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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For anyone still struggling to get through to Washington ESD, I just tried Claimyr again this morning and got connected in 15 minutes. The agent was able to answer all my questions about reopening my claim and even helped me fix an issue with my job search log.
I'm definitely going to try that service. I've wasted so much time trying to call them directly.
It's definitely worth it, especially when you have specific questions that need to be answered by an actual person rather than just the automated system.
I'm in a similar boat - just lost my second job this year and wasn't sure about the rules for claiming again. This thread cleared up so much confusion! It's reassuring to know that as long as you're within your benefit year and have remaining weeks, you can reopen your claim. I was worried there might be some kind of penalty for needing unemployment twice in one year, but it sounds like that's actually pretty normal for people with seasonal or temporary work. Going to start the reopening process online today.
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I went through this exact same situation last year! Having multiple jobs actually worked in my favor because it gave me higher qualifying wages. Just make sure you have all your employment dates, wages, and employer contact info ready before you start the application. The online system will walk you through entering each job separately, but it's all part of one single claim. Don't stress too much about it - Washington ESD deals with this all the time and their system is designed to handle multiple employers.
That's so reassuring to hear! I was really worried about messing something up, but it sounds like the system is pretty user-friendly for this situation. Did you have any trouble with the wage verification process when you had multiple employers?
No issues at all with wage verification! Washington ESD automatically contacts your employers to verify the information you provide. It took about 2 weeks for them to get responses from both of my employers, and then my claim was approved. The key is just being accurate with the dates and wages when you first file - if there are small discrepancies, they'll work it out during verification, but big errors could delay things.
I just wanted to add one more helpful tip from my experience - when you're filling out the employment history section, Washington ESD asks for your "gross wages" from each job. Make sure you're reporting your total earnings before taxes and deductions, not your take-home pay. I initially put in my net pay by mistake and had to call to correct it later. Also, if either of your jobs paid you in tips or commissions, make sure to include those in your total wages too. The system will use all of this information to calculate your highest earning quarter, which determines your weekly benefit amount.
This is such an important point about gross vs net wages! I almost made the same mistake when I was preparing to file. It's easy to think of your "real" paycheck as what you actually take home, but for unemployment purposes they need to see your full earnings before any deductions. Thanks for mentioning tips and commissions too - I hadn't thought about whether those counted, but it makes sense that they would factor into the benefit calculation.
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I'm in week 21 and facing the same anxiety about what happens after 26 weeks. From everything I've read in this thread and my own research, it seems like Extended Benefits are really unlikely unless we see a major economic downturn. The 4.2% unemployment rate that Sophia mentioned is nowhere near the trigger levels. I've been trying to get through to ESD for weeks to get official confirmation about my options, but the wait times are ridiculous. Has anyone had success with that Claimyr service that's been mentioned a few times? I'm getting desperate enough to pay for help just to talk to an actual human at ESD. Also really interested in learning more about those Training Benefits - that might be my best shot at extending things if I can find a relevant program. This whole situation is so stressful when you're already dealing with job search rejection after rejection.
@Emma Wilson I totally understand your frustration with the wait times at ESD - it s'incredibly stressful when you re'already dealing with job search anxiety. I actually used Claimyr about a month ago when I was having issues with my claim, and it was honestly worth every penny. Got connected to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending hours on hold. The agent was able to look at my specific situation and give me clear answers about what options were available. Regarding Training Benefits, from what I learned, you typically need to get pre-approval from your WorkSource office before enrolling in a program. They evaluate whether the training will lead to employment in a high-demand field. It might be worth scheduling an appointment with WorkSource even while you re'still job searching - they can help you explore both immediate job opportunities and potential training options as a backup plan. Hang in there, I know it s'overwhelming but having multiple strategies helps with the stress.
@Emma Wilson I feel your stress completely - I m'in week 19 and have been losing sleep over this exact issue. I actually just used Claimyr yesterday after reading about it in this thread, and @Leslie Parker is right - it was totally worth it. Got through to an ESD agent in under 30 minutes and finally got clear answers about my situation. The agent confirmed that no Extended Benefits are currently available and explained the Training Benefits program in detail. Apparently you do need WorkSource pre-approval, but there are quite a few approved programs including some tech certifications and digital marketing bootcamps. The key is that the training has to be for a high-demand occupation "in Washington." I m scheduling'an appointment with my local WorkSource office next week to explore options. Even if I find a job before week 26, it s good'to have a backup plan. The peace of mind from actually talking to someone who could look at my account was huge. Hang in there - at least we know we re not'alone in this!
I'm in week 20 and going through the exact same panic! Reading through all these responses has been really helpful - sounds like Extended Benefits are pretty unlikely with the current unemployment rate. I've been putting off looking into WorkSource services but after seeing multiple people mention Training Benefits, I think I need to get over there ASAP. The idea of potentially extending benefits through an approved training program could be a lifesaver. Also going to try that Claimyr service since so many people here have had success with it. It's somewhat comforting to know I'm not the only one stressing about this - the job market really is brutal right now. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and advice!
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The bottom line is unemployment insurance is exactly that - insurance that you paid into while working. Your spouse didn't pay into YOUR unemployment insurance account, so their income is irrelevant to your benefits. File with confidence!
That's the perfect way to explain it. I never thought about it as insurance that I paid into, but that's exactly what it is.
Exactly! You earned those benefits through your payroll deductions. No shame in using them when you need them.
As someone who recently went through this process, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - your spouse's employment status absolutely does not affect your unemployment eligibility! I was worried about the same thing when I got laid off from my marketing job while my partner was still working. Washington ESD only looks at your individual work history and earnings. The application process was actually pretty straightforward online, and I got my first payment within about 2 weeks. Don't let unnecessary worry delay your filing - you've earned these benefits through your own payroll contributions!
Thanks for sharing your recent experience! It's really helpful to hear that the online process went smoothly and you got your first payment so quickly. Two weeks isn't bad at all. I'm definitely going to stop worrying and just file today like everyone's been telling me to do.
Jacinda Yu
The whole system would work better if Washington ESD improved their customer service. Employers pay in, people get laid off, but then can't get help when they need it. That disconnect is really frustrating.
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Jake Sinclair
•I'm just starting to learn about all this before my new job starts, but it does seem backwards that employers fund the system but then people can't access it when they need it. Is there any push to improve the phone system or are we stuck with services like Claimyr as workarounds?
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Nathaniel Mikhaylov
•There have been some efforts to modernize the system, especially after the huge influx of claims during COVID exposed how outdated their infrastructure was. But change is slow with government agencies. In the meantime, yeah, services like Claimyr seem to be filling that gap when people are desperate to get through. It's frustrating that we need workarounds for a system that should just work properly in the first place.
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Connor Murphy
Thanks everyone for all the detailed responses! This has been super helpful. So just to make sure I understand correctly: as an employee in Washington, I won't have any unemployment insurance deductions from my paycheck (unlike PFML which does get deducted), my employer pays all the UI premiums, and if I get laid off I'd still be eligible for benefits as long as I meet the work/wage requirements. The only thing I'd need to worry about is taxes on any benefits I might receive in the future. Really appreciate everyone taking the time to explain this - feels much less confusing now!
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