Can't reach Washington Unemployment? Claimyr connects you to a live ESD agent in minutes.
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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!
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- 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 :)
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has anyone had luck getting through on the phones? i've been trying at different times but always get the "high call volume, try again later" message then it hangs up!
Early morning (right when they open at 8:00 AM) used to work best, but lately even that's hit or miss. That's why I mentioned Claimyr in my other comment - it's the only reliable way I found to actually reach someone at ESD.
I haven't tried calling yet but based on these comments I'm dreading it if I need to. I might try that service if I run into problems with my claim.
Just wanted to add my recent experience for anyone else wondering about this. I filed a new claim in early March 2025 after being laid off from my tech job, and I definitely had to serve the waiting week. The policy change happened when Washington's COVID emergency declarations ended, so the waiting week waiver is no longer in effect for regular unemployment claims. One thing that helped me plan financially was understanding that even though you don't get paid for the waiting week, you still need to file your weekly claim during that period. It shows as "non-payable" in your account but it's required to maintain your claim. My first actual payment came in week 2, and from there it's been consistent as long as I meet all the requirements. The good news is that serving the waiting week doesn't reduce your total benefit entitlement - you still get your full 26 weeks (or whatever you qualify for) of payments, just delayed by one week. Hope this helps with your budgeting!
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Final update from OP: I ended up using that Claimyr service people mentioned and got connected to a Washington ESD agent who confirmed I have exactly 4 weeks of benefits remaining. No extended benefits available currently. Time to really push hard on job applications. Thanks everyone for the helpful responses!
Good luck with your job search! Hope you find something before those 4 weeks are up.
Keep us updated on how it goes! Rooting for you.
I'm in a similar situation - started my claim in August and just realized I'm probably close to hitting that 26-week limit too. This thread has been super helpful in understanding what to expect. For anyone else reading this, I'd recommend checking your eServices account regularly to see how many weeks you have left. I wish Washington ESD made this information more prominent in their weekly claim reminders. It's stressful enough being unemployed without surprise deadlines! Has anyone here had luck with temp agencies or gig work to supplement income after benefits run out?
I've been doing some temp work through a few agencies and it definitely helps bridge the gap financially. The key is to register with multiple agencies since work can be sporadic. I've had luck with Adecco and Kelly Services for office temp work. For gig work, I've been doing some DoorDash and TaskRabbit when I'm not job searching. It's not steady income but every little bit helps when you're facing that benefit cutoff. Just make sure to report any earnings on your weekly claims if you're still collecting - they can reduce your benefits but you might still get partial payments.
That's really good advice about registering with multiple temp agencies! I hadn't thought about that strategy. Quick question - when you do temp work or gig work while still collecting partial benefits, do you have to report it immediately or can you wait until your next weekly claim? I'm worried about messing up the reporting process and having issues with Washington ESD later. Also, have you found that temp agencies are understanding about you potentially leaving for permanent work, or do they get annoyed when you have to quit for interviews/new jobs?
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Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! This thread really clarified things for me. Going to call DSHS today to report my unemployment income and see how it affects my SNAP benefits.
Same here! Feeling much more prepared for that conversation now.
Glad we could help! Remember to ask about any deductions you might qualify for - every little bit helps.
I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago when I started getting UI benefits. What really helped me was keeping detailed records of everything - when I first received unemployment, when I reported it to DSHS, and all the documentation they requested. My SNAP benefits did get reduced from $280 to about $160 per month, but having everything organized made the process much smoother. Also, don't forget that you can often report income changes online through the Washington Connection website if you can't get through by phone. It's usually faster than waiting on hold for hours!
That's really helpful advice about keeping detailed records! I hadn't thought about using the Washington Connection website - I've been so focused on trying to call. The reduction you experienced from $280 to $160 gives me a better idea of what to expect too. Thanks for sharing your experience!
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Just want to add that if you're working multiple part-time jobs like I am, you need to report the gross wages from ALL of them for that week. I made the mistake of only reporting my main job at first and got flagged for an audit. Washington ESD wants to see the complete picture of your earnings, so don't leave anything out - even if it's just a few hours at a second job.
That's such an important point! I didn't even think about multiple jobs. I just started a second part-time gig on weekends and was wondering if I needed to combine everything. Thanks for sharing your experience - definitely don't want to deal with an audit!
Just to emphasize what others have said - always err on the side of reporting MORE rather than less. I learned this the hard way when I didn't report some small cash tips from my restaurant job thinking they wouldn't matter. Washington ESD ended up finding out during a routine audit and I had to pay back benefits plus interest. It's really not worth the risk. Even if you think something might not count as "wages," report it anyway and let them sort it out. Better safe than sorry when it comes to unemployment benefits!
The Boss
in the same boat rn...cant get anyone on the phone and my landlord is NOT understanding at all. how did u finally get thru to someone? been trying for 2 weeks straight
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William Rivera
•I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above. Normally I wouldn't pay for something like that, but I was desperate. Got connected to an actual person at ESD within about 20 minutes. Worth it just for the stress relief of not getting disconnected after waiting for hours!
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Paolo Ricci
I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - pending claim for 3 weeks and just found out about an old overpayment too. It's so frustrating how these systems seem designed to work against us when we need help the most. One thing that helped me was contacting my local WorkSource office. They can't resolve the claim directly, but they have better connections to ESD and sometimes can get faster responses on what's causing the hold-up. Plus they have resources for emergency assistance while you're waiting. Also, if you haven't already, make sure you're continuing to file your weekly claims even while it's pending. I almost missed doing this because I thought "what's the point?" but you have to keep filing to get paid for those weeks once it's resolved. Hang in there - from what I'm reading here it sounds like once you get the right person on the phone, these issues can move pretty quickly. The hardest part is just getting through to someone who can actually help.
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