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 :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
Great question! I went through this exact situation last year when I was between jobs. The key thing to remember is that ESD cares more about your availability to work than the specific activities you're doing. I volunteered at a literacy center for about 8 hours a week and always reported it in the weekly claim under the section asking about activities that might affect availability. I wrote something like "Volunteer work at local nonprofit - unpaid, flexible schedule, would immediately stop if offered employment." Never had any issues with my benefits because I made it clear that: - It was unpaid - My schedule was flexible around job interviews - I was still doing my required job searches - I could quit volunteering immediately for a job Food bank work is especially good because it's clearly community service and shows you're staying active. Just be transparent with ESD about it and you should be fine. Good luck with both the job search and the volunteering!
Join the conversation
Bottom line - if it's been more than 10 days since you filed and you haven't heard anything about a contest, you're probably in the clear for now. The employer can still try to contest later but it's much harder for them.
Perfect summary! Thanks everyone for all the helpful information.
Agreed, this has been a really informative discussion.
I'm in a similar situation - filed my claim about 8 days ago and have been anxiously waiting to see if my former employer will contest it. This thread has been incredibly helpful in understanding the timeline. It's reassuring to know that most employers don't actually bother to contest unless there's clear misconduct. I left my job due to a disagreement with management about working conditions, so I'm hoping they'll just let it go. The 10-day rule gives me some peace of mind knowing there's a definitive timeframe rather than just waiting indefinitely.
I'm dealing with something similar right now too. Filed my claim 5 days ago after leaving due to what I felt were unsafe working conditions, and the anxiety of waiting to see if they'll contest is real. What's helping me is remembering that employers have to have legitimate grounds to contest - they can't just do it out of spite. Since you left over working conditions, that's actually considered "good cause" under Washington law if the conditions were truly unreasonable. Try to stay positive - you're almost through that critical 10-day window!
I can really relate to your situation! I filed my claim about 3 weeks ago after leaving due to hostile work environment issues, and I was a nervous wreck during those first 10 days. The good news is that "working conditions" disputes often fall under what Washington ESD considers valid reasons for leaving, especially if you tried to address the issues with management first. Since you're already at day 8, you're so close to being through that initial window. Even if they do contest in the next couple days, don't panic - the investigation process is pretty thorough and they'll look at both sides. I'd suggest keeping any documentation you have about the working condition issues handy, just in case. You've got this!
Join the conversation
To summarize what everyone's said: 1. Online and phone filing are processed at the same speed 2. Job search activities (3 per week) are reported as part of your weekly claim 3. You can file your weekly claim starting Sunday for the previous week 4. You have until the following Saturday to file (but filing early is better) 5. There's no separate 7-day waiting period for job search reporting Hope this helps clarify everything! The ESD system can be confusing at first, but once you get the rhythm down, it's fairly straightforward.
Thank you so much for this clear summary! This is exactly what I needed. I'm going to stick with filing online since it seems easier for record-keeping. I'll file this Sunday for my first full claim week and make sure I've completed all 3 job search activities by then. You've all been so helpful!
Hey GalaxyGuardian! Welcome to the UI club (unfortunately lol). I've been filing online for about 8 months now and can confirm what everyone else is saying - there's absolutely no difference in payment speed between online and phone. The only "faster" thing about calling might be that you get confirmation immediately that your claim went through, but with online you get that confirmation screen too. One tip that saved me a lot of stress: keep screenshots of your confirmation screens when you file online. If there's ever a question about whether you filed on time, you'll have proof. Also, make sure you understand what counts as acceptable job search activities - I learned the hard way that some things I thought counted actually don't according to ESD rules. Good luck with your first payment! Once you get into the routine, it becomes pretty straightforward.
Join the conversation
Yes! It came through this morning around 4am according to my bank app. Just in time for rent payment. Thank you everyone for all your help and advice!
That's awesome news! So glad it worked out for you and you made rent on time. Chase really does seem to be one of the faster banks for ESD deposits. Your experience will definitely help other people who are in the same anxious waiting period - it's such a relief when that money finally hits the account. Thanks for following up to let us know how it turned out!
So happy to hear it worked out for you! This thread is going to be super helpful for others going through the same stress. I remember when I first got on unemployment, the waiting for that first payment was absolutely nerve-wracking. It's really reassuring to see the community come together with actual timelines and bank-specific experiences. Congrats on making your rent payment on time!
Demi Lagos
Just wanted to add that when you do apply, make sure you have your Social Security number, driver's license, and bank account info ready for direct deposit setup. The online application is pretty straightforward but having all your documents handy makes it go much faster. Also, they'll ask for your gross wages from each quarter, so dig up those old paystubs or W-2s if you have them. Good luck with your application - sounds like you have a solid case for partial benefits!
0 coins
Peyton Clarke
•Thanks for the checklist! I've been gathering all my paperwork while reading through everyone's advice. It's really encouraging to hear from so many people who've been through similar situations. I feel much better prepared to apply now that I understand it's about wages earned during the base period rather than just total hours worked. The partial unemployment option seems perfect for my situation with the reduced hours.
0 coins
Ava Thompson
I've been following this thread and it's been super helpful! I'm in a similar situation - my restaurant job cut my hours from 35 to about 20 per week due to the slow winter season. I had no idea about partial unemployment benefits until reading these comments. I've been working there for over a year, so I should definitely meet the 680 hours and wage requirements. Does anyone know if tips count toward the wage calculation for Washington ESD? I make most of my income from tips and I'm not sure if those are included when they calculate eligibility.
0 coins
Zainab Ahmed
•Yes, tips absolutely count toward your wage calculation for Washington ESD! As long as your employer reports your tips on your W-2 (which they're required to do if you earn more than $20/month in tips), they'll be included in your base period wages. This is actually really important for restaurant workers since tips can make up a huge portion of your total income. Make sure you have your W-2s or paystubs that show both your hourly wages and reported tip income when you apply. The partial unemployment option should work great for your situation too - just remember to report both your hourly wages AND any tips you earn each week when you file your weekly claims.
0 coins