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
im so confused by all this. i thought once u take a job ur unemployment ends completely?? how r u still getting payments while working part time??
Washington State has partial unemployment benefits. If you work part-time but earn less than your weekly benefit amount, you can still receive partial unemployment benefits. You report your hours and earnings each week, and ESD deducts a percentage of your earnings from your benefit amount. This encourages people to take part-time work while continuing to look for full-time employment in their field.
Join the conversation
My guess is the DSHS worker was trying to check all boxes for your husband's case. The fact is that he needs to have a documented denial from unemployment before he qualifies for certain other benefits. It's a ridiculous system but that's how it works sometimes.\n\nMy husband had to do the same thing when he applied for disability - prove he'd been denied for unemployment first, even though everyone knew he wouldn't qualify. Just part of the paperwork trail they require.
Join the conversation
not to go off topic but anyone know if we can deduct job search expenses when on unemployment? i spent a ton on gas driving to interviews last year
Unfortunately, job search expenses are no longer deductible for most people since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Those were previously deductible as miscellaneous itemized deductions subject to the 2% AGI floor, but that category of deductions was suspended through 2025. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news! The tax code changes fairly frequently, so it's always good to consult with a tax professional about your specific situation.
Just to clarify for everyone in this thread: the unemployment tax withholding system is pretty simple but often misunderstood. ESD only offers a flat 10% federal withholding option - nothing more nuanced. This is often more than people actually owe on their unemployment benefits when all factors are considered in their tax return. Reason: The U.S. tax system has built-in provisions like the standard deduction ($14,600 for single filers in 2024) and lower tax brackets on initial income. So while 10% is withheld on ALL your unemployment benefits, your effective tax rate might actually be lower when filing. This is why many people receive refunds after filing taxes that include unemployment benefits. It's completely normal and part of how our tax system works.
Thanks for explaining this so clearly. It makes a lot more sense now why I'm seeing a refund. I'll go ahead and file with the numbers on my 1099-G since everything checks out when compared to my payment history.
Join the conversation
i think your still suposed to do job search stuff until u actually start working. ESD is really strict about that from what i heard. my friend got in trouble for not doing it the week before she started her new job last year
This is generally correct. Unless you're officially placed on standby status by ESD (which they sometimes do for that final week if you've accepted a job with a definite start date), you are required to complete and document your three job search activities each week you claim benefits. The safest approach is to continue your job search activities until your first day of work, then report your return to work on your next weekly claim.
Just to follow up - I looked up the exact ESD guidelines on this. When you file your weekly claim, you'll be asked: "Did you accept an offer of work from a new employer that has not yet started?" Answer YES to this, and provide the date you'll start working. You'll still get benefits for this week (assuming you meet all other requirements), but ESD will know you have work lined up. Regarding job search activities - technically you still need to do them UNLESS ESD specifically places you on standby for this final week (which sometimes happens automatically when you report accepting a job). So to be safe, I'd recommend doing your 3 activities just in case, unless you log into your eServices account and see you've been placed on standby status.
Thank you so much for looking that up! I just checked my eServices account and don't see anything about standby status, so I'll go ahead and do my job search activities to be safe. Really appreciate everyone's help here!
Sergio Neal
i had part time work last year and i missed one week of doing job searches cause i thought i didnt have to since i was working 30 hours that week... got disqualified and had to appeal!!! dont make my mistake!! even if ur working u still need 3 activities EVERY WEEK u claim benefits no exceptions!!!
0 coins
Alana Willis
•Omg thank you for the warning! I definitely don't want to deal with an appeal. Was the appeal process difficult?
0 coins
Tyler Murphy
One important detail: If your part-time job becomes full-time (32+ hours per week) OR if your gross earnings exceed 1.33 times your weekly benefit amount for four consecutive weeks, you'll no longer be eligible for benefits regardless of job search activities. Make sure you accurately report all hours and earnings each week to avoid overpayment issues later.
0 coins
Alana Willis
•Good point! My weekly benefit is $625 so I'll need to watch if I earn more than $831 for multiple weeks. Thanks for explaining that 1.33 calculation - I was confused about how that worked.
0 coins