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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!
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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I'm dealing with the exact same nightmare! My claim has been pending since early February and I've called probably 200+ times at this point. The system is absolutely broken. What's really frustrating is that I know people who need help are just giving up because it's so impossible to reach anyone. I tried the Claimyr service someone mentioned and it did help me get through once, but the agent said there was a "system glitch" with my claim and they couldn't fix it over the phone - told me I'd get a callback within 48 hours. That was 10 days ago. I'm going to try the WorkSource suggestion and also reach out to my state representative like Ella mentioned. We shouldn't have to jump through this many hoops just to get the unemployment benefits we're entitled to!
@Emma Wilson I m'so sorry you re'going through this too! It s'honestly heartbreaking how many of us are stuck in this same situation. The system "glitch excuse" is infuriating - like how do they not have a backup plan for fixing these issues? I m'definitely going to try both the WorkSource visit and contacting my state rep. Maybe if enough of us start reaching out to our representatives, they ll'finally put pressure on ESD to fix this broken system. Thanks for sharing your experience - at least we know we re'not alone in this mess!
I'm in the exact same boat - been trying to reach ESD for over a month now with zero success. My claim has been stuck since mid-January and I'm getting really worried about my finances. I've tried all the usual advice (calling right at 8am, different times of day, etc.) but nothing works. Reading through these comments gives me some hope though! I'm definitely going to try Brianna's method with the 3-1-2-4 menu sequence and entering SSN slowly - that sounds like it might actually work. Also going to look into the WorkSource option since I have one nearby. It's so frustrating that we have to become detective-level experts just to access our own benefits, but I appreciate everyone sharing what's worked for them. We really need to stick together and help each other navigate this broken system!
@Ava Martinez You re'absolutely right about having to become detectives just to get our own benefits! I m'new here but reading through everyone s'experiences is both heartbreaking and helpful. I ve'been struggling to reach ESD for about a week now and was starting to think I was doing something wrong. It s'terrible that so many of us are in the same situation, but at least we can share strategies. I m'definitely going to try the 3-1-2-4 method Brianna mentioned and also look into WorkSource. Has anyone had luck with the eServices messaging system, or is that just as broken as the phone lines? Stay strong everyone - hopefully we can all get through this together!
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Just wanted to add another tip that helped me after weeks of frustration - if you have a smartphone, try using the callback feature when you do get into the queue (if available). I was getting disconnected constantly when holding for 2+ hours, but the callback option let me hang up and they called me back when an agent was available. Not all times offer this option, but when it's there, definitely use it! Also, I found that being super polite and starting the call by acknowledging how busy they are goes a long way - the agents deal with frustrated people all day, so a little kindness can make them more willing to really help you dig into your specific issue. @Oliver Zimmermann so glad you got through - your success story gives hope to all of us still fighting this system!
@Ethan Moore That callback feature tip is gold! I had no idea that was even an option. I ve'been sitting on hold for hours only to get disconnected right before reaching an agent - so incredibly frustrating. I m'definitely going to listen for that callback option next time I get through to the queue. And you re'absolutely right about being kind to the agents. I ve'noticed that when I start calls stressed and demanding, it doesn t'go well, but when I acknowledge their difficult job upfront, they seem much more willing to go the extra mile to help solve my issue. Thanks for the reminder that there are real people on the other end dealing with hundreds of frustrated callers every day!
This thread is incredibly helpful - thank you everyone for sharing your strategies! I'm dealing with a similar situation where my claim has been "under review" for 3 weeks with no explanation. I've tried calling dozens of times but keep getting the "high call volume" message. Based on all the advice here, I'm going to try the Thursday 3:15 PM approach combined with the specific menu navigation that @Malik Johnson outlined. One question for the group: has anyone had success with the online "secure message" feature in eServices? I've sent three messages over the past two weeks but haven't received any responses. Wondering if it's worth continuing to try that route or if I should focus all my energy on phone calls. Also planning to reach out to my state rep as several people mentioned - didn't realize that was an option for unemployment issues. This community is a lifesaver!
@Max Knight In my experience, the secure messaging system in eServices is pretty much useless - I sent 4 messages over 6 weeks and got exactly zero responses. It seems like they re'so overwhelmed that they re'only responding to phone calls where you can actually get through to a live person. I d'definitely focus your energy on the phone calling strategies everyone has shared here rather than waiting for online messages. The Thursday afternoon approach really does seem to work better - I finally got through last week using that timing! Also, don t'hesitate to contact your state rep - it s'not just for big "issues," they deal with ESD problems all the time and can really help move things along. Good luck!
