Can't reach Washington Unemployment? Claimyr connects you to a live ESD agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the ESD
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- 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!
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 :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
The whole process seems overwhelming when you first look at it but honestly it's pretty straightforward once you start. Just follow the prompts and you'll be fine.
Thanks everyone for all the advice! I feel much more prepared now.
Join the conversation
One thing to remember is that working part-time doesn't pause your benefit year. You're still using up weeks of eligibility even when you're working and getting reduced benefits.
Oh I didn't realize that! So even if I only get like $50 in benefits because I worked a lot, that still counts as using up a week?
Exactly, each week you file a claim counts toward your benefit year regardless of how much you actually receive.
This has been really helpful! I feel much more confident about taking on some part-time work now. The key seems to be staying under 40 hours and being honest about earnings.
That's exactly right! And don't forget to keep looking for full-time work and doing your job searches.
Will do, thanks everyone for the advice!
Join the conversation
One more thing - if you had any federal taxes withheld from your unemployment benefits, that will show up on your 1099-G too. So you'll get credit for whatever was already withheld when you file your return.
That's good to know. I didn't have any withheld but I'll remember that for next year if I'm still collecting.
Yeah the 1099-G shows total benefits in one box and federal taxes withheld in another box. Pretty straightforward.
Bottom line: yes you pay federal taxes on unemployment benefits, no you don't pay state taxes in Washington, and you should set up withholding if you're still collecting. Plan to owe around 15-20% of your total benefits if you didn't have withholding.
Perfect summary, thanks! I feel much better understanding what to expect now.
Agreed, this thread was really helpful. I was in the same boat as OP and now I know what to do.
Join the conversation
If you're worried about making mistakes, the Washington ESD customer service staff are actually pretty helpful when you can reach them. They'd rather help you get it right the first time than deal with problems later.
That's reassuring. I was worried they'd be impatient with basic questions.
Not at all. They understand that most people filing for unemployment are dealing with a stressful situation and are new to the process.
Last piece of advice - don't wait to apply. Your claim is effective from the date you file, not from when you lost your job. So even if you're unsure about something, it's better to start the process and clarify details later than to wait too long.
Perfect timing then since I just lost my job yesterday. I'll start the application tonight.
Exactly! You're on the right track. Good luck with everything!
Paolo Romano
Bottom line: file when you need to, don't overthink it. I've collected unemployment 5 times over 20 years and never had an issue. The system is there to help people between jobs, not to punish them for needing help multiple times.
0 coins
ThunderBolt7
•5 times! That really drives home the point that there's no limit. Thanks for sharing your experience.
0 coins
Paolo Romano
•No problem. I used to worry about it too until I realized I was stressing over nothing. Focus on finding your next job, not on whether you're 'allowed' to get help while you look.
0 coins
Amina Diop
This has been such a helpful discussion. I'm bookmarking this thread for future reference. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and knowledge about the Washington unemployment system.
0 coins
Jamal Edwards
•That's what makes these forums valuable - real experiences and actual facts instead of rumors and misinformation.
0 coins
Amina Diop
•Exactly. Now I feel confident about the process instead of anxious about imaginary limits.
0 coins