Can't reach Washington Unemployment? Claimyr connects you to a live ESD agent in minutes.
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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
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- 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...
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- 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 :)
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your in adjudiation? that sucks, mine was stuck there 4 ever!! like 3 months!! and nobody told me why. i finally got paid after contacting my state rep AND the govs office. do both. the squeky wheel gets the greese!!!
Same! Adjudication is the worst. And they never tell you how long it will take. I waited 6 weeks then suddenly all my payments came through at once with no explanation. The system makes no sense.
Important tip based on your adjudication status: If you're able to get through to ESD, ask specifically for an adjudicator or claims specialist. The regular agents are limited in what they can do for adjudication cases. Also, with 8 weeks pending, you likely qualify for a hardship escalation. Make sure to mention the risk of utilities being shut off - that should get you a 72-hour escalation. Document everything - who you spoke with, date, time, what they promised, etc. You might need this information later if there are more delays.
Thank you for this! I had no idea about the hardship escalation. I'll definitely mention that when I call. I'm going to try all these suggestions tomorrow - Governor's office, state rep, and trying to get through to ESD again with these specific requests. I'll update here if anything works!
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The whole COVID unemployment tax situation was a MESS! Not only did they change rules midway, but then some states followed the federal exemption and others didn't! Washington eventually conformed to the federal exemption for 2020, but I had friends in other states who had to pay state tax even when they got the federal exemption. And don't even get me started on how ESD handled the tax documents - I got THREE different 1099-Gs for 2020 with different amounts!
I remember getting multiple tax forms too! So confusing. Did your final form show the adjustment correctly? Mine didn't and I had to call them to explain the difference.
Here's another important point: if you did have the $10,200 exemption in 2020 but didn't claim it (many people filed before the law passed in March 2021), the IRS was supposed to automatically adjust your return and issue refunds. Many people got these refunds in summer/fall 2021. If you were eligible but never received an adjustment for your 2020 return, you might want to check on that. The IRS had a huge backlog, so some adjustments may have fallen through the cracks.
That's really helpful info. I'll have to go back and check if I received that adjustment for 2020. But sounds like for 2021, I'm definitely on the hook for all taxes. Thanks everyone for clearing this up!
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wait i thought the rules changed in 2025? my friend told me ESD is more strict now about what counts as good cause to quit
There haven't been major changes to the "good cause" definitions in 2025, but ESD is applying the existing standards more consistently. Discrimination-based harassment (like gender-based comments) still qualifies as good cause to quit, but general workplace unpleasantness without discrimination elements is being more strictly evaluated. Documentation requirements haven't changed.
Thanks everyone for your advice! Update: I filed my appeal yesterday emphasizing the gender-based nature of the harassment, included all my documentation (emails, texts, HR complaint copies, doctor's note about anxiety/insomnia), and submitted a statement from a coworker who witnessed some of the incidents. I also got through to ESD using that Claimyr service someone mentioned (it actually worked!), and the agent was really helpful. She explained that the initial adjudicator might have missed the gender discrimination aspect of my claim. She also said my appeal looks strong based on what I described. Fingers crossed the appeal works out. I'll update when I hear something!
Great job pulling together all the right documentation! The gender discrimination aspect plus the doctor's note about your health make for a compelling case. The witness statement is also extremely valuable. Appeals can take 3-4 weeks to process, so don't worry if you don't hear back immediately. Please do update us when you get the decision!
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just wondering did anyone elses back unemployment payments get taxed at a weird rate? when i got mine last year it seemed like they withheld way more than 10% for taxes, more like 25% or something?? confused about that too
ESD often withholds at a flat 10% for federal taxes if you selected that option, but when they process back payments, sometimes they calculate it differently. You should be able to see the exact withholding amount on your 1099G. Remember that whatever was withheld is just an estimate - your actual tax obligation is calculated when you file your return, and you'll either get a refund or owe more depending on your total income, deductions, etc.
Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! Based on what I'm hearing, it sounds like I need to include this on my 2026 taxes rather than trying to amend 2025. I think I'll consult with a tax professional just to be safe, especially regarding potential impacts on credits and deductions. This unemployment appeal process has been so much more complicated than I expected!
good luck! tax stuff is always a nightmare especially with unemployment lol
Smart move consulting a professional. Just make sure they have experience with unemployment benefits and back payments specifically. Not all tax preparers understand the nuances of ESD payments and appeals.
Emma Swift
Update: Just checked my account and it's moved from 'processing' to 'pending issue' overnight. Looks like I might be heading to adjudication too. This is so stressful. Does anyone know if I can still get backpay for these weeks if it takes a long time to resolve?
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Jayden Hill
•Yes, if your claim is eventually approved, you'll receive backpay for all eligible weeks (except the waiting week). Keep filing your weekly claims even while your claim is in adjudication or pending status. This is very important - if you stop filing weekly claims, you won't receive payment for those weeks even if your claim is eventually approved. Also check your ESD account alert/message center regularly, as they may request additional information.
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Lucy Lam
KEEP CALLING THEM!! The website updates are meaningless half the time. My claim was "pending" for weeks until I finally got through to someone who fixed it in like 5 minutes. Turns out it was just some stupid verification flag that could have been resolved immediately if they'd bothered to tell me about it. The whole system is designed to make people give up I swear.
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