Can't reach Washington Unemployment? Claimyr connects you to a live ESD agent in minutes.
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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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Final thought - if you do run into any issues or need to speak with someone at Washington ESD, don't waste hours on hold. I mentioned Claimyr earlier and honestly it was a game changer for getting actual help when I needed it. Worth checking out if you hit any roadblocks.
I'll definitely keep that in mind if I run into any issues. Hopefully I won't need it but good to know the option exists.
Hang in there! The waiting period is nerve-wracking but most people who qualify do get approved. Just keep checking your account and watch for that determination letter. You'll know definitively once you receive it.
Thank you everyone for all the helpful information and encouragement. This has been really reassuring and informative!
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This is why I always tell people to be really careful about contractor vs employee classification. Companies love to classify people as contractors to avoid paying benefits and taxes, but workers are the ones who suffer when they lose income.
Yeah, I'm realizing now that I should have understood this better before I started contracting. Live and learn I guess.
Don't beat yourself up about it. A lot of people don't realize the implications until they're in your situation.
The bottom line is that if you're a true independent contractor in Washington, you won't qualify for regular unemployment benefits. Your best bet is to either challenge the classification if you think it's wrong, or look into other assistance programs while you find new work.
Thanks everyone for all the helpful information. Sounds like I need to focus on finding new clients and looking into other assistance options.
Good luck with the job search! The contractor life has its challenges but when you find good clients it can be really rewarding.
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One thing to keep in mind is that your former employer can contest your claim. They might argue that you didn't have good cause or that you could have resolved the issue another way.
Don't let that stop you from filing. Washington ESD makes the decision based on facts, not what your employer wants. If you have good cause, you deserve benefits.
Plus the increase in their unemployment taxes is usually pretty minimal compared to what you need to survive.
File your claim as soon as possible. There's a waiting period anyway, and the longer you wait, the more money you lose even if you're eventually approved.
You're right, I've been putting it off because I wasn't sure if I qualified. I should just file and let Washington ESD make the determination.
Exactly. You can't get benefits for weeks you don't claim, even if you win an appeal later. File now and fight later if needed.
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Thanks for posting this question! I'm in the exact same situation and was too nervous to apply thinking I wouldn't qualify. Definitely going to file my claim this week.
Glad this thread was helpful! I'm feeling much more confident about applying now too.
If either of you need help reaching Washington ESD with specific questions, definitely check out that Claimyr service I mentioned. Made a huge difference for me.
One last tip - keep good records of everything. Save copies of your application, weekly claims, any correspondence with Washington ESD, and your job search log. Having documentation makes everything easier if questions come up later.
Good advice! I'm already pretty organized with my financial stuff so I'll make sure to keep track of everything unemployment-related too.
Smart approach. It's much easier to stay organized from the start than to try to recreate records later if there's an issue.
Mikayla Davison
One more consideration - make sure you understand how workers comp settlement affects future unemployment eligibility. If you get a lump sum settlement, it might impact your ability to collect UI benefits immediately after.
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Axel Far
•I haven't heard anything about a settlement yet, but good to know for the future.
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Mikayla Davison
•Yeah, it's not always an issue but worth discussing with your attorney if you get to that point.
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Adrian Connor
Bottom line OP - focus on your recovery first. The financial stuff will work itself out once you know what your work capacity will be. Don't stress about unemployment until you're medically cleared and know whether your job will be available.
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Axel Far
•You're right. I need to stop worrying about things I can't control right now.
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Adrian Connor
•Exactly. Take care of your health first, everything else is secondary.
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