SIDES

Get Instant Alerts on Unemployment Claims — Stop Fraud Fast & Safeguard Your Tax Rate!

SIDES (State Information Data Exchange System) or E-Response provides fast, secure, and efficient ways to respond to unemployment insurance (UI) claims. Here’s why these systems are beneficial:

  1. Accuracy and Reduced Errors
    • Electronic systems minimize manual data entry, helping avoid mistakes that can happen with paper forms.
  2. Cost Savings
    • Using SIDES or E-Response reduces postage, printing, and administrative overhead.
  3. Improved Claim Decisions
    • Timely and accurate responses help state agencies make better eligibility decisions, reducing improper payments and potentially lowering the employer’s UI tax rate.
  4. Security
    • These systems are encrypted and designed to protect sensitive employee information better than traditional mail.
  5. Easy Tracking
    • Employers can confirm when responses are received and track the status of their submissions.

This is the SIDES logo.

SIDES is built specifically for states, employers, Third-Party Administrators (TPAs), and Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs). It eliminates the guesswork, misinformation, and lengthy processes of Unemployment Insurance claims so employers can have confidence in not only the validity of claims but the payout of funds 

SIDES is a software tool that is used in 50 U.S. jurisdictions to electronically exchange unemployment insurance information with employers. SIDES is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) and is a part of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA). SIDES empowers users to electronically request and respond to UI information requests quickly, accurately, and securely.

SIDES: One great solution. Two ways to connect.

Whether your business has a limited number of claims or handles thousands of requests each year, SIDES makes responding to claims easier, faster, and more efficient for your business.

E-RESPONSE

An ideal solution for small businesses and employers with a limited number of insurance claims, E-Response is a secure website used to enter UI claims information with no special software required.

  • Incurs no cost for users
  • Needs no special software
  • Transmits responses accurately and instantly

System Integration

A more advanced tool for employers. System integration is a customizable tool that integrates SIDES into current systems to automate a large volume of claims responses and reduce manual data entry.

  • Intergartes directly into your software
  • Streamlines requests
  • Creates customizable workflows
  • Exchanges data seamlessly

SIDES includes six components, called exchanges, that make up the full SIDES solution. The six exchanges are Separation Information, Monetary & Potential Charging, Additional Fact-Finding, Determinations & Decisions, Earnings Verification and Benefit Charges. Each exchange supports a specific step in the life cycle of an unemployment insurance claim to ensure speed, accuracy, and reliability through the entire process. Please note that the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) currently utilizes the SIDES Separation and Earning Verification Information Exchange with plans to implement additional SIDES exchanges.