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 :)
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Join the conversation
Also worth noting that you can't collect unemployment if you're self-employed or an independent contractor unless you've been paying into the system voluntarily or meet other specific criteria.
What about gig workers like Uber drivers? Can they collect unemployment?
It depends on how they're classified and whether they've been paying into the system. Many gig workers are considered independent contractors and wouldn't qualify for regular unemployment benefits.
The key thing is to file your claim as soon as you become unemployed, even if you're not sure you qualify. You can't get benefits for weeks before you file, so don't wait to apply.
This is really important advice! I waited two weeks to file because I thought I might get called back to work, and I lost out on those benefits.
Exactly! Even if your situation is uncertain, it's better to file and let Washington ESD determine your eligibility than to miss out on potential benefits.
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Thanks everyone for clarifying the federal vs state unemployment tax difference. I was confused about this too after my layoff last month.
Glad this thread helped you too! I feel much better about explaining it to my boss now
Federal unemployment tax summary: 6% statutory rate minus 5.4% credit = 0.6% effective rate on first $7,000 of wages per employee per year. Maximum federal tax per employee is $42 annually. This is separate from and much smaller than Washington ESD state unemployment taxes.
Perfect summary! Saving this comment to reference when I talk to my boss
This should be pinned at the top honestly
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At least Washington's unemployment system is pretty well-run compared to some other states. When I needed to file a claim a few years ago, the process was relatively straightforward.
Good to know it actually works when you need it!
Yeah, Washington ESD has their issues but they're better than a lot of other state unemployment agencies.
Bottom line - yes it's mandatory, yes it's legal, and yes it's actually a good thing to have even though it feels like just another deduction from your paycheck.
Appreciate everyone's explanations. This all makes a lot more sense now.
You're welcome! Always good to see someone taking an interest in understanding their benefits.
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If anyone needs help getting through to Washington ESD about claim status, I had success with Claimyr too. Much easier than the endless busy signals and hold times. Really helped me get answers when I was stuck waiting.
I'm definitely going to look into that if my claim doesn't move soon. The uncertainty is killing me.
Same here. Anything that can help get actual answers instead of just waiting and wondering.
Bottom line: 10 days is normal, 2-3 weeks is typical, and 4+ weeks means there might be an issue that needs attention. Keep filing weekly and stay on top of any correspondence from Washington ESD.
Perfect summary, thank you. I feel much better about where I'm at in the process now.
Good luck with your claim! Hope it gets approved soon.
Felix Grigori
Bottom line - there are enough people on unemployment in Washington to overwhelm the current system capacity. Whether it's 150k or 300k doesn't change the fact that Washington ESD needs better infrastructure and more staff to handle the load.
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Nathaniel Mikhaylov
•Well said. The exact number is less important than the fact that the system can't handle whatever the current volume is.
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Eva St. Cyr
•Agreed. This has been an ongoing problem for years regardless of unemployment levels.
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Felicity Bud
just my 2 cents but i think we focus too much on the numbers and not enough on solutions. services like claimyr show there are ways to work around the broken phone system until washington esd fixes it
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Nathaniel Mikhaylov
•You're right. I should focus on getting my claim resolved instead of worrying about statistics.
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Axel Far
•Exactly why I mentioned Claimyr earlier. Sometimes you need a workaround while waiting for systemic fixes.
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