Can't reach Washington Unemployment? Claimyr connects you to a live ESD agent in minutes.
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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!
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- 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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Just wanted to add that if you worked in multiple states, the calculation can get more complicated. Washington has agreements with other states to combine wages, but it's not automatic.
Yeah, interstate claims are a whole different beast. Definitely call if you have wages from other states.
Or use that Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier. Probably easier than trying to navigate that on your own.
Bottom line - the max is $999 but most people get somewhere between $200-$600 depending on their work history. Don't count on getting the maximum unless you were making really good money consistently.
Thanks everyone for all the info! This has been super helpful in understanding what to expect.
Good luck with your claim! Hope it goes smoothly for you.
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Keep in mind too that even if you get approved, there might be a waiting period before benefits start. And the weekly benefit amount is based on your earnings history, so make sure you understand what you'd actually be getting.
Do you know how they calculate the weekly benefit amount?
It's based on your earnings in your base period - usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters. Washington ESD has a calculator on their website that can give you an estimate.
Whatever you decide, make sure you keep copies of EVERYTHING. Your application, any correspondence with Washington ESD, documentation of your work situation, interview notes if you have an adjudication call. You'll want all of this if you need to appeal or if there are any questions later.
Good reminder about keeping records. I'll make sure to save everything if I go through with this.
Yeah, I learned that the hard way. Lost some important emails and it made my appeal process way more complicated than it needed to be.
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Your benefit year lasts 52 weeks from when you first file, but you can only collect up to 26 weeks of benefits during that year. So if you find work and then get laid off again within that 52-week period, you'd continue with the same benefit amount.
That's confusing. So the benefit year and the number of weeks you can collect are different things?
Exactly. The 52-week benefit year is like the window when your claim is active. The 26 weeks is the maximum you can actually collect payments during that window.
I'm getting tired of people complaining about calling Washington ESD. Yes the phone lines are busy but that's because thousands of people are trying to call. Just be patient and keep trying. I got through after calling for two days straight.
I guess, but paying money to call a government agency just seems wrong to me. These services shouldn't need to exist.
You're not wrong that it shouldn't be necessary, but until Washington ESD fixes their phone system, people need solutions that actually work.
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OP, once you get your actual weekly benefit amount from Washington ESD, make sure to factor in taxes. UI benefits are taxable income, so you might want to have them withhold taxes or set money aside.
Oh right, I totally forgot about taxes. Can they withhold federal and state taxes automatically?
Yes, you can elect to have 10% withheld for federal taxes when you file your weekly claims. For state taxes, Washington doesn't have income tax so you don't need to worry about that part.
I've been trying to calculate my potential benefits too and it's frustrating that Washington ESD doesn't give you a clear estimate before you file. Some states show you right upfront what you might qualify for.
That would be so much better! At least then you'd know if it's even worth going through the whole application process.
This is another reason why being able to actually talk to a Washington ESD agent is valuable. They can give you that estimate over the phone if you can get through to them. Claimyr makes that possible without the usual headache.
Yara Nassar
For anyone still confused about benefit calculations - the key thing is that FUTA just funds the system overall. Your personal benefit amount depends on YOUR wages during the base period, not the tax rate your employer paid.
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Aisha Khan
•This has been really helpful everyone. I think I understand now that my $487 weekly amount is based on my actual earnings, not the FUTA tax rate.
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Keisha Robinson
•Exactly! And if you think the calculation is wrong, definitely worth getting it reviewed by Washington ESD.
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GalaxyGuardian
One more thing about FUTA - it also funds job training programs and employment services through WorkSource. So even if you're not on unemployment, those tax dollars help with job placement assistance.
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Paolo Ricci
•I didn't know that! I've been using WorkSource for job searches but never connected it to the unemployment tax system.
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GalaxyGuardian
•Yeah, it's all connected. The workforce development system is funded through various employment-related taxes including FUTA.
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