Can't reach Washington Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
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
when I got laid off in November I thought standby meant I didn't have to do job search but that was wrong!! had to appeal and it was such a mess. make sure you understand all the requirements
This is a common misunderstanding. "Standby" status is something your employer has to specifically request for you, and it only applies in certain situations like seasonal work or temporary layoffs where you're expected to return to your job. Even then, standby status only lasts for a limited time before regular job search requirements kick in. Always check your specific requirements in your ESD account.
Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! I'll definitely file my weekly claim this Sunday and keep doing my job search activities. I just wish ESD made all this clearer when you first apply. I've set a reminder on my phone for Sunday so I don't forget to file. One more question - how long does it typically take to get the first payment after the waiting week?
After your waiting week and assuming your application is approved without any issues, you'll typically see your first payment within 2-3 business days after filing your weekly claim if you have direct deposit set up. If you're getting the ESD debit card, it can take 7-10 days for the first card to arrive in the mail. Any subsequent payments to the card are usually available within 2 business days after you file your weekly claim. Just be prepared that if your claim gets flagged for any reason (identity verification, job separation issues, etc.), it could go into adjudication which can delay payments significantly. That's why it's important to respond to any ESD requests for information right away.
@Demi Hall thank you so much for all the detailed info! I did set up direct deposit when I applied so hopefully that will speed things up. I m'just nervous about the whole adjudication thing - is there anything specific I should watch out for that might trigger a delay? My layoff was pretty straightforward company (downsizing so) hopefully no issues there.
Join the conversation
Update: I tried calling at 7:59am this morning and after redaling about 20 times, I actually got through! Was on hold for 1.5 hours but finally spoke to someone who resolved my issue. For anyone else struggling - keep trying the early morning calls and just keep redialing if you get the busy message. Persistence eventually paid off for me!
There was an employer response that triggered adjudication, but they never sent me the questionnaire I needed to complete. The agent was able to resend it and actually processed it while I was on the phone. My payments should start processing in 48 hours she said!
congrats! still trying on my end... maybe tomorrow will be my lucky day
Just wanted to share another option that worked for me - I contacted my local state senator's office (found through leg.wa.gov) and their constituent services person was amazing. She contacted ESD directly and got my claim moving within 3 business days after I'd been stuck for over a month. I was honestly skeptical about bothering elected officials with this, but she said unemployment issues are one of their most common requests and they have dedicated staff for exactly this purpose. All I had to do was fill out a simple form with my claim details and sign a release allowing them to inquire on my behalf. For anyone who's been waiting weeks like I was - don't hesitate to reach out to your representatives. It's literally part of their job to help constituents navigate state agencies. Way less stressful than the phone marathon!
Join the conversation
Bottom line - with $1000/week gross you're looking at probably $750-850 per week in unemployment benefits assuming you have sufficient base period wages. The exact amount depends on your wage history over the past 15 months.
That range is really helpful for planning. Thanks everyone for all the detailed info!
Just remember to file immediately if it happens and don't wait. Good luck!
Just to add another perspective - I was laid off from a similar tech role making $950/week and ended up getting $780/week in benefits. The key thing that helped me was having all my employment documentation ready when I filed (last pay stub, layoff letter, etc). Also definitely recommend setting up direct deposit right away since paper checks can take forever to arrive. The whole process was smoother than I expected once I got through the initial application.
Join the conversation
Also, WATCH OUT for the fact that employers often bring up TOTALLY NEW ALLEGATIONS during the hearing that weren't in their original appeal!!! My employer suddenly claimed I had been warned multiple times when that NEVER HAPPENED. Be prepared for them to make stuff up on the spot!
This is actually a good point. If the employer brings up new allegations that weren't in the original notice, you can object and request that those issues not be considered since you weren't given proper notice to prepare a response. The ALJ should sustain that objection.
I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! My employer also waited until after I was approved and receiving benefits to file their appeal. It's so stressful but the advice here is really reassuring. One thing I wanted to add - when you're preparing for the hearing, if you have any witnesses (like coworkers who knew about the restructuring), make sure to ask them ASAP if they'd be willing to testify. Some people are hesitant to get involved, but others are happy to help if they know the truth. Even if they can't participate in the hearing, they might be willing to write a brief statement about what they witnessed. Also, keep all your job search records organized during this time. Sometimes they ask about your work search efforts during the hearing, and having that documentation ready shows you're taking the process seriously. You've got this! The fact that ESD initially approved you after reviewing the case is definitely in your favor.
Eve Freeman
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread! Really helped clarify the work rules for unemployment benefits in Washington state.
0 coins
Norman Fraser
•Seriously, this community is amazing. Got way better info here than from the Washington ESD website.
0 coins
Kendrick Webb
•Happy to help! That's what these forums are for - sharing knowledge and supporting each other.
0 coins
Marilyn Dixon
Just wanted to add that if you're working multiple part-time jobs while on unemployment, you need to report ALL of them when filing your weekly claim. I learned this the hard way when I was juggling two different gig jobs. Washington ESD requires you to report every source of income, no matter how small. The good news is that as long as your total earnings stay under that weekly benefit amount plus $5 threshold, you'll still get your full unemployment benefits. It's actually pretty encouraging that the system supports people who are trying to piece together income while job hunting!
0 coins