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- Connect you to a human agent at the ESD
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
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- Give you free callbacks if the ESD drops your call
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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!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
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.
An incredibly helpful service
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!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
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.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
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!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
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Another thing - make sure your Social Security earnings record matches what Washington ESD has. Sometimes there are discrepancies that can affect your benefit calculation. You can check your SS earnings online at ssa.gov.
That's a good idea, I never thought to cross-reference that.
Yeah definitely worth checking. I found an error in my SS record that took months to correct but it did increase my unemployment benefits once fixed.
Original poster - sounds like your $487 weekly amount is probably correct based on what others are saying. If you're still concerned, definitely verify it against your actual quarterly wages from 2024. But mathematically it seems to line up with your $52k annual salary.
Thanks everyone for all the explanations! I feel much better about understanding how it works now. Going to double-check my quarterly wages just to be sure but it sounds like the calculation is probably right.
Glad you got the answers you needed! The unemployment system is confusing but once you understand the base period concept it makes more sense.
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Anyone else find it weird that they make it so hard to get basic information about your own benefits? Like why do I need to call customer service just to understand how much time I have left? The website should make this clearer.
The Washington ESD website definitely needs improvement. Half the time I can't even log into SecureAccess Washington without issues.
RIGHT?? This is exactly why I ended up using that Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier. At least then I could actually talk to a human being who knew what they were talking about.
Bottom line: 26 weeks maximum, check your account regularly, keep applying for jobs, and don't wait until the last minute to figure out your next steps. The system isn't perfect but those are the basics everyone needs to know.
This thread has been super helpful. Thanks everyone for all the information and advice!
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The biggest thing to remember is that you have to be totally honest on your application. Washington ESD cross-checks everything and if they find any discrepancies, they'll investigate and potentially disqualify you. It's not worth lying about your work history or reason for separation.
Definitely planning to be completely honest - I have nothing to hide anyway since I was just laid off.
That's the right attitude. Straightforward cases like yours usually go pretty smoothly as long as you provide accurate information.
Also don't forget that if you do qualify, you'll need to register with WorkSource Washington and might need to participate in reemployment services. It's not just about collecting benefits - there are ongoing requirements you have to meet to keep getting paid.
It can be job search workshops, career counseling, skills assessments, or training programs. Not everyone has to do it, but if you're selected, it's mandatory to keep your benefits.
I actually found the WorkSource services helpful when I was on unemployment. The job search workshops gave me some good tips I hadn't thought of.
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For anyone else reading this - don't make the same mistake I did and wait until the last minute. Start researching PFML early in your pregnancy so you're prepared.
Definitely learned that lesson! Wish I had known about PFML sooner.
Live and learn! At least now you know what to tell other pregnant friends.
This has been such a helpful discussion. Washington ESD really should make the difference between UI and PFML clearer on their website for situations like this.
Maybe they'll improve the website eventually. Until then, forums like this are lifesavers!
Agreed! Real people sharing real experiences is often more helpful than official documentation.
Rudy Cenizo
Make sure you file your weekly claims on time every week. If you miss the deadline, you could lose that week's benefits even if you were eligible.
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Peyton Clarke
•When is the deadline for weekly claims?
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Rudy Cenizo
•You have to file by 11:59 PM on Saturday for the previous week. I set a reminder on my phone so I never forgot.
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Natalie Khan
The whole process seems overwhelming at first but once you get into the routine of filing weekly claims and doing your job search, it becomes pretty manageable. Focus on finding work and the benefits will help bridge the gap.
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Peyton Clarke
•Thanks for all the helpful information everyone! This really helped me understand how the benefit calculation works.
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Daryl Bright
•Good luck with your claim! Hope you find work soon and don't need unemployment for very long.
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