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.
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 :)
How long do ESD appeals typically take in 2025? Filed mine last week
I just submitted my appeal to ESD on May 10th after being disqualified for supposedly not being available for work (which is completely untrue). This is my first time dealing with an appeal and I'm completely in the dark about the timeline. Does anyone know roughly how long I should expect to wait before I hear anything? Do they send some kind of confirmation that they received my appeal? I'm getting anxious because rent is coming up and I'm not sure if I should be looking for other financial options while waiting. Any insights from people who've been through the appeal process recently would be really helpful!
Join the conversation
ESD adjudication dragging on for 3+ weeks - normal timeline or problem?
Just hit the 3 week mark with my claim stuck in adjudication and I'm starting to panic about bills. My previous employer contested my claim (restaurant industry, they're claiming I walked out but I gave proper notice after they cut my hours to almost nothing). Now I'm seeing 'adjudication in progress' every time I log in, with zero updates. Can't get through on the phone at all! Anyone know how long adjudication typically takes? Does 3+ weeks mean there's a problem or is this normal in 2025? My rent is due next week and I'm down to my emergency fund. Just need to know if I should be making other plans at this point or if a decision might actually come through soon.
Join the conversation
UPDATE: Just wanted to share that I tried the Claimyr service that someone suggested here, and I actually got through to an ESD rep! They told me my case was assigned to an adjudicator last week and is
Must I appeal EACH disqualified week separately with ESD or file one appeal?
I'm completely baffled by the appeal process! I got laid off from my warehouse job 5 weeks ago and started filing weekly claims right away. Now EVERY single week in my ESD account shows 'disqualified' status. Do I seriously need to file a separate appeal for each individual week? Or can I file one master appeal that covers all the disqualified weeks? The letter I got mentions something about 'appealable decisions' but doesn't clarify if I need multiple appeals. The deadline for the first disqualified week is coming up in 3 days and I'm panicking. Has anyone dealt with multiple disqualifications at once?
Join the conversation
UPDATE: I spoke with an ESD agent this morning after using that Claimyr service someone mentioned. The agent explained that in my case, all my weeks were disqualified for the same reason - apparently checking 'no' to a question about being physically able to work (which I don't remember doing). The agent said I should file ONE appeal for the earliest disqualified week and explicitly mention that I'm appealing ALL weeks with the same disqualification reason. She said to list every disqualified week by date in my appeal letter. She also put a note in my file about this conversation. So it seems like there might be different processes depending on your specific situation. The key is reaching an actual agent who can give you guidance for your particular case. Thanks everyone for your help!
Thank you so much for the update! I'm going to try Claimyr right now. Hoping I can get the same result and avoid having to file 5 separate appeals. Will report back with what I find out.
Hearing for school attendance issue - ESD requesting attendance records by 5pm
Just got out of my ESD hearing about my unemployment being denied due to school attendance issues. I think it went pretty well! The judge seemed to understand my situation. They're now requesting my actual attendance records from the school (or documentation of absences) and I have to submit everything by 5pm today. Is this a good sign? Has anyone else had to provide school attendance records after a hearing? I'm taking it as positive that they didn't just deny me outright, but I'm still nervous about getting everything submitted correctly and on time. The school admin office is being slow about getting me the records.
Join the conversation
I went through something similar but mine was about a training program not regular school. The important thing ESD cares about is whether you were "able and available" for full-time work while attending school. If your classes were evenings/weekends and didn't interfere with typical work hours, you should be fine. My cousin works at ESD and says they're mainly looking for evidence that you couldn't have worked a regular job due to your class schedule.
Your cousin actually works at ESD?? Can you ask them why they make everything SO COMPLICATED?? I swear they intentionally make the process confusing just to deny more claims!!!!
Quick update - I got all the documentation submitted by 4:30pm with a cover letter explaining how my evening classes didn't affect my work availability. The school was actually super helpful once I explained the situation. Now I'm just nervously waiting for their decision! Thanks everyone for the advice and support!
Great job getting everything submitted! Based on what you've described, it sounds like you have a strong case. The fact that your classes were in the evening is particularly important. Be prepared for it to take 7-14 days for a decision, though sometimes it can be faster. Please update us when you hear back!
ESD overpayment waiver form confusion - do I include boyfriend's income if we have a child together?
I'm filling out the ESD overpayment waiver application and stuck on the 'household income' section. They're asking for 'household income with spouse or domestic partner' but my situation is complicated. My boyfriend and I have a child together, but we're not married and not legally registered domestic partners. Do I need to include his income on the form, or just report my own? The overpayment is around $5,800 and I really need this waiver approved since I can't afford to pay it back. Has anyone dealt with this specific situation before? The instructions aren't clear about unmarried couples with children.
Join the conversation
just wondering how much is your overpayment? mine was $4200 and i got it reduced to $1500 with the waiver
It's about $5,800. A reduction like yours would be amazing! Can I ask what kind of documentation you provided with your waiver application?
After seeing all these responses, I want to clarify something important: there's a difference between the overpayment waiver form (which is what you're asking about) and other ESD programs like continued assistance that might look at total household size/income. For the waiver form specifically, you only include legally recognized relationships. If you're concerned about making a mistake, definitely try to speak with an ESD representative directly. The advice about using Claimyr is good - I've used it twice when I needed to get through quickly.
Thank you for the clarification! I'll definitely try to get confirmation directly from ESD before submitting the form.
Eva St. Cyr
Pro tip from someone who just went through this: record EVERY interaction with ESD. Washington is a two-party consent state for recording, so you need to tell them you're recording, but I did this and it helped tremendously in my appeal. The judge was very interested in hearing the recordings where the ESD rep gave me incorrect information that led to my disqualification.
0 coins
Jace Caspullo
AuthorThat's a great tip, thank you! If I can actually get someone on the phone I'll definitely record the conversation (with their permission of course).
0 coins
Nathaniel Mikhaylov
anybody else feel like they make these processes take forever on purpose so people just give up? the whole system is designed to be frustrating
0 coins
Axel Far
100% agree. I was told by an ESD employee once (off the record) that they count on a certain percentage of people just giving up on valid claims because the process is so complicated and time-consuming. Pretty messed up considering this is money we're entitled to from insurance we paid into.
0 coins