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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!
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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!
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I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above when I was in appeal limbo. Got through to ESD in about 1.5 hours instead of days of redialing. The agent I spoke with actually helped me understand exactly what documentation I needed for my appeal. Totally worth it.
That's good to hear another positive experience with that service. I think I'll give it a try tomorrow morning. At this point, anything that helps me talk to an actual person at ESD seems worth trying.
UPDATE: I finally got through to ESD this morning! The agent explained that I was disqualified because they needed verification of my work separation. Since I didn't respond to the February letter (which I never saw), they automatically disqualified me. She said I can either appeal OR submit the separation verification now through my eServices account. I'm going to try uploading my documentation today and see if that resolves it without needing a formal appeal. Will update again when I know more. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!
That's excellent news! Uploading the documentation is definitely the faster route. Even if you end up needing to appeal later, at least you've started the process of resolving it. Keep us posted!
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One more thing - if your appeal deadline has already passed, you can request a "good cause" exception for filing a late appeal. The same situation with your wife's hospitalization that prevented you from responding to their documentation request could potentially qualify as good cause for filing a late appeal. Make sure to submit medical documentation and be very specific about how it prevented you from meeting the deadlines.
This is correct. ESD does allow for late appeals in some circumstances. Be aware that the standard is fairly strict - they'll want to see that you were effectively unable to file on time, not just that it was difficult. Hospital documentation showing your wife was in critical condition and you were her primary caretaker would be ideal evidence. The fact that you were dealing with multiple family deaths plus a hospitalization creates a compelling case for extending deadlines.
my cousin works at a call center and says most ppl get denied at first just to see if theyll give up!! its like a test!! dont give up man
This isn't accurate. ESD doesn't deny claims as a "test" - they follow specific legal guidelines. Claims are denied when they don't meet the eligibility requirements based on the information provided. That said, many initial denials are overturned on appeal when additional information is presented or when the claimant clarifies misunderstandings about their situation.
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my cousin works at boeing and got laid off in the big cuts and he got his unemployment in like 2 weeks no adjudication at all so i think it depends on ur employer and if they fight it or not
That makes sense. My employer is contesting it, claiming I was fired for performance instead of laid off (which is totally false). Seems like the disputed claims get stuck in this horrible waiting pattern.
For anyone in a desperate financial situation while waiting, remember you can request an ESD hardship payment. It's not widely advertised, but if you're facing eviction, utility shutoff, or can't afford essential medications, you can request a partial payment while adjudication continues. Call the main ESD number and specifically ask for the "hardship payment request form" or "emergency payment request." You'll need to provide documentation of the hardship (eviction notice, shutoff notice, etc.). It's not guaranteed, but I've seen it work for several people facing critical financial situations during extended adjudication periods.
Thank you for this information! I'm not quite at eviction point yet, but it's good to know this exists if the wait extends much longer. My landlord has been understanding so far, but that won't last forever.
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Just b careful cuz theyll deny u if ur paperwork isnt perfect!!! my friend got denied cuz her dr didnt fill out one section right and it took like 6wks to fix!!
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Wait so they made you pay back the money and then 3 years later decided you didn't need to pay it after all??? That's crazy! I'm dealing with an overpayment notice right now but haven't paid anything yet. Hope your refund comes through soon!
Yes, exactly. I was told I had to pay immediately or face collections, so I paid the full amount. Only now, 3 years later, they review my case and decide I shouldn't have had to pay. The system is completely backwards. If you're dealing with an overpayment now, definitely look into filing a waiver request BEFORE you pay anything!
I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Got my waiver approval last week after paying $2800 last year. Called this morning and was told I need to email overpayment@esd.wa.gov with my approval letter, claimant ID, and proof of payment. The rep said it would take "at least 8 weeks" for processing after they receive the email. This whole system is just designed to make it as difficult as possible to get your own money back!
Thanks for sharing your experience - at least now I know what email to use. Did they say what counts as valid "proof of payment"? I paid by check but I'm not sure if I still have the cancelled check images from 3 years ago.
They told me bank statements showing the withdrawal or check clearing would work, or copies of receipts/confirmation emails from ESD when you made the payment. I'm digging through old emails now trying to find something. Such a hassle!!
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I was going through this same problem back in January. Got denied because I started a part-time online program. I was too scared to appeal so I just gave up and took a job I didn't really want. Reading this thread I wish I had fought it! Let us know how your appeal goes!
Just wanted to update everyone - I had my appeal hearing yesterday and it went much better than expected! The judge seemed sympathetic when I showed my evening-only class schedule and all the daytime job interviews I've had. I also submitted a letter from my academic advisor explaining the program's flexibility, and presented my job search log showing I'm applying for full-time positions consistent with my previous work. I don't have the decision yet, but I feel cautiously optimistic. The judge specifically mentioned that being a student isn't automatically disqualifying if you maintain availability for work. Will update when I get the final ruling! Thank you all for the advice and support - it made a huge difference in how I prepared!
