ESD wait times in June 2025 - got through after 2.5 hours
I'm currently sitting on hold with ESD going on an hour now. Is this normal these days? Feels like I'm getting nowhere and my claim needs attention ASAP since my employer disputed my hours which is holding up my payments for 3 weeks already. UPDATE: Finally got through after about 2.5 hours on hold! The agent only needed 5 minutes of my time to verify a few details about my work history and hours. She said my claim should finish processing by end of day today. Glad I stuck it out but seriously, there has to be a better system than this.
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Maya Jackson
That's actually not bad compared to what I experienced last month! I was on hold for nearly 4 hours before I hung up and tried again the next day. Second attempt took 3 hours but I finally got through. The unemployment system is completely overwhelmed with all the tech layoffs happening across Seattle right now.
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Nathan Dell
•Wow, 4 hours?? I was about to hang up too but glad I didn't. You're right about the tech layoffs - my friend at Amazon just got cut too. Did they resolve your issue in one call or did you have to call back multiple times?
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Tristan Carpenter
ugh i been trying for TWO WEEKS!!! hang up after hour 3 everyday cuz i got kids to pick up from school. this system is a JOKE!!!
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Amaya Watson
•Have you tried calling right when they open at 8:00 AM? I've found that's usually the best time to get through with shorter wait times, usually under an hour. Also, make sure you're calling the right number for your specific issue - sometimes the claims center isn't the right department depending on what you need help with.
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Grant Vikers
ESD hold times have been terrible since they upgraded their computer systems in March. I've been dealing with unemployment claims for years (both personally and helping family members), and I've never seen it this bad. The key thing to remember is that your position in queue won't be lost if you need to step away - their phone system keeps your place in line even if you put your phone on mute. Just don't hang up! Also, wait times are typically shortest on Wednesdays and Thursdays for some reason. Mondays and the day after a holiday are absolutely the worst times to call.
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Tristan Carpenter
•i tried weds last week still waited 2hrs and then got disconnected!!!!! they HUNG UP on me!!!!!
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Giovanni Martello
I used this service called Claimyr last week when I was in the same situation. They held my place in line and called me back when an ESD agent was about to pick up. Saved me from having to sit on hold for hours. Check out their demo video: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 and their website claimyr.com It worked great for me when I was dealing with an adjudication issue that was holding up my payments for over a month.
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Savannah Weiner
•Is this actually legit? Sounds too good to be true honestly. Did they need your personal info to set it up? Not sure I want to give some random company my SSN...
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Giovanni Martello
•It's legitimate. They don't need your SSN or anything like that - they just connect you with ESD when they reach an agent. You still talk directly to ESD yourself. I was skeptical too but it worked for me when I was desperate after trying for days.
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Levi Parker
I'm currently in adjudication for the past 5 weeks and STILL can't get through to anyone. My rent is due in 3 days and I have no idea what's happening with my claim. Tried calling 57 times last Thursday (yes, I counted). Either busy signal or disconnected after waiting for 1+ hours. The whole system feels designed to make you give up. Did the agent give you any insight into why wait times are so long right now? Is it just volume or are they short-staffed? Trying to figure out if this is going to get better anytime soon.
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Nathan Dell
•The agent I spoke with mentioned they've been having staff shortages AND they're dealing with a backlog of claims from the system upgrade issues in March. She didn't sound optimistic about wait times improving soon. For your adjudication, have you tried sending a message through your eServices account? Sometimes they respond to those faster than calls (though it's still days not hours).
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Maya Jackson
Has anyone had luck with the callback option? I tried it twice and both times I never got a callback. Is it actually working for people?
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Grant Vikers
•The callback feature is partially working right now. According to ESD's website, they're only offering callbacks during certain hours and for specific claim issues. If you're dealing with an adjudication issue, identity verification problem, or overpayment dispute, you need to reach a claims specialist directly and callbacks aren't currently available for those departments. For basic claim filing questions or weekly claim assistance, the callback should work but there's about a 3-day wait right now based on what I've heard from others.
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Amaya Watson
I know this is frustrating, but it's important to understand what's happening at ESD right now: 1) They lost about 25% of their staff after the pandemic emergency funding ended 2) They're in the middle of a large system upgrade that has caused technical issues 3) There's been a spike in new claims due to recent tech and manufacturing layoffs If you're dealing with an employer dispute like the original poster, that automatically triggers adjudication which needs a specialized claims agent. Those are the longest wait times right now. For best results: - Call between 8:00-9:30am or 3:00-4:00pm (avoid lunch hours) - Have your claim ID, last 4 of SSN, and employment details ready - Be very specific about your issue when you reach a person - Ask for a direct contact for follow-up if possible Hang in there everyone!
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Levi Parker
•This is really helpful context, thank you. Do you know if there's any way to escalate an adjudication that's taking too long? I've been waiting 5+ weeks and getting worried I'll lose my apartment if this drags on much longer.
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Amaya Watson
•Yes, you can request an escalation after 4 weeks in adjudication. When you finally reach an agent, specifically ask for a "hardship escalation" and explain your situation with rent. Make sure to mention the exact date your claim went into adjudication. They can flag it for priority review if you're at risk of eviction or utility shutoff. Also, contact your state representative's office. They have liaisons who can sometimes help move ESD claims along. Just Google "[your district] state representative Washington" to find yours.
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