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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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Good news - it sounds like you'll be getting a new claim. The process you're describing is exactly how ESD handles new benefit years. They'll evaluate your work history during your previous benefit year, and if you earned enough in wages during that time, you qualify for a new claim. This is why keeping accurate records of all employment while on UI is important. Make sure to provide all the information they're asking for in the verification request. If all goes well, you'll soon receive a proper monetary determination letter stating your new weekly benefit amount and the total benefit amount for this new claim. After that, you'll just need to start filing weekly claims again.
Exactly this. And just to add - the system is actually working correctly in this case. This automatic evaluation process saves people from having to manually reapply when they might qualify for continued assistance. Many people don't realize they could qualify for a new claim after their initial benefits exhaust.
This is actually a really positive sign! I went through something very similar about 6 months ago. The $2 deposit is ESD's way of testing your bank account before they start sending regular payments again. When they ask for work history verification after your claim has been exhausted, it usually means their system detected that you might have earned enough wages during your benefit year to qualify for a new claim period. Here's what likely happened: while you were on your original claim, you probably worked some part-time jobs or had other employment that created new wage credits. ESD's system automatically reviews these situations when your benefit year is about to expire or has expired. My advice: complete that work history verification ASAP - don't wait. When I did mine, I got approved for a brand new claim within about 2 weeks. The monetary redetermination will show you exactly how much you'll get per week if approved. In my case, I ended up getting another 20+ weeks of benefits that I had no idea I was eligible for. Keep checking your eServices account daily for updates. This is likely going to work out well for you!
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Just want to add that if your eligibility status doesn't make sense based on your situation, don't just accept it. There are ways to get explanations and corrections, even if it takes some persistence.
The system makes mistakes too. Trust your instincts and advocate for yourself.
Update - tried Claimyr and finally got through to someone at Washington ESD. Turns out my ineligible status was due to a simple data entry error on their end. Fixed now!
Another thing to watch out for - if you're getting Social Security or pension payments, those can sometimes affect your eligibility status too. Washington ESD deducts certain types of retirement income from your weekly benefit amount, and if the deduction is more than your benefit, you'd show ineligible for that week. I found this out the hard way when my dad's pension kicked in and suddenly my status changed with no explanation.
That's really helpful to know! I hadn't considered how other income sources might affect eligibility status. Does this apply to things like rental income or investment dividends too? I'm trying to understand all the potential factors that could change my status from week to week.
Generally, Washington ESD only deducts certain types of retirement income like pensions, Social Security, and some retirement annuities. Regular investment income like dividends or rental income usually doesn't affect your weekly eligibility status the same way - those would typically be reported as wages if they're from ongoing business activities. But anything that Washington ESD classifies as "retirement income" gets deducted dollar-for-dollar from your weekly benefit amount. If you're unsure about a specific income source, it's worth asking them directly how it should be reported.
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Update us when you get it resolved! It helps other people to know how these situations finally get sorted out and what actually worked.
I definitely will. Thanks everyone for all the suggestions and support. At least now I have some concrete steps to try instead of just waiting and worrying.
Good luck! Persistence usually pays off with these Washington ESD issues, even though it's incredibly frustrating in the meantime.
I went through this exact same situation last month - 6 weeks of "unresolved issues" with no explanation. What finally worked for me was filing a complaint with the Washington State Auditor's office through their whistleblower portal. I know it sounds dramatic, but they have a section for reporting government inefficiency and it got someone's attention fast. Within 3 days of filing the complaint, I got a call from an ESD supervisor who personally reviewed my case and cleared the issue. Turns out it was stuck because my former employer never responded to their initial inquiry, but nobody bothered to follow up or move it along. Sometimes you need to escalate outside the normal channels to get results.
This is incredibly helpful! I'm definitely going to try this if the other methods don't work. It's really frustrating that we have to go to such lengths just to get basic information about our own unemployment claims, but I'm so glad you shared what actually worked for you. The fact that your issue was just sitting there because your employer didn't respond and nobody followed up shows how broken their internal processes are. Did they give you any explanation for why it took a formal complaint to get someone to actually look at your case? I'm curious if this is becoming a pattern where the State Auditor's office is having to intervene in routine ESD issues.
This is exactly what I needed to hear! I've been feeling so helpless just waiting around for weeks with no information. Filing with the State Auditor's office as a government efficiency issue is brilliant - you're right that this is way bigger than just a customer service problem. The fact that your case was just sitting there because nobody followed up on an employer non-response shows how badly their system is failing people. I'm going to try the phone calls and Claimyr first since those might be quicker, but knowing I have the State Auditor option gives me so much relief. It's ridiculous that we need to escalate to that level just to get someone to do their job, but at least there's a path forward. Thank you so much for sharing this - you might have just saved me weeks more of stress and uncertainty!
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Has anyone noticed how ESD seems to be pushing people into lower wage jobs faster than they used to? Back in 2020 they were way more understanding about waiting for the right job match. Now they're just trying to get everyone off the system asap!
The rules haven't actually changed, but enforcement definitely varies based on the unemployment rate and available funding. When unemployment is low (like now), they tend to be stricter about job search requirements and suitable work provisions.
One more thing to consider: If you've been in your industry for a long time, you might qualify for Training Benefits or Commissioner-Approved Training that would allow you to maintain benefits while seeking work exclusively in your field or even while retraining. Worth looking into if you're concerned about being forced to take unsuitable work.
I've been in IT project management for 8 years - would that qualify as "a long time" for these training benefits? I'll definitely research this option. I'd much rather find the right role than jump into something that doesn't utilize my skills.
StarSurfer
Bottom line: you can collect unemployment starting from the week you file your claim, as long as you meet the eligibility requirements. Don't overthink it - just file as soon as possible after losing your job and let Washington ESD determine your eligibility.
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Nia Thompson
•Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I'm feeling much more confident about filing my claim now.
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StarSurfer
•Good luck with your claim! The process isn't as scary as it seems once you get started.
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Hailey O'Leary
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - make sure you have your W-2s or pay stubs from the last 18 months ready when you file. Washington ESD will need to verify your earnings history to calculate your benefit amount, and having those documents handy will speed up the process. Also, if you have any separation paperwork from your employer (layoff notice, etc.), keep that available too in case they need it during the review process.
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