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
Thanks everyone for all the helpful information. I think I have a much better understanding now of how business ownership affects unemployment eligibility.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do next. The entrepreneurial spirit is admirable even when things don't work out.
Definitely. Starting a business takes guts and most people never even try.
I'm in a similar boat - had to close my freelance design business last month after three years. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like since I was taking distributions rather than paying myself a salary, I won't qualify for regular UI benefits. It's frustrating because I did pay self-employment taxes, but apparently that doesn't count toward unemployment insurance. Has anyone found success with other assistance programs for former business owners? I'm looking into everything at this point.
@Aiden Chen I m'really sorry you had to close your business too. It s'such a tough situation when you ve'put years of work into something. Have you looked into whether you might qualify for any SNAP benefits or other basic assistance programs while you re'transitioning back to traditional employment? I know it s'not the same as unemployment insurance, but it might help bridge the gap. Also, since you were doing freelance design work, you probably have a portfolio and client relationships that could help you find contract or permanent positions with agencies or companies. The skills transfer even if the business structure didn t'work out.
I'm really sorry to hear about your design business closing - that must be incredibly difficult after putting three years into it. You're absolutely right that the self-employment tax situation is frustrating since it feels like you were paying into the system, just not the right part of it for unemployment purposes. I've been researching other options myself since realizing I won't qualify for regular UI benefits either. One thing I discovered is that some local workforce development boards have special programs for displaced business owners or entrepreneurs transitioning back to traditional employment. They sometimes offer job search assistance, retraining opportunities, or even temporary financial support that's separate from the regular unemployment system. It might be worth reaching out to WorkSource Washington to see if they have any programs specifically for people in our situation. Also, since you mentioned you were doing freelance design, have you considered reaching out to temp agencies that specialize in creative services? They might have contract opportunities that could provide some income while you're figuring out your next steps.
Join the conversation
For what it's worth, I used Claimyr again last week to get clarification on some wage reporting questions. Their service really does work well for getting through to Washington ESD when you need specific business answers.
I'm definitely going to try them if I run into issues. Seems like a lot of people here have had good experiences.
Anything beats sitting on hold for hours. Time is money when you're running a business.
Thanks for all the detailed info everyone! This thread has been incredibly helpful. I'm starting to get a clearer picture of what to expect. It sounds like budgeting around 3% of payroll is a good starting point, and I should definitely keep good records from day one. The fact that the rates can vary so much based on your claims history really emphasizes the importance of good hiring and management practices. I'll probably reach out to an accountant to help set up the quarterly reporting system properly.
Great summary! One thing I'd add is don't wait until tax time to set up your unemployment account with Washington ESD. You need to register as soon as you have your first employee, even before you pay them. The penalties for late registration can be steep. Also, if you're doing payroll yourself, make sure you understand the difference between regular wages and things like bonuses or commissions - they might be treated differently for unemployment tax purposes.
Join the conversation
Thanks everyone for all the info! This thread has been super helpful. I feel much better about understanding how the benefit calculation works now.
Same here! I had no idea about the dependency allowance or how the quarterly calculations worked.
I've been reading through all these responses and there seems to be some conflicting information about the exact maximum amount. Some people are saying $999, others $1,015. Can someone clarify what the actual maximum weekly benefit is for Washington State in 2025? I want to make sure I have the right number when I file my claim next week.
I noticed the same confusion! From what I've been able to piece together from this thread, it looks like there might be some outdated information floating around. The most recent posts seem to indicate it's $1,015 for 2025, but I'd recommend double-checking on the official Washington ESD website to be absolutely sure before you file. These amounts do change annually so it's always best to verify with the source.
Join the conversation
Thanks everyone for all this information! This thread has been super helpful. I feel much more confident about my situation now and know what documentation I need to gather. Time to start organizing everything before I make any decisions about my current job.
Good luck! Remember to document everything and try to resolve issues with your employer first if you're thinking about quitting for good cause.
And if you need to talk to ESD about your specific situation, don't waste weeks trying to call. Use claimyr.com to get through - it saved me so much time and stress.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is constructive dismissal - when working conditions become so intolerable that a reasonable person would feel forced to quit. This can include things like severe harassment that HR won't address, being given impossible tasks designed to make you fail, or significant retaliation after reporting safety issues. It's harder to prove than regular good cause, but Washington ESD will consider it if you have solid documentation showing the employer essentially forced you out.
This is really important info! I've been dealing with what feels like retaliation after I reported some safety concerns. My supervisor has been giving me impossible deadlines and excluding me from team meetings. How much documentation do you typically need to prove constructive dismissal?
Debra Bai
does washington have a waiting week or do benefits start right away?
0 coins
Jayden Reed
•Washington eliminated the waiting week in 2020. Benefits start with your first week of unemployment as long as you file your weekly claim on time.
0 coins
Debra Bai
•awesome, thats one less thing to worry about when budgeting
0 coins
Gabriel Freeman
This thread should be pinned somewhere. Best explanation of Washington ESD benefit calculations I've seen. Way clearer than their official website.
0 coins
Lucas Notre-Dame
•Totally agree! I've been lurking here trying to understand my own benefit calculation and this thread has been incredibly helpful. The step-by-step breakdown with actual examples really makes the difference. Government websites are usually so hard to navigate and understand.
0 coins
Nia Harris
•I'm new here but this thread really saved me! I've been stressing about my unemployment calculation for weeks and couldn't make sense of the Washington ESD website. The formula everyone explained (highest quarter × 0.0385) is so much clearer than anything I found online. Just did my math and I should get around $420/week which will help a lot while I job hunt. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge!
0 coins