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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!
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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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Don't be discouraged if your first payment takes a while. There's usually a one-week waiting period before benefits start, plus processing time for new claims.
A week waiting period on top of the severance delay means I won't see any money for at least 3 weeks. That's going to be tight financially.
I know it's tough, but once the payments start they're usually pretty reliable. You'll get through this period.
Last thing - keep track of all your unemployment income for tax purposes. Washington ESD will send you a 1099-G form at the end of the year showing how much you received.
Thanks for mentioning that. I'll make sure to save all the documentation throughout the year.
Smart move. Good luck with your claim and I hope you find a new job soon!
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Don't forget about the tax implications - unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can choose to have taxes withheld or pay at the end of the year, but don't get surprised come tax time. I owed $800 in taxes on my unemployment benefits last year because I didn't have anything withheld.
Oh wow, I hadn't even thought about taxes. Is it better to have them withheld or pay later?
I'd recommend having them withheld so you don't get hit with a big bill later. It's an option when you file your weekly claims.
Update us when you get your determination letter! I'm curious to see if the estimates in this thread are accurate. Good luck with everything.
Will do! I really appreciate everyone's help. This thread made me feel so much less anxious about the whole process.
That's what this community is for! We've all been there and it's scary the first time.
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remember to keep filing your weekly claims even if you think you might have found work. dont skip weeks unless you're absolutely sure about the job. missed weekly claims can complicate things
This is important. You can always report work and wages on your weekly claim, but if you skip filing and then don't get the job, it can create issues with your claim continuity.
Bottom line: 26 weeks maximum within your benefit year in Washington. No extensions currently available. Plan accordingly and keep doing your job searches to maintain eligibility. The system isn't perfect but it's what we have.
Thanks everyone for all the explanations. This makes much more sense now than when I started this thread!
Glad we could help. The ESD website really doesn't explain this stuff clearly at all.
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One more tip - set up direct deposit when you file your claim. Paper checks take longer and can get lost in the mail. Direct deposit is usually processed within 2-3 business days.
Good to know. I definitely want to get paid as fast as possible once I'm approved.
Final reminder that benefit amounts can change if you have any earnings during the week. Even small amounts of work need to be reported on your weekly claim or you could face an overpayment later.
yeah i had to pay back money because i didnt report some odd jobs i did. they eventually find out everything
I'll make sure to report everything. The last thing I need is to owe them money back.
GalacticGuardian
Bottom line for your brother: file for unemployment benefits immediately, expect the job search to take 2-3 months during winter, but know that opportunities will increase significantly starting in March. Use this time to network, update skills, and prepare for when hiring picks up.
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Luca Bianchi
•This is really helpful advice. I'll pass it along to him. At least now we know what to expect timeline-wise.
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Mateo Gonzalez
•Thanks for laying it out so clearly. It helps to have realistic expectations instead of just hoping things will magically improve.
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Ethan Moore
And remember, if he runs into issues with his unemployment claim during this busy period, don't just keep calling the regular ESD number endlessly. Tools like Claimyr exist specifically to help during high-volume times when getting through normally becomes nearly impossible.
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Yuki Nakamura
•I'm still skeptical about third-party services, but I have to admit the regular system is pretty broken when everyone's trying to use it at once.
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Luca Bianchi
•At this point I'm willing to try anything that actually works. Thanks for all the advice everyone!
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