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Final reminder for anyone still struggling to reach Washington ESD with questions - that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier has been a lifesaver. If you need to talk to someone about your specific situation and can't get through the regular phone lines, it's worth checking out their demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ.
How quickly were you able to get through using that service?
Usually within 30 minutes or so, compared to the hours I was spending trying to call on my own. Made a huge difference when I needed help with my adjudication issue.
I've been dealing with the same confusion! Been unemployed for 3 months and kept thinking there was some secret online portal I couldn't find. It's actually kind of relieving to know that keeping your own records is the standard process. I've been using a simple Google Sheet with columns for date, company, position, contact method, and outcome - seems to work well for staying organized. The stress of thinking I was doing something wrong was honestly worse than just maintaining the log itself.
Same here! I was spending way too much time searching through every menu on that website thinking I missed something. Your Google Sheet idea sounds perfect - I've been using a basic Word document but a spreadsheet would be so much more organized. Did you include any other columns beyond those five? I'm thinking maybe adding a "follow-up date" column might be helpful too.
That's a great idea about the follow-up column! I actually do have a couple extra columns - one for "application method" (like Indeed, company website, etc.) and another for "next steps" where I note if they said they'd call back or if I should follow up. The follow-up date column would be really useful too. I also color-code the rows - green for interviews scheduled, yellow for pending responses, and red for rejections. Makes it easy to see my progress at a glance and helps when I need to prioritize follow-ups.
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don't forget that these rates don't count people who are working but looking for better jobs, or people who have given up looking entirely. the real picture is always more complex than one percentage
Good point about people who stopped looking. They're not technically unemployed in the statistics but they're not employed either.
And people working gig economy jobs or temp work who need something more stable. The categories get blurry.
Bottom line is focus on your own situation rather than getting caught up in statistics. Keep filing your weekly claims with Washington ESD, document your job search properly, and stay persistent. The numbers will be what they are but your individual outcome depends on your efforts.
Exactly. Stay consistent with your search strategy and don't let the macro numbers discourage you from your micro goals.
This is really solid advice. I've been getting too caught up in the big picture numbers when what really matters is staying organized with my own applications and following through on leads. Thanks for the perspective check.
Royal_GM_Mark
I've been on PFMLA with Chime for about 10 months now and can definitely confirm the Sunday night submission strategy that everyone's recommending! I submit every Sunday around 8-9 PM and get my deposits Wednesday mornings between 5-6 AM consistently. One thing I wish someone had told me early on - if you're doing continuous leave (like I am for medical), make sure you understand how to properly fill out the "hours worked" vs "hours on leave" sections. I made mistakes in my first couple submissions that caused delays because I wasn't clear on how to report full days off vs partial days. Also, pro tip for budgeting with reduced PFMLA income: I set up a separate savings account at Chime specifically for these deposits and then transfer my budgeted amounts to checking for bills. Helps me avoid accidentally overspending since the PFMLA amount is usually quite a bit less than regular pay. The system really is predictable once you get into the groove - that first month of uncertainty is the hardest part!
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Jamal Wilson
•This is such valuable insight, thank you! The tip about setting up a separate Chime savings account specifically for PFMLA deposits is really smart - I hadn't thought about that approach but it makes total sense for avoiding accidental overspending when you're dealing with reduced income. I'm definitely going to set that up. And thanks for the clarification about reporting hours worked vs hours on leave - I can see how that would be confusing, especially for someone new to the system like me. It's really reassuring to hear from someone who's been doing this for 10 months that the predictability does kick in after that initial uncertain period. I'm feeling much more confident about managing this whole process now!
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Isabella Brown
I've been using Chime with PFMLA for about 6 weeks now and can confirm what everyone is saying about the Sunday night submission routine! I submit every Sunday around 7 PM and consistently get my deposits on Wednesday mornings. The key thing I learned is that the first payment took about 10 days because they had to verify all my banking info, but after that it's been like clockwork. One tip that saved me - make sure you submit your certification well before the deadline. I submitted late one week (like Tuesday) and it pushed my payment back by 2 days because I missed that batch processing window that someone mentioned earlier. Now I stick religiously to Sunday nights and haven't had any issues. Also wanted to mention that Chime's mobile notifications for deposits are super helpful - you get an alert the moment it hits your account, usually around 5-6 AM on Wednesday mornings. Makes it easy to know exactly when you can pay bills or make purchases without worrying about timing.
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