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 :)
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At least Washington state has some of the higher unemployment benefits compared to other states. I moved here from Florida where the max was like $275/week. Still not enough but could be worse.
True but cost of living here is also way higher than Florida, so it evens out to being just as hard to survive on.
Yeah, $487 in Seattle money feels like $200 anywhere else with normal rent prices.
Bottom line is unemployment insurance was designed as temporary partial wage replacement, not full income replacement. It sucks but that's the reality. Focus on job searching and use every resource available - career centers, networking, online applications, everything.
You're right, I need to treat job searching like a full-time job itself. Just frustrating when the safety net feels so inadequate.
WorkSource Washington has good job search resources and required workshops that might help speed up your search.
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I might do that if I have more questions. Right now I feel much better understanding that these are separate programs.
Smart to get official confirmation when you can. These forum discussions are helpful but nothing beats talking to the actual agency.
Just to add one more point - unemployment benefits are also taxable income, while Social Security benefits may or may not be taxable depending on your total income. Another difference between the programs.
Good to know about the taxes. I'll make sure to set some money aside or have taxes withheld from my unemployment payments.
Yes, you can choose to have federal taxes withheld from your Washington ESD payments when you certify your weekly claims. Highly recommended to avoid a big tax bill later.
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Update: I finally got through to Washington ESD using that Claimyr service someone mentioned. Took about 25 minutes and the agent was able to tell me exactly what was holding up my claim. Definitely worth it if you're having trouble getting through on your own.
They needed additional verification from my employer about my separation date. Something I could have provided weeks ago if I'd known.
This is exactly why I'm going to try Claimyr too. Been waiting 3 weeks with no communication.
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Don't forget you can also look into job training programs while you're collecting unemployment. Washington has some good retraining programs that can help you learn new skills while you're looking for work.
That's actually something I've been thinking about. Are those programs free?
Many of them are, and some even allow you to continue collecting unemployment while you're in training. Check with WorkSource Washington.
Bottom line - yes you can definitely collect unemployment if you get laid off. It's literally what the system is designed for. File as soon as possible, be honest and accurate with all information, and don't be afraid to ask for help if you run into issues. You've paid into this system through your paychecks, so don't feel bad about using it when you need it.
Good luck with everything! Hope your layoff situation works out better than expected.
You got this! The unemployment system isn't perfect but it will help bridge the gap until you find your next job.
Liam Sullivan
Just make sure you have a backup plan in case it takes a while to get approved. The process can sometimes drag on longer than expected, especially if your employer disputes the claim.
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Diego Flores
•Yeah I'm trying to cut expenses and see if family can help out if needed. Thanks for the reality check.
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Amara Okafor
One last thing - if you do get denied initially, don't give up! The appeal process exists for a reason and lots of people win on appeal even after being denied the first time.
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Diego Flores
•I'll definitely keep that in mind. Sounds like persistence is key with this whole process.
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