What happens if my former employer doesn't respond to unemployment claim in Washington ESD?

That's reassuring! So after 10 business days it should move forward automatically?

In most cases yes, but sometimes there can be additional delays if Washington ESD needs to verify other information or if your case gets flagged for adjudication.

3 weeks isn't too bad. I was worried it would be months!

Some people wait way longer though, depends on your situation and if there are any red flags.

Wait, what exactly is Claimyr? Is it legit or one of those scam services?

It's totally legit - they basically help you get through to Washington ESD phone lines when they're swamped. Saved me hours of calling and getting disconnected.

I was skeptical too but ended up trying it when I couldn't reach anyone at Washington ESD for weeks. Actually worked and got me connected to someone who could explain what was happening with my claim.

6 weeks?! That's awful. Did you eventually get your benefits backdated?

Yeah but only after threatening to contact my state representative. Shouldn't have to go to those lengths just to get what you're entitled to.

What kind of things would trigger additional investigation?

Things like claiming you were laid off but your employer had previously filed misconduct reports, or if there are discrepancies in your work history or wage information.

This happened to me - said I was laid off but apparently my supervisor had documented some attendance issues. Took 2 months to sort out.

I'm definitely doing that! Logging into my account multiple times a day hoping something changed.

Same here! I probably check 5-6 times a day even though I know it's pointless.

That would definitely help with the stress. Not knowing what's happening is the worst part.

How much does something like that cost though? Can't afford to pay extra fees when I'm already unemployed.

I found it worth it just for the peace of mind, but I understand everyone's situation is different.

Good! My last employer never responded to anything from Washington ESD. Serves them right if they get penalized.

Yeah, it's designed to encourage employers to participate in the process rather than just ignoring it and hoping claims get denied.

Good point! I've been keeping up with my weekly claims but wasn't sure if I should.

Definitely keep doing them. If you stop, you might have to restart the whole process or lose weeks of potential benefits.

This is super important! I missed 2 weeks of claims while waiting and had to go through a whole appeals process to get those weeks back.

That's when your case would go to adjudication. Washington ESD would review both sides and make a determination based on the evidence provided.

How do you prove you were laid off if they claim otherwise?

Documentation like emails, text messages, witness statements, or even company-wide layoff announcements can help support your case.

That's my worst fear! I was definitely laid off but I'm worried they might say something different.

Just make sure you have any documentation saved - emails about the layoff, company announcements, anything that shows it wasn't your choice to leave.

The phone situation is ridiculous. I've tried calling dozens of times and either get busy signals or sit on hold for hours just to get disconnected.

This is exactly why I ended up using Claimyr - couldn't deal with the phone system anymore and needed to talk to someone who could actually help.

What would count as red flags in an application?

Things like very recent job changes, unclear separation reasons, wage discrepancies, or if you've had previous unemployment claims with issues.

True! Better to have a slow approval than a contested claim that drags on for months.

exactly. my friend's employer contested her claim even though she was clearly laid off. took 4 months to resolve.

How long does that second attempt usually take?

Not sure exactly, but I think they give them another week or so before moving forward.

Good tip! I'll make sure to keep checking beyond just the main status page.

Yeah, look at the correspondence section too - sometimes there are updates there that don't show up on the main claim page.

That's comforting to know! Feels like there's at least some accountability in the system.

Performance metrics don't mean much when people are waiting months for benefits they desperately need.

Fair point - the system definitely isn't perfect, but at least there are mechanisms to prevent claims from being stuck forever.

Thank you! That gives me hope that mine will move forward soon too.

Just keep doing your weekly claims and try not to stress too much about it. The waiting is awful but it usually works out in the end.

This is really encouraging to hear! I'm at about the 2 week mark now so hopefully I'll see movement soon. Did you get any notification when it was approved or did you just notice it when checking your account?

I got both an email notification and saw the status change when I logged into my account. The email came about an hour after the status updated online. Definitely keep checking your account regularly!