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
i had this happen and got paid the next day! but my roommate had the same thing and didn't get paid for like a month. i think it depends what they're checking on your claim?? good luck!
UPDATE: You all were right! Money appeared in my account this morning even though my claim still says "pending" online. Such a relief! Now I just hope they don't come back later and ask for it back if they find some issue during adjudication. Thanks for all the helpful information everyone.
Great news! Keep filing your weekly claims and stay on top of any correspondence from ESD. If they do find an issue later, they'll notify you before taking any action to recover funds. In most cases, if you've provided accurate information, you won't have any problems. Glad it worked out for you!
Woohoo! That's awesome. Mine stayed in adjudication for almost 3 months but they kept paying me the whole time. Eventually it just switched to approved without me doing anything else.
Join the conversation
kinda related but not totally... does anyone know if you can apply for unemployment if you worked in washington but now live in oregon? is that reversed from what the OP is asking?
Yes, that's a different situation called an "interstate claim." If you worked in WA but now live in OR, you would file your claim with Washington ESD (since that's where your wages were earned), but you'd follow Oregon's job search requirements. You should contact WA ESD directly about this situation.
Just following up to emphasize something important: Even though you'll likely need to call to complete your combined wage claim, make sure you still file your initial claim online ASAP to establish your claim date. This is important because your benefit eligibility date starts when you first file, even if the interstate wage verification takes several weeks. Also, be aware that your first eligible week is a waiting week (unpaid) in Washington, so the sooner you get your initial claim filed, the better.
This is great advice - I'll start the online application today. I'm really nervous about the whole process but this thread has been super helpful. Fingers crossed I can actually get through on the phone when the time comes!
Join the conversation
question - does anyone know if accepting part time work affects your job search requirements? do you still have to do the 3 job search activities every week even if you have a part time job now? i'm confused about this part.
Yes, you still need to complete your 3 job search activities each week even if you're working part-time. The only way to have this requirement waived is if you're officially on standby (temporary layoff with return date) or in an approved training program. A part-time job doesn't change your search requirements since ESD considers you to still be looking for full-time work.
Update: I accepted the part-time position and reported my first week of work on my weekly claim. The process was pretty straightforward - I just had to enter my hours worked each day and the gross pay before taxes. My benefit was reduced but I still received a partial payment. Thanks everyone for the advice! I'm relieved I can gain experience in my field while still getting some unemployment support until I find something full-time.
Great to hear it worked out! One additional tip: if your hours increase or decrease from week to week, make sure to accurately report each specific week's hours/earnings rather than averaging or estimating. ESD's system does occasionally cross-check with employer reporting, and discrepancies can trigger adjudication delays. Best of luck with the new position!
Join the conversation
Hey, so I'm an accountant (not a lawyer!) and wanted to mention - check with your tax preparer because your legal fees related to getting unemployment benefits might be tax-deductible on your federal return. It falls under "miscellaneous deductions" in some cases. Won't get you the full amount back, but could reduce your tax bill a bit depending on your situation.
not true anymore sadly. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act eliminated miscellaneous deductions subject to the 2% floor for tax years 2018-2025. legal fees for getting unemployment benefits used to be deductible but aren't currently. source: I'm a tax preparer
One other thing to consider - how quickly do you need your back benefits? After winning my appeal, it still took ESD about 3 weeks to process the payment. If you're in a rush to get those funds, calling ESD directly after 7-10 business days to check on the status can sometimes speed things up. Just be prepared for a long wait time to speak with someone.
That's good to know. It's been 4 business days since the judge's decision, and nothing has happened in my online account yet. I'll give it a few more days before I start calling. I definitely need those funds ASAP after draining my savings on rent and legal fees these past months!
Join the conversation
my cousin works at esd and she says they always side with employers nowadays... system is broken
This isn't accurate. ESD decisions are based on state law and the specific facts of each case. While initial determinations sometimes favor employers (who often have better documentation), many claimants win on appeal when they properly present their evidence. About 40% of claimant appeals are successful at the OAH level. The system has challenges, but it's not inherently biased against claimants.
Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I've been taking notes and feel much better prepared for my appeal hearing now. I'll definitely organize my evidence showing the pay cut and my attempts to resolve it before quitting. I'm still trying to reach someone at ESD to find out exactly what my employer claimed, but it's nearly impossible to get through on the phone. Might try that Claimyr service if I can't get through in the next few days.
Good plan. One more thing - if you haven't already, submit a written statement to OAH before your hearing explaining your side in detail. It becomes part of the record and gives the judge context before the hearing starts. Just be sure to get it in at least 3 business days before your hearing date.
Join the conversation
That hasn't been my experience at all. Phone and online claims are processed through the same system on the backend. The method of filing doesn't impact processing time - it's more about the complexity of your work history and whether there are any flags on your claim. I've worked with hundreds of claimants and haven't seen any statistical difference between phone and online filing times.
Join the conversation
anybody tryed the online chat?? it says theres a chat option on the website but i cant find it anywhere lol
The chat feature isn't always available - it only appears during certain hours and when they have enough staff. Even when it is available, the wait times can be just as long as the phone.
Update: I FINALLY got through! Called at exactly 8:00am, pressed option 4 like someone suggested, and waited on hold for about 1.5 hours. The agent was actually super helpful once I got through. For anyone else struggling, definitely try right when they open and be prepared to wait. Thanks everyone for your suggestions!
That's great news! Glad you were able to get through and get help. What was the issue with your claim?
Turns out my employer had submitted some conflicting information about my last day worked, so my claim was flagged for manual review. The agent was able to verify everything and said my payments should be processed within 48 hours. Such a relief!
Join the conversation
those 12 month rules saved me too!!! i was so stressed thinking i missed out. the website is confusing AF. try calling early in the morning like 7:30am right when they open, thats when i got through. congrats on ur baby btw!!
Thank you! And thanks for the tip about calling early - I'll definitely try that. The website really does make it sound like you only have 30 days after birth to apply, so I'm so relieved to hear about the 12-month window!
Just an additional piece of information that might be helpful - when your husband does apply, make sure he has the birth certificate ready to upload, and also be prepared that they might ask for additional documentation to verify the birth date since it's been several months. I've seen ESD be more thorough with verification when applications come in later within the 12-month window.
That's really helpful to know! We do have the birth certificate and I think we still have hospital discharge papers too. I'll make sure we have all that ready before he applies. Thanks for the heads up!
Join the conversation
Update on my earlier comment - if you do have those doctor visits documented during your Amazon employment, submit them to ESD ASAP through your eServices account under
Just submitted everything through eServices! I included details about how many packages (150-200 daily), stairs climbed (50+ apartment buildings on my route), and how that affected my specific back condition. Now more waiting I guess... I've been filing my weekly claims religiously. Thanks for all the help everyone.
Yuki Tanaka
I recommend a multi-pronged approach for ESD adjudication issues: 1. Contact your state representatives AND senator (find them at leg.wa.gov) 2. File a request with the Unemployment Insurance Ombuds Office 3. Send a detailed email to the Governor's Office with your claim ID and specific timeline 4. Continue filing your weekly claims without interruption 5. Document EVERYTHING - all calls, emails, letters I've helped several people get unstuck using this method. The key is persistence and escalating through multiple channels simultaneously. Make sure to include your claim ID, last 4 of SSN, and contact info in EVERY communication.
0 coins
Aaliyah Jackson
•This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I'm going to start on all of these tomorrow morning. I've been filing my weekly claims religiously even though nothing's being paid. Do you think it's worth mentioning the potential eviction in these communications? I'm really worried about that at this point.
0 coins
Sasha Ivanov
Yes, absolutely mention the pending eviction in your communications. This can help prioritize your case as many offices have protocols for urgent housing insecurity issues. Be specific about your timeline ("rent due on X date" or "eviction notice received on Y date"). Also, while you're waiting for ESD resolution, please contact your local housing authority or 211 to ask about emergency rental assistance programs that might help bridge the gap.
0 coins
Aaliyah Jackson
•Thank you so much for all this help, everyone. I'm feeling a bit more hopeful now with all these different options to try. I'll start with my state rep first thing tomorrow, then work through the other contacts. Really appreciate you all taking the time to share your experiences and advice.
0 coins