Washington Unemployment
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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.
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 :)
ESD wait times in June 2025 - got through after 2.5 hours
I'm currently sitting on hold with ESD going on an hour now. Is this normal these days? Feels like I'm getting nowhere and my claim needs attention ASAP since my employer disputed my hours which is holding up my payments for 3 weeks already. UPDATE: Finally got through after about 2.5 hours on hold! The agent only needed 5 minutes of my time to verify a few details about my work history and hours. She said my claim should finish processing by end of day today. Glad I stuck it out but seriously, there has to be a better system than this.
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ESD denying claim after termination related to my son's death - need advice on adjudication
I'm in the middle of an ESD adjudication and feeling completely overwhelmed. My employer terminated me after I struggled following my son's passing. During that period, my company was doing substantial layoffs and kept changing my job responsibilities. I couldn't keep up with their performance expectations while dealing with my grief, missed work days, and eventually fell below sales targets. ESD just sent me an adjudication letter asking me to explain why I was late multiple times and didn't properly complete the product return process. I responded truthfully that I hadn't received training on that specific procedure. I also submitted documentation showing I maintained communication with my supervisor about my tardiness and had requested disability accommodations related to my grief/mental health after losing my child. They basically ignored my accommodation requests and fired me instead. Has anyone been through something similar with ESD? Do they typically side with employees in situations involving disability accommodations that weren't provided? I'm so stressed about potentially being denied benefits when I genuinely couldn't perform under those circumstances.
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Has ESD given you any timeframe for when they'll decide? My adjudication took FOREVER in 2024 (like 6 weeks) and I was so stressed about bills the whole time. Keep filing your weekly claims no matter what!
They didn't give me a specific timeframe, just said the adjudication process could take several weeks. I've been filing my weekly claims religiously even though they're all showing as "pending" with no payments. It's getting really tight financially.
thats how they get you!! they hope ull give up so they dont have to pay. the system is RIGGED against workers. keep filing and document EVERYTHING
I faced a similar situation last year and eventually won my case, but it took persistence. Based on my experience with ESD adjudication, here's what helped me: 1. I called ESD directly to explain my situation to an actual person (used Claimyr.com to get through - their video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 shows how it works) 2. I submitted a detailed timeline showing: - When the company began layoffs - When my job duties changed - When I requested accommodations - Dates of all communications with my supervisor 3. I got a supporting statement from my doctor confirming my mental health condition The adjudicator ultimately ruled in my favor because I could prove I was making good-faith efforts despite my circumstances and that my employer failed to accommodate a legitimate disability. Keep advocating for yourself!
Thank you for the detailed advice. Creating a timeline is a great idea - I'm going to put that together today. I have documentation from my therapist about my grief-related depression and anxiety, so I'll submit that as well. I've been calling ESD daily but can't get through - I'll check out that service you mentioned.
ESD account keeps saying 'session expired' - urgent deadline Monday!
I'm in major panic mode right now! I logged into my ESD account last week to start my unemployment claim, but now when I try to access it again, I get kicked out immediately with a 'session expired' message. I've triple-checked my username and password (they're definitely correct), but after I successfully log in, it boots me out within seconds. The worst part is I have until THIS Monday (the 14th) to respond to something important on my claim. Originally they gave me until the 18th, but apparently the deadline got moved up and I just found out. I've tried different browsers, clearing cache, even my phone - nothing works! Has anyone experienced this 'session expired' issue with ESD? Any tricks to get back into my account? I'm seriously stressing about missing this deadline.
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If you're running into the Monday deadline and still can't access your account, I'd strongly recommend using Claimyr to get through to an actual ESD agent quickly. I was facing a similar situation with a deadline and couldn't get through on the regular phone lines. Claimyr got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. They have a video that explains how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The agent was able to process my response over the phone and note in my account that I had been having technical difficulties. Worth considering given your tight timeline!
Has anyone else used this Claimyr thing? Does it actually work or is it some kind of scam? I'm dealing with similar issues right now.
UPDATE: I finally got in!! The incognito mode suggestion actually worked! I also tried on Firefox instead of Chrome. It still glitched a couple times but eventually let me stay logged in long enough to submit my response to their questionnaire thing. Funnily enough, once I got in I discovered that my original deadline of the 18th was actually correct - I must have misread something or confused it with another notification. But at least it's done now! Thanks everyone for your help. I'm definitely bookmarking that tech support number and keeping these tips for next time (because I'm sure there will be a next time with how glitchy their system is).
