Washington Unemployment
CommunityGovernment Services
Can't reach Washington Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Live agent or your money backRefund policy
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
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 :)
Unreported income during ESD claim approval wait - overpayment consequences?
I really messed up and need some honest advice. I earned around $5,200 while waiting for my ESD claim to get approved (took nearly 3 months!) and I didn't report it. I was in such a desperate situation - facing eviction notice, utilities being shut off, couldn't afford my prescription meds, and was about to lose my car. I had already submitted a hardship request but still hadn't heard back. I'm only 26 and have always worked low-wage jobs (never above $28K annually). I know I need to report this to ESD and deal with the overpayment, but I'm terrified about what happens next. Will this permanently disqualify me from ever getting UI benefits again? Are there payment plans available? What should I say when I call them? What kind of penalties might I face? I'm already kicking myself harder than anyone here could, so please just need practical advice on next steps and consequences. Thank you.
Join the conversation
ESD forum moderators allowing harassment - how to report inappropriate comments?
I've been using this forum for help with my unemployment claim and noticed a lot of really nasty comments directed at people just asking simple questions. Someone literally told a person asking about standby status to 'stop being lazy and get a job' and the comment is still there days later! Aren't there moderators who should remove these kinds of attacks? We're all here because we're struggling and need help navigating ESD's complicated system. The last thing anyone needs is to be attacked for asking questions. Has anyone successfully reported abusive comments here? Who actually oversees this forum?
Join the conversation
this happened to me to. i waited 9 WEEKS for my claim!!! the system is broken nobody cares about us regular ppl
9 weeks?? Ugh that's scary. Did you eventually get paid for all the weeks you claimed during adjudication?
ya i got backpay for everything but it was HELL waiting. couldnt pay rent on time got charged late fees. thanks ESD!!!
Back to your original question about moderation - I did find an email address for the site administrators at the very bottom of the page. Maybe try sending a message there specifically about the harassment issues? Might be more effective than the report button.
Good suggestion, I'll try that. Thanks for being one of the helpful people here!
How to estimate ESD weekly benefit amount and total benefit weeks before layoff?
I just found out I'm being laid off at the end of the month (company restructuring). This will be my first time filing for unemployment in WA state, and I'm trying to plan my finances ahead of time. Is there a way to calculate or estimate how much my weekly benefit amount will be before I actually apply? I've worked at the same company for 4 years making about $65,000/year. Also, how many weeks of benefits can I typically receive before they run out? Any tips from people who've gone through this recently would be really helpful! Trying to figure out if I need to dip into savings or if unemployment will cover my basic expenses until I find something new.
Join the conversation
I think everyones forgetting to mention that you can work part-time while on unemployment! If you find a temp gig or part-time work while job searching, you can still get partial benefits as long as you earn less than your weekly benefit amount. You just report your earnings each week when you file your weekly claim. Helped me stretch my benefits longer last year when I picked up some gig work.
That's true but be careful with the earnings deduction. They take away your full daily benefit amount for any day you work 8+ hours, and there's also a formula where they deduct a percentage of your earnings from your weekly benefit. Still worth it though!
Thank you all for the helpful information! I've checked out the calculator on the ESD website and it looks like I'll get around $780/week, which is lower than my current income but will definitely help. I appreciate all the tips about job search requirements and the part-time work option - that could really help stretch things if my job search takes longer than expected. I'll make sure to apply right after my last day and keep detailed records of all my job search activities from day one. This community has been incredibly helpful!
One last tip: Set a calendar reminder for your weekly claims! They must be filed each week (Sunday-Saturday) and can be submitted starting Sunday through the following Saturday. Missing even one weekly claim can cause problems with your benefits. Good luck with your job search!
ESD phone claims line keeps dropping calls at final confirmation - anyone else experiencing this?
I'm beyond frustrated with the ESD automated claims line! I've tried twice now to file my weekly claim and both times the call drops at the EXACT same point. I answer all the questions, get to the very end where it says "please hold on" (just before it should confirm my claim was received), and then CLICK - the call drops. This happened TWICE in a row now. Has this happened to anyone else recently? Is this some kind of system glitch? I'm worried my claim isn't actually being submitted and I'll miss my payment. Should I keep trying the phone line or switch to filing online instead? Any advice would be appreciated because I really need this week's benefits to come through on time.
Join the conversation
If you're getting an ID verification error when trying to use eServices, try clearing your browser cache and cookies first. If that doesn't work, your account might be flagged for identity verification. For weekly claims, I've found that using the eServices mobile site on my phone works better than the desktop version or the telephone system. Just make sure you're on a stable wifi connection when submitting.
That worked! After clearing my cache I was able to log in and file my weekly claim online. Got a confirmation number and everything. Thanks so much for the help everyone!
ESD Appeal Letter Response Time - Waiting 6 Weeks Already
I submitted my appeal letter for a benefit denial about 6 weeks ago and still haven't heard anything back from ESD. The letter said I was denied because they determined I quit voluntarily (I didn't - was basically forced out when they cut my hours to almost nothing). I mailed the appeal letter certified mail and have confirmation they received it on May 3rd, 2025. My eServices account just shows 'Appeal Pending' with no other details. How long does it normally take to hear something? I'm getting really worried because my savings are almost gone and I can't even get anyone on the phone to tell me what's happening with my case. Has anyone gone through this process recently?
Join the conversation
had kinda the same thing happen to me. boss cut my hours from 40 to like 12 a week and esd said i quit! took forever to get it sorted but did win my appeal eventually
One more piece of advice: if it's been more than 8 weeks, you can try contacting your state representative's office. They often have liaisons who can help check on the status of appeals. They won't expedite it necessarily, but they might be able to get you more information than you can get yourself.
I never thought about contacting my state rep! I'll give that a try if I don't hear anything in the next couple weeks. Thanks for the suggestion.
Keisha Taylor
Also, make sure you understand how ESD calculates deductions for part-time work. Many people don't realize you can work part-time and still get partial benefits. For every $3 you earn, your weekly benefit amount is reduced by about $1 (after the first $50 which doesn't count against you). So you might not owe back the full amount of benefits you received during those weeks. When you talk to ESD, ask them to explain exactly how they're calculating the overpayment amount.
0 coins
CyberSiren
AuthorI had no idea about this partial benefit calculation. So it's possible I might not have to pay back the entire amount for weeks I worked? That's really helpful information, thank you!
0 coins
Zainab Yusuf
For future reference (for yourself and others reading this thread), here's how income reporting works with ESD: You must report ANY earnings during the week you earned them, not when you get paid. Even if it's just a few hours or a single gig job. Then ESD applies their formula to determine if you still qualify for partial benefits. This is one of the most common mistakes people make with unemployment claims.
0 coins
CyberSiren
AuthorThank you for explaining this. I definitely misunderstood how it worked. I'll make sure I have the dates I actually worked (not just when I got paid) when I call to report the overpayment.
0 coins