Can't get ahold of Washington ESD unemployment office - phone lines always busy

same boat here, been calling for 3 weeks straight about my adjudication issue. the system is completely overloaded

The phone system has been terrible since they updated it last year. Try calling the technical support line instead of the main claims line - sometimes they can transfer you or at least give you better information about your specific issue.

I had the same problem last month when my claim got stuck in adjudication. Spent hours calling every day with no luck. Finally found this service called Claimyr that actually got me through to a Washington ESD agent in like 20 minutes. They have some system that keeps calling for you until someone picks up. Check out claimyr.com - there's even a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ

For identity verification issues specifically, you might be able to upload documents through your SecureAccess Washington account instead of calling. Go to your unemployment dashboard and look for 'Upload Documents' or 'Identity Verification' sections.

The whole system is a joke. I've been calling for MONTHS about an overpayment notice that makes no sense and can't get through to save my life. They expect us to just sit here and starve while they can't even answer their phones.

try calling tuesday or wednesday mornings right at 8am sharp, sometimes better luck midweek

For what it's worth, identity verification usually takes 7-10 business days to process once they have all your documents. If it's been longer than that, then yes you definitely need to call to see what's holding it up.

I had my identity verification completed last week actually. Took forever to get through but the agent was really helpful once I finally talked to someone. She said they're seeing a lot of cases where the automated system flags legitimate claims by mistake.

Has anyone tried going to a WorkSource office in person? I know they can't process claims directly but maybe they can help with the calling situation.

Anyone know if there's a better time of month to call? Like maybe right after benefit payments go out when call volume might be lower?

This is exactly why I switched to using Claimyr after my first week of failed calling attempts. Life's too short to spend hours listening to busy signals. The agents can actually fix these identity verification issues pretty quickly once you get connected.

maybe try the spanish language line? heard sometimes those have shorter wait times

I feel for everyone dealing with this. The phone system crisis has been going on for years and Washington ESD just keeps saying they're 'working on improvements' but nothing changes. Meanwhile people can't get their legitimate benefits.

For identity verification specifically, make sure you have your Social Security card, driver's license, and any other documents they requested ready before calling. The agents can sometimes verify your identity over the phone if you have everything available.

The automated system sometimes tells you what documents are missing from your identity verification. Check your correspondence section in your account - there might be a message explaining exactly what they need.

Update: I finally got through using Claimyr this morning! The agent said my adjudication issue was just sitting in a queue waiting for manual review. She fixed it in 5 minutes. Wish I had tried this weeks ago instead of wasting all that time calling.

Pro tip: when you do get through to an agent, ask them to add notes to your account about what was discussed. That way if you need to call again, the next agent can see the history instead of starting from scratch.

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions! I'm going to try Claimyr first thing tomorrow morning. Will update this thread once I hopefully get my identity verification sorted out. It's reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this mess.

This thread should be pinned somewhere. The phone access issue affects so many people and Washington ESD doesn't seem to care about fixing it.

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.