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One thing that might skew your data - a lot of women who lost jobs didn't file for unemployment because they weren't eligible (didn't work enough hours, were contractors, etc.) or because they became full-time caregivers instead of actively job searching.
I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier when I needed to update my job search log with Washington ESD. Saved me literally hours of trying to get through on the phone. They're pretty efficient at navigating the phone system.
Also remember that any freelance income you earn while collecting benefits needs to be reported on your weekly claims. They'll deduct it from your benefit amount, but you won't necessarily lose all benefits unless you earn over a certain threshold.
The bottom line is you won't know for sure until you apply. The worst they can say is no, and if you do have qualifying wages, you could be missing out on benefits you're entitled to. The application process will walk you through everything.
I keep getting disconnected after waiting for 2+ hours. It's like the system just hangs up on you automatically.
Has anyone tried calling the employer hotline by mistake? I did that once and got through immediately, but they couldn't help with my claim obviously.
It's 2025 and we still have unemployment systems that take weeks to process simple claims. This is why people lose faith in government.
Malik Johnson
Still think its ridiculous how hard it is to get Washington ESD on the phone to ask these basic questions about your own claim
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Fatima Al-Sayed
•That's exactly why services like Claimyr exist. The phone system is broken but people still need answers about their benefits.
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Isabella Santos
Thanks everyone for the explanations! This thread helped me understand my benefit calculation way better than the Washington ESD website did.
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Giovanni Marino
•Glad we could help clarify the base period quarters for you!
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