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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
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Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
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An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
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Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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Don't forget you'll need to do job searches every week to keep getting benefits. Washington requires 3 job search activities per week and you have to log them in WorkSourceWA. The benefit amount doesn't matter if you can't meet the work search requirements.
Make sure you understand what counts as a valid job search activity. Just browsing job websites doesn't count - you need to actually apply or make contact with employers.
The work search log is super important. I know someone who got disqualified for not keeping proper records even though they were actively looking for work.
Bottom line - with your $52k salary you're probably looking at $500-600 per week in unemployment benefits. Just be patient with the system because everything takes forever to process, even when there are no issues with your claim.
Yeah this thread was really helpful. I'm in a similar situation and was totally confused about how the calculations work.
If anyone needs to contact Washington ESD about their benefits and can't get through on the phone, definitely check out Claimyr. The video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ explains exactly how it works and it's been a game changer for actually reaching agents.
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The whole system is designed to make it hard for people in genuine need. But don't give up - if you have a legitimate reason for quitting, keep pushing through the process.
Thank you for the encouragement. It's overwhelming but I know I made the right choice for my family.
Absolutely. Caring for family is exactly the kind of situation these exceptions are designed for. Stay persistent with the process.
Last thing - make sure you understand the appeals process in case your initial claim gets denied. Many people don't realize they can appeal and just give up.
You have 30 days from the date of the determination letter to file an appeal. Don't wait if you get denied - appeal immediately.
Got it, I'll mark that on my calendar. Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice!
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One more thing - make sure you understand your rights in the appeals process if it comes to that. You can present evidence and have witnesses testify at unemployment hearings.
Good to know. Hopefully it doesn't come to that, but it's nice to know I have options.
The hearing process is actually pretty straightforward and less intimidating than it sounds. Focus on facts and documentation if you end up there.
Bottom line: respond to Washington ESD promptly, provide all requested documentation, and don't take it personally if they approve benefits. The system errs on the side of helping unemployed workers.
That makes sense from a policy perspective, even if it's frustrating as an employer. Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice!
You're welcome! This is all part of running a business. Just make sure to learn from it and improve your processes.
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Just to add one more confirmation - filed my claim in January 2025 and got paid for week 1. No waiting week in Washington state. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims on schedule!
Perfect timing on this info since I'm filing for January too. Thanks for the recent confirmation!
No problem! It's always nerve-wracking filing for the first time so I wanted to share my recent experience.
Bottom line for OP: Washington eliminated waiting week in 2020, you'll get paid for week 1 if eligible, still need to file your weekly claim, and if you can't get through to Washington ESD by phone there are services like Claimyr that can help you connect with an agent.
This is exactly the summary I needed! Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses. I feel much less stressed about this now.
Glad this thread helped! Unemployment can be really confusing especially when you're already stressed about money.
Malik Jenkins
For anyone reading this later - the Washington ESD website has a good calculator tool where you can estimate how working part-time will affect your benefits. Helps you plan out whether taking a job makes financial sense.
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Raj Gupta
•Oh that sounds really useful! I'll definitely check that out before I start working more hours.
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Freya Andersen
Bottom line: filing unemployment while working is totally legal and normal IF you report your work honestly. The only time you get in trouble is if you try to hide it or lie about your earnings. Washington ESD actually encourages people to work while claiming because it helps you transition back to full employment.
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Raj Gupta
•This whole thread has been amazing. I feel so much more confident about filing now. Thank you all!
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Lena Müller
•Happy to help! Hope your claim goes smoothly and you get the support you need.
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