Washington Unemployment

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  • Give you free callbacks if the ESD drops your call

If I could give 10 stars I would

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!

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Ask the community...

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  • DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
  • DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)

Ruby Blake

When can I certify for unemployment benefits with Washington ESD?

I just filed my initial unemployment claim with Washington ESD last week and I'm confused about when I can start certifying for my weekly benefits. The website says something about waiting periods but I'm not sure if that applies to me. I was laid off from my retail job on January 15th due to store downsizing. Do I need to wait a full week before I can submit my first weekly claim? And when exactly do the weekly certifications become available each week?

One more thing - if you forget to file your weekly claim, you might be able to file it late but you'll need to call Washington ESD to explain why. Better to just set that reminder and not risk it.

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Definitely setting multiple reminders. Don't want to risk missing a week.

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I missed one week early on and had to call to get it sorted out. Was a hassle but they did allow the late filing.

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The whole process gets easier once you've done it a few times. First couple weeks I was paranoid about every question, now it takes me like 5 minutes to complete my weekly certification.

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Looking forward to it becoming routine. Right now everything feels overwhelming.

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Totally understandable. Losing your job is stressful enough without having to navigate government bureaucracy.

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Mae Bennett

How do you qualify for unemployment insurance in Washington - confused about requirements

I'm trying to figure out if I qualify for unemployment insurance benefits in Washington state. I lost my job two weeks ago due to layoffs and I'm not sure what the requirements are. I worked for about 18 months at my last job but I'm confused about how they calculate if you're eligible. Do they look at how much you earned or how long you worked? Also heard something about needing to be available for work - what does that actually mean? Any help would be appreciated, the Washington ESD website is pretty overwhelming.

If your claim gets approved, don't forget to report any part-time work or income you receive while collecting benefits. Failing to report income can create overpayment issues later.

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Good to know. What if I do some freelance work occasionally?

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Report all income, including freelance work. Washington ESD allows you to earn a small amount without losing benefits, but you must report it.

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Honestly the best advice is just to file your claim and see what happens. Washington ESD will walk you through everything and let you know if you qualify. Don't overthink it!

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You're right, I've been overthinking this way too much. Time to just do it!

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Exactly! The worst thing that can happen is they say you don't qualify, but at least you'll know for sure.

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Natasha Volkova

How long can someone collect unemployment in Washington - ESD duration limits?

I'm trying to figure out the maximum time someone can collect unemployment benefits in Washington state. My cousin just got laid off from his construction job and he's asking me about it but I honestly don't know the current rules. I remember hearing it used to be 26 weeks but wasn't sure if that changed after COVID or if there are extensions available. Does anyone know what the current maximum duration is for regular UI benefits from Washington ESD? Also wondering if there are any circumstances where you can collect longer than the standard period.

Construction workers like your cousin often have good luck with unemployment because the work is seasonal anyway. 26 weeks can bridge the gap between projects pretty well.

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That's encouraging to hear. He's definitely planning to get back into construction once things pick up in spring.

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Yeah construction unemployment is pretty common and expected. Washington ESD is used to handling those types of claims.

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Bottom line for your cousin: 26 weeks maximum, file immediately, keep looking for work, and report any part-time earnings. That's the basic formula for getting through unemployment in Washington.

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Perfect summary! I'll pass all this info along to him. Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses.

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Good luck to your cousin! The job market is tough but 26 weeks should give him time to find something decent.

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Carmen Ortiz

How do you qualify for unemployment benefits in Washington ESD?

I might be getting laid off next month and I'm trying to figure out if I'd even qualify for unemployment benefits through Washington ESD. I've been working at my current job for about 8 months but before that I had a 3 month gap where I was between jobs. Do they look at your entire work history or just recent employment? Also heard something about needing to have earned a certain amount - does anyone know what that minimum is? I'm in King County if that matters for anything.

Good luck with everything! The uncertainty of maybe losing your job is stressful enough without having to worry about whether you'll qualify for benefits. At least you're planning ahead.

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Thanks! Hoping it doesn't come to that but better to be prepared. This thread has been really helpful for understanding the basics.

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One last tip - keep records of everything related to your job loss. If there are any questions later about your eligibility or why you became unemployed, having documentation makes everything much easier.

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What kind of records should I keep? Just the layoff notice or other stuff too?

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Layoff notice, final pay stub, any emails about the layoff, your employment contract if you have one. Basically anything that shows you were laid off through no fault of your own.

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Abigail Spencer

Washington ESD unemployment benefits - is unemployment taxable when filing 2025 taxes?

Getting ready to do my taxes and I'm confused about whether my Washington ESD unemployment benefits from last year are taxable income. I received about $8,400 in regular unemployment benefits throughout 2024. Do I need to report this on my federal tax return? Also wondering if Washington state taxes unemployment since we don't have state income tax here. I never had taxes withheld from my weekly payments so I'm worried I might owe a big chunk come tax time.

does anyone know if the child tax credit or other credits help offset the taxes owed on unemployment? trying to figure out how much i might actually owe

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Yes, all your normal tax credits and deductions still apply. The unemployment income just gets added to your other income to determine your total tax liability.

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ok that helps, maybe it wont be as bad as i thought

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Final update: talked to a tax preparer and based on my income level, I'll owe about $1,200 in additional federal taxes on my unemployment benefits. Not great but manageable. Definitely going to elect tax withholding if I ever need to file for UI again.

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Good that you got professional advice. It's always better to know what you're dealing with ahead of time.

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At least now you know for the future. And if you need to contact Washington ESD about withholding or other issues, remember that Claimyr option - saves a lot of headache trying to get through their phone system.

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