One more thing to consider - if you do opt for voluntary coverage, make sure you understand how your benefits would be calculated. It's based on your reported quarterly wages, so if you underreport to save on premiums, your benefits will be lower too.

This has been such an eye-opening thread! I'm in a similar situation - been freelancing for about 18 months and had no clue about voluntary coverage. From what I'm reading, it sounds like the key things to figure out are: 1) whether you're truly self-employed vs misclassified, 2) if you can still apply during enrollment periods, and 3) whether the premiums are worth it for your situation. The Claimyr suggestion is interesting too since getting through to ESD seems to be a nightmare for everyone. Thanks for starting this discussion - definitely saving me from making the same mistakes!

Bottom line - no waiting week in Washington anymore, file your weekly claims religiously, document your job search, and you should be good to go. Welcome to the unemployment club unfortunately.

I went through the same thing when I filed my Washington unemployment claim a few months ago - the waiting week confusion is real! Just to add to what others have said, make sure you have your Social Security card and ID ready when you file. Washington ESD is pretty strict about identity verification these days, and having all your documents ready can help prevent delays. Also, if you worked in multiple states recently, that can complicate things, so mention that upfront if it applies to you. Good luck with your claim!

Just wanted to update everyone - I had to deal with this exact issue back in January. After finally getting through to ESD, they told me the employer had submitted my application rejection email as "proof" I refused work! Apparently when I replied to their initial offer saying their salary was too low (it was $15K below market rate), they reported that as me refusing suitable work. ESD sided with me in the end because the salary was significantly below my previous earnings. Make sure you explain your full work history and previous salary to ESD when you talk to them.

After you speak with ESD, consider requesting records from the employer as well. You have the right to know what communication they're claiming constituted a job offer. Send a formal email to their HR department requesting copies of all communication between you and their company, specifically any job offers they claim to have extended. Having documentation from both sides will strengthen your case if this goes to an appeal hearing.

Just want to add that identity verification delays can also trigger job search requirement issues, so make sure to keep filing your weekly claims even while this is pending. Don't let other problems pile up.

I've been dealing with Washington ESD phone issues for months now trying to resolve a simple address change that got my account locked. The automated system is completely broken - it either hangs up immediately or puts you in an endless loop. I finally broke down and used one of those callback services someone mentioned here and got through in under an hour. Cost me a small fee but honestly worth every penny compared to the weeks I wasted trying to call myself. The agent was super helpful and fixed my issue in minutes. Sometimes you just have to accept that the state's phone system is fundamentally broken and find workarounds.

For anyone still struggling with this, remember that persistence does eventually pay off. Whether you use a service or keep trying yourself, don't give up. Your claim will get resolved eventually, even if the process is frustrating.

I've been following this thread and dealing with the same issue. After reading all the suggestions here, I decided to try a combination approach - I called right at 8am sharp while also setting up that Claimyr service as a backup. The early morning call didn't work (busy signal again), but having the service running gave me peace of mind that something was actually working on my behalf. Sometimes you just need to accept that the traditional methods aren't sufficient anymore and adapt to what actually works in the current system.