This sounds very promising! In my experience, when the judge mentions the "not automatically disqualifying" standard during the hearing, it's usually a good sign. Looking forward to hearing your final result!
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did your husband recently change his name or anything? my cousin had something similar happen after she got married and changed her last name. ESD had her old and new name as different people somehow and it was a total mess!
No name changes, which makes it even stranger! It's literally someone else's name appearing as the wage earner for these companies. I'm starting to wonder if there's someone with a similar SSN.
After reading through this thread, I want to clarify something important: This is almost certainly a database association error, not identity theft. ESD's wage record system occasionally creates erroneous employer associations when processing quarterly wage reports, especially with similar SSNs or data entry errors. The good news is that once your husband speaks with a claims specialist, the resolution process is straightforward. The specialist will verify his identity, confirm which employers are legitimate, then remove the incorrect associations manually in the system. After that, the claim will be released from adjudication and processed normally. To expedite this, have the following ready when he calls: 1. His ID and SSN card 2. W-2s from his legitimate employer 3. A list of the incorrect employers shown on his claim 4. The approximate date when this issue occurred previously And as others have mentioned, he absolutely must continue filing weekly claims during this process.
Thank you for this reassurance! We've gathered all the documents you mentioned and will have them ready when we call. It's a relief to hear that once we actually speak to someone, the fix shouldn't be too complicated.
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quick question - do u kno if ur husband put that he's on standby with the construction company? If they do seasonal layoffs and plan to rehire him in spring, he might qualify for standby status so he wouldnt have to do job searches for a while
That's a great point! His foreman did mention he's on the callback list for spring, but didn't specifically say anything about 'standby' status. I'll have him ask about that when he files.
Just to clarify - standby status has to be requested by the employer, and they need to give a specific return-to-work date within 8 weeks (though there are some exceptions for certain industries that can go up to 12 weeks). If his employer didn't specifically mention standby, he'll likely need to complete the job search requirements (3 activities per week).
UPDATE: My husband restarted his claim yesterday and it went through! He reported all his work history with the construction company. After completing everything, his account shows he has the 8 weeks remaining from his previous claim, and the weekly benefit amount is the same as before. The agent he spoke with (he was able to get through by calling right when they opened) said that once those 8 weeks are used up, the system will automatically review his eligibility for a new claim since his benefit year is ending in December anyway. Thanks everyone for your help!
Great to hear! Just make sure he keeps filing his weekly claims even after the 8 weeks are up, so there's no gap while they process the new claim.
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After seeing all these replies, I wanted to share what finally worked for me. I used Claimyr to get through to ESD after wasting days trying to call myself. It costs money but was worth it - I got through in like 30 minutes instead of days of calling. Once I finally talked to an actual person at ESD, they cleared the fraud hold in minutes. Still took about 5 days for the payment to process though.
Thank you! Several people have mentioned Claimyr now. At this point the cost doesn't even matter if it actually works. I need my benefits ASAP or I'll lose my apartment.
UPDATE: I wanted to share what's working for me so far. I followed the security escalation advice with SAW and they put a special block on my account. Then I used Claimyr this morning to get through to ESD (it actually worked!) and got connected with an agent who specializes in fraud cases. She verified my identity over the phone and is expediting my case. Said payments should resume in 3-5 business days if everything checks out. THANK YOU everyone for your help - this community literally saved me from eviction!
Olivia Evans
My cousin just went through this last month and his waiting week was rejected because he worked 32 hours at his part-time job even though he earned less than his benefit amount. The ESD rep told him its both hours AND earnings that matter. Has anyone else heard this?
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Lauren Johnson
•That's not quite right. The official ESD rule is about earnings and being less than full-time (40 hours). There's no specific hour cutoff below 40. If your cousin's waiting week was rejected for working 32 hours despite earning less than his WBA, there might have been another issue with his claim or the rep misspoke. The 32 hours alone shouldn't have disqualified him if his earnings were under the threshold.
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William Schwarz
Good luck getting a straight answer from ESD!!!! I've been on unemployment 3 different times in Washington and the rules seem to change depending on which agent you talk to! One told me 20 hours max for partial benefits, another said 30, and a third said there's no hour limit just earnings! The whole system is designed to CONFUSE US so we make mistakes and they can deny benefits!!!
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Jade Santiago
•I don't think they're trying to confuse people on purpose... the system is just outdated and complex. But I agree that getting consistent information can be challenging. I've found the ESD handbook and their online FAQs to be more reliable than phone agents sometimes.
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