and explain exactly what was happening with the employer response timeline.
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Theodore Nelson
•How much does something like that cost? I'm unemployed so every dollar counts right now.
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AaliyahAli
Employers have a legal obligation to respond to unemployment claims in Washington state. If they don't respond within the required timeframe, Washington ESD will typically approve the claim unless there are obvious red flags in your application. The burden shifts to the employer to prove misconduct or other disqualifying factors.
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Ellie Simpson
•What if the employer responds really late, like after benefits have already started? Can they still contest it?
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AaliyahAli
•They can try, but late responses carry much less weight with Washington ESD. The state prefers timely responses and may not consider evidence submitted well after the deadline.
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Arjun Kurti
UGH I'm dealing with this exact same thing right now!! My former boss is probably ignoring it on purpose because they're mad I quit. It's been 3 weeks and still nothing from Washington ESD about my claim status.
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Liv Park
•That's so frustrating! Are you still filing your weekly claims while waiting?
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Arjun Kurti
•Yes I'm still filing every week like they tell you to do. Just hoping it all gets backdated when this mess gets sorted out.
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Leeann Blackstein
•Definitely keep filing those weekly claims! That's crucial for getting your full backpay when the claim is approved.
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Raúl Mora
I work in HR and I can tell you that some employers just ignore these requests thinking it will make the claim go away. It doesn't work that way - Washington ESD will approve most claims when employers don't respond because they assume no contest.
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Liv Park
•That's really helpful insight from the employer side. Is there anything I should be worried about if my employer does eventually respond late?
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Raúl Mora
•As long as you were honest on your application and didn't commit misconduct, a late employer response usually won't change anything. The damage is done by not responding on time.
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Margot Quinn
been waiting 4 weeks for my claim decision and starting to panic about rent. anyone know if there's a way to expedite this process?
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Carmella Fromis
•This is exactly why I ended up using Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD. Sometimes you need to talk to a real person to find out what's actually happening with your claim instead of just guessing.
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Margot Quinn
•I might have to look into that. The not knowing is the worst part of this whole process.
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Evelyn Kim
In my experience, Washington ESD is pretty good about moving forward when employers don't respond. The system would be completely backed up if they waited indefinitely for every employer to get back to them.
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Liv Park
•That makes sense from an administrative perspective. I'm feeling more confident about my claim now.
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Diego Fisher
•Same here, I was really worried my non-responsive employer would somehow block my benefits indefinitely.
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Henrietta Beasley
Quick question - do they send multiple notices to employers or just one? My company is notoriously bad at checking mail.
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AaliyahAli
•Washington ESD typically sends one initial notice with a clear deadline. It's the employer's responsibility to respond timely - they can't claim they didn't receive it after the deadline passes.
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Henrietta Beasley
•Good to know, thanks! I was worried they might use that as an excuse.
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Lincoln Ramiro
The waiting is awful but try not to stress too much. Most claims get approved when employers don't respond, especially if you were laid off or had your hours reduced through no fault of your own.
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Liv Park
•I was laid off due to budget cuts so hopefully that works in my favor. Thanks for the reassurance!
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Faith Kingston
•Layoffs are usually pretty straightforward for approval. You should be fine once the waiting period is over.
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Emma Johnson
I had this exact situation and my claim was sitting in limbo forever. Finally got through to Washington ESD using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and found out my employer never responded but there was a separate issue holding up my claim. Sometimes you really need to talk to someone to get the full picture.
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Liv Park
•What was the separate issue if you don't mind me asking? Now I'm wondering if there's something else going on with mine.
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Emma Johnson
•It was a job search requirement verification that got flagged in their system. Nothing major but it was holding everything up and I would never have known without calling.
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Liam Brown
For what it's worth, I've never seen a case where an employer's non-response resulted in a claim denial. Washington ESD operates under the assumption that no response means no objection to the claim.
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Liv Park
•That's really reassuring to hear from someone with experience in this area. I think I'm going to stop worrying so much about it.
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Olivia Garcia
•Same principle applies in most states actually. The unemployment system would collapse if every non-responsive employer could block claims indefinitely.
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Noah Lee
just wanted to add that even if your employer responds late with objections, you'll get a chance to respond and appeal if needed. the non-response period usually works in your favor for the initial determination though
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Liv Park
•Good point about the appeal process. At least there are protections in place for claimants.
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Ava Hernandez
•Yeah the appeal process in Washington is pretty fair from what I've seen. They really do try to give everyone a chance to present their side.
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Isabella Martin
Bottom line - keep filing your weekly claims, be patient, and your benefits will likely start flowing once Washington ESD processes the non-response from your employer. The system is designed to protect workers, not employers who ignore their obligations.
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Liv Park
•Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! I feel much better about my situation now and will just keep filing my weekly claims while I wait.
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Leeann Blackstein
•You're doing everything right. Keep us posted on how it turns out!
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Christian Burns
I went through this exact same situation last month! My employer never responded to Washington ESD's request for information, and after about 3 weeks my claim was automatically approved. The key thing is to keep filing your weekly claims during the waiting period - when your benefits finally kick in, you'll get all the back pay from when you first filed. Washington ESD really does follow through on approving claims when employers don't respond within their deadline. Hang in there!
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Emily Parker
•That's so helpful to hear from someone who just went through this! Three weeks feels like forever when you're waiting for benefits, but it's good to know there's light at the end of the tunnel. Did you have to do anything special to get the back pay, or did it just automatically show up once approved?
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