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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!
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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.
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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!
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Overall it's definitely worth applying. The worst they can say is no, and if you qualify, it can really help stretch your unemployment benefits further while you're job hunting.
You're right, I'm going to start the application today. Thanks everyone for all the helpful information!
Good luck with your application! Hope everything works out for you.
Just wanted to add that if you're struggling to get through to DSHS by phone, you can also visit a local Community Service Office in person. Sometimes it's faster than waiting on hold, and they can help you with the application right there. You can find office locations on the DSHS website. Also, many food banks don't require any paperwork and can help supplement your groceries while you're waiting for SNAP approval - just something to consider as a temporary solution.
That's really helpful advice about the Community Service Offices! I didn't even think about going in person. Do you know if they have weekend hours at any locations, or are they all weekday only? And thanks for mentioning food banks - I've been hesitant to use them but maybe I should look into it while I'm waiting for the SNAP application to process.
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I went through this exact situation last year! One thing that really helped speed up the adjudication process was calling ESD right when they opened at 8am - the wait times are usually shorter first thing in the morning. Also, if your husband's position was eliminated due to lack of work/funding, make sure he emphasizes that it was a "no fault" separation when he reopens the claim. The good news is that once adjudication clears, they usually backpay for all the weeks you were waiting, so don't stress too much about the timing with rent. Just make sure he keeps filing his weekly claims even during the adjudication period - that's super important! Wishing you both the best of luck with this process.
This is really helpful advice, thank you @8e45f8127191! The 8am tip is smart - I hadn't thought about calling right when they open. And that's such a relief to know about the backpay once adjudication clears. We'll definitely make sure he keeps filing weekly even during the wait period. The "no fault" separation language is good to know too - his position was eliminated due to budget cuts, so that should qualify. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience!
Just want to add something that helped me when I reopened my claim - make sure your husband saves screenshots of every step when he reopens online, especially the confirmation page. I had an issue where the system glitched during my reopening process and I couldn't prove I had actually submitted it correctly. Having those screenshots saved me from having to start over. Also, if the website seems slow or keeps timing out, try using a different browser or clearing your cache first. The ESD website can be really finicky, especially during busy periods. Hope everything goes smoothly for you guys!
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Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit using a specific formula based on your highest earning quarter in the base period. They take that quarterly amount, divide by 26, and that becomes your weekly benefit rate. Pretty straightforward once you understand the base period concept.
Thanks everyone for all the explanations! This thread really helped me understand how my benefits were calculated.
Glad it helped! The base period is really the key to understanding the whole calculation.
I went through the same confusion when I first started receiving benefits! What helped me was understanding that Washington ESD doesn't actually show you a "rate" percentage anywhere - your weekly benefit amount IS your rate. If you're getting $487/week, that's your unemployment insurance rate. The calculation behind it uses your base period wages (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed), but the end result - that $487 - is what people mean when they talk about your "rate." Hope that clears things up!
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Hope your claim goes smoothly OP! The Washington ESD system can be confusing but understanding how it's funded is a good first step in understanding your rights and benefits.
Thank you! This whole thread has been super educational. I feel much more confident about my claim now that I understand the system better.
This whole discussion has been really enlightening! I had no idea there were both state and federal components to unemployment insurance funding. It makes me appreciate how much goes on behind the scenes to support workers when they lose their jobs. The experience-rating system for employers is particularly interesting - it creates real financial incentives for companies to avoid layoffs when possible. Thanks everyone for breaking down such a complex system in easy-to-understand terms!
Malik Johnson
If you run into any issues during the application process, don't hesitate to reach out for help. The Washington ESD website has good FAQs, and if you need to talk to someone, that Claimyr service people mentioned actually works pretty well for getting through to agents.
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Fatima Al-Sayed
•I'll definitely check out their resources first. Hopefully the application goes smoothly.
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Malik Johnson
•It usually does. The online application is pretty user-friendly and walks you through everything step by step.
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Myles Regis
Just wanted to add my experience - I was in almost the exact same situation last year! Lived in Oregon, worked at a distribution center in Washington for about 10 months before getting laid off. Filed with Washington ESD online and it was actually pretty smooth. The whole process took about 3 weeks from application to first payment. Make sure you have your last few pay stubs handy when you apply - they'll ask for wage information and it's easier if you have everything ready. Good luck with your claim!
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Omar Zaki
•That's exactly what I needed to hear! It's so helpful to know someone went through the same situation successfully. I was worried about the timeline but 3 weeks doesn't sound too bad. I'll make sure to gather all my pay stubs before I start the application. Did you have to do anything special since you lived out of state, or was it just like applying normally?
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Miguel Ortiz
•Nothing special at all! Just applied online like normal. The only thing that was slightly different was when they asked for my address, I put my Oregon address and that was totally fine. During the weekly claim process, I never had any issues either. The system automatically handles out-of-state residents. The hardest part was just making sure I understood Washington's job search requirements, but even those weren't complicated. You should be good to go!
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