Washington Unemployment
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Can't reach Washington Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
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- Connect you to a human agent at the ESD
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- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
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- Give you free callbacks if the ESD drops your call
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- DO post questions about your issues.
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- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Why hasn't Washington ESD unemployment paid me after 6 weeks of filing?
Filed my initial claim back in early December and have been doing my weekly claims religiously every Sunday. My claim shows as 'active' on my SecureAccess Washington account but I haven't received a single payment yet. No pending issues showing, no adjudication notice, nothing. Just radio silence from Washington ESD for 6 weeks now. I've burned through my savings and I'm getting desperate. Has anyone else experienced this kind of delay where everything looks fine on your end but no payments come through? What am I missing here?
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Can per diem employees collect Washington ESD unemployment benefits?
I work as a per diem nurse at a hospital and my hours have been cut way back the last few months. Some weeks I only get one or two shifts. I'm wondering if I can file for partial unemployment with Washington ESD since my income has dropped so much? I'm not technically laid off but my earnings are way less than what I need to survive. Has anyone dealt with this situation before? I'm confused about whether per diem workers even qualify for UI benefits.
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One more tip - if you work for multiple employers as a per diem worker, you need to list ALL of them on your application. Don't just put your main employer or the one where you lost hours. Washington ESD needs the complete picture.
Good point! I work per diem at two different hospitals so I'll make sure to include both.
Yes! And when you file weekly claims, report earnings from ALL employers, not just the one where you lost hours. Honesty is key with Washington ESD.
For what it's worth, I've been collecting partial unemployment as a per diem worker for 6 months now and haven't had any issues. The system works if you follow the rules and report everything accurately. Don't let the complexity scare you away from benefits you've earned.
Thank you so much everyone! I feel much more confident about filing now. Going to start my application this weekend.
Good luck! Remember to keep detailed records of everything - wages, job searches, all of it. Documentation is your friend with Washington ESD.
Can I file for an extension on my Washington ESD unemployment benefits?
My regular UI benefits are about to run out in two weeks and I'm still looking for work. I've been filing my weekly claims consistently and doing my job searches through WorkSourceWA. Is there any way to get an extension on my unemployment benefits through Washington ESD? I heard there might be extended benefits available but I'm not sure how to apply or if I even qualify. Has anyone been through this process recently?
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I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I went through this exact situation 8 months ago. There really are no extensions available right now. The best thing you can do is use your remaining weeks to aggressively job search and line up other assistance. It's tough but that's the reality of the current system.
What did you end up doing for income after your benefits ran out?
Combination of gig work, food assistance, and help from family until I finally found a permanent job 3 months later. It was rough but I made it through.
One more suggestion - if you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD for definitive answers about your specific situation, I had success with Claimyr too. They got me connected to an agent who walked through my entire benefit history and confirmed my exact end date. Worth it for the peace of mind of knowing exactly where you stand.
I think I'm definitely going to try that service. Seems like several people here have had good experiences with it.
Same here, I'm tired of playing phone tag with Washington ESD. If there's a service that can actually get me through to someone, I'm all for it.
Is unemployment considered a public benefit in Washington state?
I'm filling out some paperwork for housing assistance and they're asking about all public benefits I receive. I'm currently getting unemployment through Washington ESD - does this count as a public benefit? I don't want to answer wrong and mess up my application. Also wondering if this affects anything with my UI claim status or weekly certifications.
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I've been using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it's been a lifesaver for getting through to Washington ESD. Worth checking out if you need to talk to someone about your claim.
Is there a cost for using Claimyr or is it free?
There's a fee but honestly it's worth it to avoid spending entire days trying to get through on the phone. The video demo explains how it works.
Bottom line - unemployment through Washington ESD is definitely a public benefit that you need to report on housing and other benefit applications. Don't risk getting your application denied by leaving it off.
Thanks everyone! This thread has been super helpful. I'll make sure to include my UI income on the housing application.
How does Washington ESD calculate your weekly unemployment pay amount?
I'm trying to figure out how Washington ESD determines my weekly benefit amount. I've looked at my monetary determination but I'm still confused about the calculation. My base period wages were around $42,000 but my weekly benefit is only $481. Is this right? How exactly do they calculate this? I worked consistently for the past 18 months at different jobs and want to make sure I'm getting the correct amount.
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Does anyone know if vacation pay or severance affects your benefit calculation?
Ah that makes sense. The timing matters more than the calculation itself.
I had questions about severance too and used claimyr.com to get through to someone at Washington ESD. They explained exactly how it would affect my claim timeline.
Eli Butler
Honestly at this point I'd try the Claimyr thing. Six weeks is way too long and clearly something is wrong that you can't see from your end. Need to get a human on the phone to figure out what's blocking your payments.
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Ryan Young
AuthorYeah I think you're right. I'm going to check out that website tonight and see if I can get through to someone tomorrow.
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Marcus Patterson
Keep us posted on what you find out! Curious to hear what was actually wrong with your claim.
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Lydia Bailey
UPDATE: Used Claimyr this morning and finally got through to Washington ESD! Turns out my former employer did contest my claim but the notice got sent to my old address somehow. Agent is fixing the address issue and said I should see my back payments within 5-7 business days once the contest is resolved. Thanks everyone for the help!
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Sofia Price
See? I knew it had to be something like that. Washington ESD's system just doesn't communicate problems very well.
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Alice Coleman
Thanks for updating us! Definitely going to remember Claimyr if I ever have issues getting through to them.
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