Great news! For future reference, I recommend logging in at least once a week even when you don't need to submit anything. This helps prevent some of the authentication issues that happen when accounts go unused for periods of time. Also, if you haven't already, set up text alerts for your ESD account - they're more reliable than the email notifications.
Just got terminated yesterday - can I file ESD unemployment while interviewing for new jobs?
I'm in a really awkward situation and need advice ASAP. My employer let me go yesterday (claiming performance issues which is total BS - I've got spotless reviews for years) and I have an interview TODAY with another company that I had lined up before this happened. Two questions: 1) Should I file for unemployment right away even though I'm actively interviewing? 2) How do I explain being terminated to this new employer without sounding like a problem employee? I've worked for 20+ years and have NEVER been fired before, so I'm completely thrown off. Will filing for benefits affect my chances with the new job? Should I tell the interviewer I was "let go" or use different wording? And how much detail should I go into? I'm eligible for rehire according to HR, if that helps. Any advice from someone who's navigated this would be amazing!
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Thank you for explaining this so clearly! This whole process is new to me. My former employer said they'd
That's very good news! If they said they won't contest it, that usually means they'll either not respond to ESD's inquiry (which typically results in automatic approval after a deadline) or they'll confirm the separation without claiming disqualifying misconduct. Still, continue filing weekly claims and meeting job search requirements just to be safe.
What info will ESD need during my first weekly claim call on Sunday?
This is my first time applying for unemployment and I'm pretty nervous about messing something up. I just got approved for benefits and need to file my first weekly claim this Sunday by phone (my internet is unreliable). Can anyone tell me what specific information they'll ask for during the call? Do I need to have my work search activities already logged somewhere? Will they ask about specific earnings? I don't want to be caught off-guard and have my benefits delayed because I wasn't prepared.
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Just wondering but what work did you do before? I'm in construction and got laid off last week. Applied for ESD but no approval yet. Did they approve you pretty quick?
I worked in retail management. It took about 10 days to get approved, but they said that was faster than normal. I think it depends on whether your employer contests it or not.
Regarding your question about job search activities - yes, you need 3 work search activities for each week you claim benefits, including the first week. Activities you did before being approved can count as long as they were during the week you're claiming for. Make sure you record the date, employer name, position, contact info, and how you applied. I recommend creating a spreadsheet or dedicated notebook to track everything.
Perfect, that helps a lot. I did submit 2 applications already this week, so I'll do one more before Sunday and keep detailed notes on all three. Thanks again!
Maya Jackson
Has anyone had luck with the callback option? I tried it twice and both times I never got a callback. Is it actually working for people?
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Grant Vikers
The callback feature is partially working right now. According to ESD's website, they're only offering callbacks during certain hours and for specific claim issues. If you're dealing with an adjudication issue, identity verification problem, or overpayment dispute, you need to reach a claims specialist directly and callbacks aren't currently available for those departments. For basic claim filing questions or weekly claim assistance, the callback should work but there's about a 3-day wait right now based on what I've heard from others.
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Amaya Watson
I know this is frustrating, but it's important to understand what's happening at ESD right now: 1) They lost about 25% of their staff after the pandemic emergency funding ended 2) They're in the middle of a large system upgrade that has caused technical issues 3) There's been a spike in new claims due to recent tech and manufacturing layoffs If you're dealing with an employer dispute like the original poster, that automatically triggers adjudication which needs a specialized claims agent. Those are the longest wait times right now. For best results: - Call between 8:00-9:30am or 3:00-4:00pm (avoid lunch hours) - Have your claim ID, last 4 of SSN, and employment details ready - Be very specific about your issue when you reach a person - Ask for a direct contact for follow-up if possible Hang in there everyone!
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Levi Parker
This is really helpful context, thank you. Do you know if there's any way to escalate an adjudication that's taking too long? I've been waiting 5+ weeks and getting worried I'll lose my apartment if this drags on much longer.
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Amaya Watson
Yes, you can request an escalation after 4 weeks in adjudication. When you finally reach an agent, specifically ask for a "hardship escalation" and explain your situation with rent. Make sure to mention the exact date your claim went into adjudication. They can flag it for priority review if you're at risk of eviction or utility shutoff. Also, contact your state representative's office. They have liaisons who can sometimes help move ESD claims along. Just Google "[your district] state representative Washington" to find yours.
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