ESD account login problems and call disconnection right before claim acceptance
I'm at my wits' end with the ESD website!! Been trying to log in for the past 2 days and it keeps saying my username/password combo is invalid. I KNOW I'm entering everything correctly (even tried resetting my password twice). So finally I broke down and called ESD directly. After waiting for 1 hour and 47 minutes (yes, I timed it), I actually got through to someone! They verified my identity, went through all my info, and just as the agent said "your claim has now been..." THE CALL DROPPED. Are you kidding me?!?! Now I'm back to square one - can't access my account online and terrified of having to wait on hold again only to get disconnected. Has anyone else dealt with this login nightmare? Any tricks to actually get the website working or a direct line to someone who won't hang up on me?
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Victoria Stark
OMG the EXACT same thing happened to me last month!! The website kept saying "invalid credentials" even though I knew my password was right. So frustrating! I ended up calling like 14 times before someone picked up. Have you tried using a different browser? Sometimes Chrome causes weird issues with the ESD site but Firefox worked for me.
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Hassan Khoury
•Haven't tried a different browser yet. I've been using Chrome this whole time. Will download Firefox right now and try that. Thanks for the suggestion!
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Benjamin Kim
same issue here! their system is glitchy af. try cleraing your cookies and cache, that worked for me. also make sure you're using the right website, there's like 3 different login pages and they look almost identical lol.
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Samantha Howard
•This! I kept going to the old website address from my bookmarks and couldn't figure out why it wasn't working. The correct login URL is secure.esd.wa.gov/home/ - anything else might be outdated.
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Megan D'Acosta
This is a very common issue with ESD's authentication system, especially after their recent security upgrades in early 2025. What's likely happening is your SecureAccess Washington (SAW) account isn't properly linked to your ESD account anymore. Here's what you need to do: 1. Go directly to secure.esd.wa.gov (not through SAW) 2. Click "Sign in with SAW" 3. When prompted for username/password, select "Forgot Username" even if you know it 4. Follow the recovery steps to receive a temporary access code 5. Use that code to create a fresh connection between SAW and ESD As for the phone disconnection, that's unfortunately pretty standard with their overloaded system. If you were at the point where they said your claim was being accepted, it's likely the agent completed the processing before the call dropped. I'd give it 24-48 hours and check your account again to see if the status has updated.
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Hassan Khoury
•Thank you for these detailed steps! I tried what you suggested and got a little further - the system now recognizes my username but says my ESD profile needs verification. Progress at least! Do you know how long the verification process typically takes?
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Sarah Ali
Have you tried Claimyr? I was in the exact same boat last week - couldn't log in, kept getting disconnected when calling ESD. I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. You just go to claimyr.com and they basically navigate the phone system for you and call you when there's an agent ready. Saved me so much frustration!
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Ryan Vasquez
•Is that actually legit? Sounds too good to be true with how impossible it is to reach ESD these days.
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Sarah Ali
•It's definitely legit. I was skeptical too but it worked exactly as advertised. They don't actually access your account or anything, they just navigate the phone menu and hold your place in line, then connect you with the agent when one becomes available.
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Avery Saint
The ESD system is DELIBERATELY designed to be confusing and to disconnect people!!! This is how they save money by denying legitimate claims through technical difficulties. I've been fighting with them for 3 MONTHS over my standby status that they randomly revoked. Every single time I call, either I get disconnected or transferred to a "specialist" who never picks up. It's a scam to wear people down until they give up. The only way I've had any success is by contacting my state representative and having them put pressure on ESD.
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Megan D'Acosta
•While I understand your frustration, the system isn't deliberately designed to disconnect people. The ESD call center is severely understaffed relative to claim volume. The technical issues are the result of outdated infrastructure that hasn't been properly updated since the pandemic surge. Your suggestion to contact a state representative is solid advice though - they can sometimes help escalate cases that are stuck in the system.
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Samantha Howard
One thing no one has mentioned yet - if your account says the username/password is invalid, it might be because your account is locked after too many incorrect attempts. This happened to me, and I had to call the technical support line (not the regular claims line) at 360-902-9500 to get it unlocked. They're actually easier to reach than the regular claims people in my experience.
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Hassan Khoury
•This is super helpful! I didn't even know there was a separate technical support line. I'll try calling that number tomorrow. Did you have to verify your identity with them too, or do they just help with the login issues?
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Samantha Howard
•They'll still verify your identity, but it's much quicker - just name, SSN, and address. They don't need to go through all your claim details since they're just handling the technical side.
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Benjamin Kim
my cousin works for esd and he says they just upgraded there system in jan so theres alot of glitchyness happening. if u keep getting login errors try waiting til early morning like 6am to login thats when the servers arent as busy.
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Ryan Vasquez
•This is actually really good advice. I've found that trying to access the ESD site during 'business hours' is when it's most likely to have issues. Early morning or late evening tends to work better.
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Hassan Khoury
UPDATE: You guys are the best! I took several of your suggestions. First, I tried Firefox instead of Chrome - that got me to the login page consistently but still had the password issue. Then I called the technical support line that @jobseeker89 suggested and got through in only 20 minutes! They confirmed my account was locked due to too many login attempts (oops) and unlocked it for me. Once I got in, I saw that my claim actually WAS processed from that dropped call! Status shows 'processing payment' now. Huge relief. Thanks to everyone for all your help!
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Megan D'Acosta
•Great news! Glad to hear everything worked out. For future reference, it's always a good practice to set up direct deposit if you haven't already - it's much faster than waiting for a debit card or paper check. You can do this in your ESD account under the payment settings section.
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Kyle Wallace
So glad you got it sorted out! This thread is gold - I've been bookmarking all these tips for future reference. The technical support line number is especially useful since I had no idea that existed. It's crazy how many hoops we have to jump through just to access our own accounts, but at least there are workarounds. Thanks for updating us on the resolution!
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