Can't get through to Washington ESD unemployment office - phone lines always busy
I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for over two weeks about my unemployment claim and I literally cannot get through. Every time I call the main number it just says they're experiencing high call volume and hangs up on me. I tried calling right when they open at 8am, during lunch, in the afternoon - nothing works. My claim has been pending for almost a month now and I really need to talk to someone about what's going on. Has anyone had any luck actually getting through to a real person lately?
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Javier Morales
same here!! been calling for 3 weeks straight and nothing. so frustrating when you need help with your claim
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•At least I'm not the only one going crazy trying to reach them. What's your claim stuck on?
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Javier Morales
•adjudication for some job separation issue. yours?
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Emma Anderson
The phone system is completely overwhelmed right now. I work in government services and I've heard they're getting 10x their normal call volume. Your best bet is to keep trying the main unemployment line (800-318-6022) but also try the technical support line if your issue is account-related.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Is there a specific time that works better? I've tried early morning with no luck.
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Emma Anderson
•Tuesday through Thursday tend to be slightly better than Mondays and Fridays. But honestly, it's a numbers game right now.
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Malik Thompson
I was in the same boat until I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me through to Washington ESD. You go to claimyr.com and they basically keep calling for you until they get through, then conference you in with the agent. Saved me hours of trying to call myself. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Wait, this actually works? How long did it take them to get you through?
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Malik Thompson
•It took about 2 hours but that's way better than the weeks I spent trying myself. They handle all the waiting and redials.
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Isabella Ferreira
•Is this legit or some kind of scam? Never heard of paying someone to make phone calls for you.
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CosmicVoyager
If your claim is pending in adjudication, calling won't necessarily speed up the process. Adjudication has specific timelines they have to follow for fact-finding. However, if you need to provide additional documentation or clarify information, getting through can be helpful. Make sure you have your Social Security number and all relevant documents ready when you do connect.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•My claim just says 'pending' but doesn't specify adjudication. How can I tell what's actually going on?
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CosmicVoyager
•Log into your SecureAccess Washington account and check the 'Notices' section. If there's an adjudication, you'll see specific requests for information there.
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Ravi Kapoor
THE PHONE SYSTEM IS A JOKE!!! I've called over 200 times in the past month and gotten through ZERO times. Meanwhile bills are piling up and I can't get answers about my claim. This is absolutely ridiculous.
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Freya Nielsen
•I feel your pain. The system is broken and they don't seem to care about people who actually need help.
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Emma Anderson
•I understand the frustration, but the staff levels haven't caught up to demand yet. They're hiring more people but training takes time.
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Omar Mahmoud
Try calling exactly at 8:00 AM when they open. Set multiple alarms and be ready to dial right at 8. I got through once doing this but it took about 45 minutes on hold. Also make sure you're calling the right number - the main unemployment line is different from the technical support line.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•What number did you use? I've been calling 800-318-6022 but maybe that's wrong?
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Omar Mahmoud
•That's the right one for unemployment claims. For account lockouts and password issues, use the SAW technical support line instead.
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Chloe Harris
omg same problem here! called like 50 times yesterday and kept getting the busy signal. so annoying
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Diego Vargas
•at least you get a busy signal, mine just hangs up after the message
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Chloe Harris
•yeah that happens too sometimes. the whole system is messed up
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NeonNinja
I had success with that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Was skeptical at first but desperate enough to try it. They got me through to Washington ESD in about 90 minutes and I was able to resolve my pending issue. Worth checking out if you're stuck like I was.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Did you have to give them personal information? I'm worried about sharing my SSN with a third party.
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NeonNinja
•No, they don't need your personal info. They just dial the number for you and connect you when they get through. You handle all the actual conversation with Washington ESD yourself.
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Anastasia Popov
Have you tried messaging them through the secure message system in your online account? Sometimes that works better than calling, though responses can take a few days.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•I sent a message 10 days ago and haven't heard back yet. Not sure that's faster than calling at this point.
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Anastasia Popov
•Yeah, their message responses are really backed up too. Everything is overwhelmed right now.
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Sean Murphy
The key is persistence. I called 127 times over two weeks before getting through. Keep a tally and just keep dialing. Eventually you'll get lucky.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•127 times?! That's insane. There has to be a better way than this.
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Sean Murphy
•I know it sounds crazy but that's what it took. The system is broken but you gotta work within it.
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Zara Khan
Try calling during your lunch break around 12:30-1:00 PM. I've noticed slightly better connection rates during that time when maybe fewer people are calling.
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Luca Ferrari
•Interesting theory. I'll try that tomorrow and see if it makes a difference.
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Zara Khan
•It's just a theory but seemed to work for me a couple times. Worth a shot!
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Nia Davis
This reminds me of when I was trying to reach them about my standby benefits last year. Took forever to get through and then the agent couldn't even help with my specific question. Sometimes I wonder if it's even worth the hassle of calling.
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Mateo Martinez
•What ended up happening with your standby situation? I might be dealing with something similar.
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Nia Davis
•Had to appeal the decision and everything got sorted out eventually. But it took months of back and forth.
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QuantumQueen
Another vote for Claimyr here. Used them last month when I couldn't reach Washington ESD about an overpayment notice. They got me through and I was able to set up a payment plan. Way less stressful than calling myself hundreds of times.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Seems like multiple people have had success with this service. I might give it a try if I can't get through by the end of the week.
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QuantumQueen
•Yeah, at some point you have to weigh your time and sanity against other options. This worked for me when nothing else did.
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Aisha Rahman
Make sure you're calling the main line and not the employer line by mistake. I was calling the wrong number for days before realizing my error.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Good point! I've been using 800-318-6022 which I think is correct for claimants.
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Aisha Rahman
•Yes that's the right one. The employer line is different and won't help with individual claims.
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Ethan Wilson
been there done that. calling is horrible right now but sometimes you just need to talk to someone. hang in there!
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Thanks for the encouragement. It's frustrating but good to know I'm not alone in this struggle.
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Yuki Sato
The wait times are absolutely ridiculous. I got through once after 3 hours on hold and then got disconnected right as the agent picked up. Nearly threw my phone across the room.
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Carmen Flores
•Oh no! That would make me so mad. Did you have to start over completely?
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Yuki Sato
•Yep, back to square one. That's when I decided to try some of these alternative methods people are talking about.
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Andre Dubois
If anyone figures out the magic formula for getting through, please share! We're all struggling with the same thing here.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Will definitely update if I find something that works consistently. This thread has given me some new ideas to try.
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Malik Thompson
•Seriously, the Claimyr thing I mentioned earlier has been the most reliable method I've found. Check out that demo video if you're curious.
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CyberSamurai
Update: Finally got through using the early morning strategy! Called at exactly 8:00 AM and waited on hold for 2 hours but actually talked to someone. They were able to clear up my pending issue. Don't give up!
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•That's awesome! What was causing your claim to be pending? Mine might be similar.
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CyberSamurai
•It was a documentation issue from my previous employer. Once I explained the situation they were able to move it forward.
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Zoe Alexopoulos
•Congrats on getting through! Gives me hope that persistence might actually pay off.
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