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
If anyone is still having trouble reaching Washington ESD, I used Claimyr a few weeks ago and it worked great. You can check out their demo video to see how it works before deciding. Made my life so much easier than trying to call during business hours.
Thanks for the recommendation! I'm going to check out that video demo tonight.
Anything has to be better than sitting on hold for hours just to get disconnected.
Thanks everyone for all the detailed info! This is really helpful. I was panicking thinking I did something wrong when I saw the waiting week notice. It's good to know I just need to keep filing my weekly claims and do my job search activities as normal. The hardest part is definitely the financial strain of waiting that extra week when you're already stressed about money. At least now I know what to expect and that I'm not the only one who's been confused by this process.
You're definitely not alone in being confused! The waiting week policy really isn't explained clearly anywhere on the Washington ESD website. I went through the same panic when I first saw it on my account. Just remember that even though you're not getting paid for that week, it still counts as meeting your obligation to file, so don't let the $0 payment discourage you from continuing to file your weekly claims. The financial stress is real though - consider reaching out to local food banks or assistance programs if you need help getting through that first unpaid week.
Join the conversation
Last thought - if anyone is preparing for their appeal hearing, practice explaining your situation clearly and concisely. I rambled too much in my first hearing and felt like I confused the judge. Second time I was more prepared and it went much better.
Good advice. I tried to stick to the facts during my hearing and not get too emotional about how unfairly I felt I was treated.
Exactly. Keep it factual and let your documentation do the talking. Getting emotional can hurt your credibility even if you're 100% right.
I'm in a similar situation - had my appeal hearing 10 days ago and the waiting is absolutely killing me. My case was also for voluntary quit due to hostile work environment. The judge seemed to understand my situation and asked good questions about the documentation I provided. Really hoping for positive news soon! Reading everyone's experiences here is helping me stay somewhat sane during this anxious wait. Fingers crossed for both of us Malik!
Zainab, I'm so glad you shared your experience! It's incredibly reassuring to hear from someone in almost the exact same situation. The hostile work environment cases really are challenging because there's so much you have to prove, but it sounds like you did your homework with the documentation. I've been second-guessing every detail from my hearing, but you're right that when the judge is asking thoughtful questions and really digging into the evidence, that's usually a positive sign. The 10-day mark means you're getting close to that typical 2-3 week window. I'll definitely keep you posted when I hear back, and please do the same! This community has been such a lifeline during this stressful wait.
Welcome to the anxiety club Zainab! I'm at 8 days post-hearing myself and completely understand that nail-biting feeling. Hostile work environment cases can definitely be tricky but it sounds like you presented your evidence well. The fact that the judge was engaged and asking detailed questions is really encouraging - in my experience that usually means they're taking your case seriously rather than just going through the motions. Try to hang in there, you're getting close to that typical decision timeframe. This whole thread has been such a sanity saver for me too during this wait!
Join the conversation
I've been going through the same process and wanted to share what helped me. When you're in the claim status section, also pay attention to any "determination" letters that might be posted - these show up in your correspondence section and explain exactly why there might be delays or what additional steps are needed. I missed one initially and it delayed my claim by an extra two weeks. Also, if you have any questions about specific codes or status messages you're seeing, write them down before calling - it helps the agents assist you more quickly when you do get through.
This is really good advice about the determination letters! I just checked my correspondence section again and there actually is a letter there that I missed before. It's asking for additional wage information from my previous employer. No wonder my claim has been sitting in adjudication - I need to respond to this ASAP. Thanks for mentioning to look specifically for those determination letters, I would have kept waiting and wondering what was taking so long.
Just wanted to add my experience - I was in a similar situation last month and found that creating a simple checklist helped me stay on top of everything. I check: 1) Claim status for any changes, 2) Correspondence section for new letters, 3) Payment history to track any issued benefits, and 4) Outstanding issues section. I also keep a notebook with dates of when I check and any status changes I notice. It's been super helpful for tracking progress and having specific details when I need to call. The Washington ESD system can be overwhelming but having a routine makes it much more manageable!
That's such a smart approach! I wish I had thought to keep a notebook from the beginning. I've been checking randomly and then forgetting what I saw before. Your checklist idea is brilliant - I'm definitely going to start doing that. It would have saved me so much confusion trying to remember if something had changed or if I was just imagining things. Thanks for sharing your system!
Join the conversation
Just wanted to add my experience - I went through a voluntary quit adjudication in late 2024 and it took about 8 weeks total. My employer also never responded, which actually worked out in my favor since I had good documentation about why I had to quit (unsafe working conditions). One thing that really helped was when I called ESD, I always asked them to add notes to my file about our conversation. The agents can put timestamps and details about what was discussed, which creates a paper trail showing you're actively engaged in the process. It seemed to help move things along faster than just waiting passively. Also, if you do get approved, remember that Washington pays benefits retroactively to when you first filed, so all those weeks you've been waiting won't be lost money. Keep your chin up - it sounds like you've done everything right and documented your case well!
This is really helpful advice about asking agents to add notes to your file! I hadn't thought of that but it makes total sense - creating that paper trail could definitely help show you're actively following up. And you're absolutely right about the retroactive payments - that's actually a huge relief to remember since I've been stressing about all this "lost" time. Thanks for sharing your experience, it gives me hope that even though this process is painfully slow, it can work out in the end when you have good documentation.
I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - filed my claim 4 weeks ago after quitting due to discrimination and retaliation, and my employer hasn't responded either. It's so stressful not knowing when this will get resolved! Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really helpful. I had no idea that employers get so much leeway with their response deadlines while we're stuck waiting and burning through savings. The tip about asking ESD agents to add notes to your file is brilliant - I'm definitely going to do that on my next call. @Luca Ricci - really hoping you get good news next week! It sounds like you documented everything properly and with your employer ghosting ESD for this long, that should work in your favor. Keep us posted on how it turns out!
Serene Snow
This thread really helped me understand something I never thought about before. I'm currently on unemployment after getting laid off from a tech startup, and I always assumed there was some kind of employee contribution I was missing. It's actually pretty reassuring to know that my former employer was paying into this system the whole time I worked there. Makes me feel less guilty about collecting benefits since it's literally insurance they paid for. Also explains why some companies are so reluctant to do layoffs - didn't realize their tax rates could go up based on claims history.
0 coins
Mei Zhang
•That's exactly how I felt when I first learned about this! It really changes your perspective on unemployment benefits when you realize it's not welfare - it's literally insurance your employer was paying premiums on. The guilt thing is so real too. I think a lot of people don't claim benefits they're entitled to because they don't understand how the system actually works. Good luck with your job search!
0 coins
Sofia Peña
This is such valuable information! I'm a freelancer who just transitioned to W-2 employment and had no idea my new employer was paying unemployment taxes on my behalf. Coming from the gig economy where you get zero safety net, it's actually amazing that there's this whole insurance system built in for regular employees. Makes me appreciate having a "real job" even more. Quick follow-up question though - if I go back to freelancing later, do I lose access to unemployment benefits since I wouldn't have an employer paying those taxes anymore?
0 coins