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
also remember that unemployment benefits are taxable income. you can choose to have taxes withheld or pay them later, but don't forget about it or you'll owe money at tax time
How much do they withhold for taxes if you choose that option?
I think it's 10% federal tax withholding. Washington doesn't have state income tax so you don't need to worry about that.
Bottom line - if your hours got cut through no fault of your own and you worked enough in the past year, you should apply. Worst case they say no, but you'll probably qualify for at least partial benefits. The application process online is pretty straightforward, it's just getting help when you have questions that's the problem.
Thanks everyone! This has been super helpful. Going to file my claim tonight and see what happens.
Good luck! Remember to keep track of all your job search activities from day one. Better to have too much documentation than not enough.
Join the conversation
Just want to add that while the unemployment rate doesn't affect your claim directly, economic conditions can influence state funding for programs like job training through WorkSource. But your UI benefits are separate from that.
That's interesting about the job training connection. I might look into WorkSource programs once my claim gets approved.
WorkSource has some good resources. They can help with your job search log requirements too.
Join the conversation
Education sector has interesting patterns. K-12 is relatively stable but higher ed has been cutting positions. Community colleges are somewhere in between.
I hadn't thought about education jobs. Do you need teaching credentials for all positions?
Not all positions. Administrative, maintenance, food service, IT support - lots of roles don't require teaching credentials.
Bottom line - retail and food service will always have openings because of turnover, but the pay and benefits usually suck. If you can get skills in healthcare, tech, or skilled trades, you'll have better long-term prospects.
Thanks everyone for all the insights. This has been way more helpful than trying to decipher the official Washington ESD reports on my own.
Good luck with your search! Remember to document everything for your weekly claims and don't get discouraged. The market is tough but there are opportunities out there.
Join the conversation
Quick question - do you have to be a U.S. citizen to qualify? I have a work permit but I'm not a citizen yet.
You don't need to be a citizen, but you do need to be authorized to work in the U.S. If you have a valid work permit, that should be sufficient.
Perfect, thank you! That was my main concern about applying.
For everyone asking about contacting Washington ESD - I finally got through using traditional calling after literally 47 attempts over two weeks. But honestly, that Claimyr thing would have saved me days of frustration. Sometimes the extra convenience is worth it when you're dealing with unemployment stress.
47 attempts?! That's insane. The phone system really needs to be fixed.
I'm definitely going to look into that service if I can't get through the normal way. Thanks for sharing your experience everyone - this has been super helpful!
Aria Khan
Also be prepared for the fact that unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can choose to have taxes withheld or pay them when you file your tax return.
0 coins
Everett Tutum
•I forgot about this and owed a bunch of money at tax time. Definitely have them withhold taxes if you can.
0 coins
Aria Khan
•Yeah, it's optional but recommended. Better to have them take out 10% than deal with a big tax bill later.
0 coins
Sunny Wang
One final tip - read all the instructions carefully and answer every question honestly. Washington ESD can verify most of your information, so lying or making mistakes will just cause delays and could get you in trouble.
0 coins
Nalani Liu
•Definitely planning to be completely honest and accurate. Thank you all for all the helpful advice!
0 coins
Hugh Intensity
•You're welcome! Hope your claim goes smoothly and you find a new job soon.
0 coins