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
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.
Join the conversation
ya this happened 2 me 2 months ago & i reopened my claim just fine. got paid the next week no problems. just make sure he does his weekly claim this sunday
Update: We got through to ESD (after many busy signals) and they confirmed he did the right thing by reopening! They said his first payment should come about 7-10 days after filing his first weekly claim if there are no issues. Thanks everyone for your help! I'll update again if we run into problems.
Great news! Just a reminder - make sure he's documenting those 3 job search activities each week. ESD can audit job search logs for up to a year after claiming benefits. Good luck to your husband on his job search!
Join the conversation
i had this exact thing happen in january and let me tell u what worked for me, go to ur local worksource office in PERSON and ask for a training specialist. dont mess with the regular ESD phone line theres a special department for training cases and the worksource peeps can connect u direct. got mine fixed in like 3 days after spending weeks trying to do it online.
That's a great tip about going in person! There's a WorkSource office about 20 minutes from us so we'll definitely try that if the forms his counselor is helping with don't work out quickly. Thank you!
one more thing to check - make sure ur husband is answering the able and available question right on his weekly claims. for training benefit people u have to say YES even tho ur in school full time. my friend got denied because she was answering no since she couldnt work while in school. its super confusing!!
Oh wow, I had no idea about that! I'll double check how he's been answering that question. The whole system seems designed to be confusing. Thanks for the tip!
Join the conversation
One important thing to note - when dealing with overpayment increases, you need to determine if they're adding what's called a "fraud penalty" (50% additional) or if they're recalculating the entire overpayment amount. In my experience, the key is getting written documentation. Every time you speak with ESD: 1. Get the agent's ID number 2. Take detailed notes with dates/times 3. Immediately follow up with an eServices message summarizing the call 4. Request all determinations in writing ESD is required to provide written explanation for all overpayment calculations. If they haven't, that's a procedural error you can use in your appeal. Also, there's a specific overpayment waiver form on the ESD website if financial hardship applies to your situation.
This is extremely helpful, thank you! I hadn't thought about following up each call with an eServices message to document it. I'll start doing that immediately. And I'll look for that waiver form too - this amount would definitely cause financial hardship.
Update on your options: If you truly never received notification of an appeal hearing or decision, you can file what's called a "Petition for Review" with the Commissioner's Review Office. This is different from a regular appeal. You'll need to explain that: 1. You filed an initial appeal 2. You never received notice of hearing 3. You never received a decision This can be done even after the normal appeal deadline has passed. The Commissioner has authority to determine if your procedural rights were violated. Regarding the increased amount - request an itemized statement showing exactly how the new amount was calculated. This is your right under Washington Administrative Code (WAC).
Thank you! Do you know how I file this Petition for Review? Is there a specific form or do I just write a letter? And where exactly do I send it? The ESD website is so confusing with all these different processes.
There's an actual form! Go to ESD website → Unemployment Benefits → Forms and Publications → search for "Petition for Review" (form number ESD 161). You can submit it by mail, fax, or through your eServices account under "Upload a Document." Make sure to include all relevant details and documentation showing your attempts to resolve this. The Commissioner's office is separate from the regular appeals process and can override previous decisions.
Liam O'Donnell
For what it's worth, I work in career services and have helped many clients navigate UI while taking classes. The one-hour class shouldn't be a problem, but I strongly recommend reporting it accurately. If your class is job-related training, you might also want to record it as one of your job search activities in your job search log. This creates a record showing that the class is actually helping, not hindering, your employment prospects. Remember that the underlying principle is always whether you remain able and available for full-time suitable work. As long as that's true, and you're honest about your activities, you should be fine.
0 coins
Zoe Alexopoulos
•That's a great idea about counting it as a job search activity! The class is definitely related to skills needed in my field. Would I just list it as "Education" type activity in my job search log?
0 coins
Liam O'Donnell
•Yes, exactly. In your job search log, you can categorize it under education/training activities. Just be sure to note how it relates to your occupation and how it enhances your employability. This creates a consistent record that the class is part of your overall employment strategy.
0 coins
Zoe Alexopoulos
Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! I'm going to make sure I report the class on my weekly claim and explain that it's just one hour per week and doesn't affect my availability for work. I'll also add it to my job search log since it's directly related to skills in my field. Really appreciate all the advice and experiences shared here!
0 coins