Expedited my ESD claim with hardship documents - PAID in less than 2 weeks!
I want to share something that ACTUALLY WORKED for me after my claim was stuck for over a month. I called the Governor's office first (which seemed to flag my case) and then emailed unemploymentclaim@esd.wa.gov with specific hardship documents. I sent 3 attachments: my eviction notice from my landlord, my job offer letter for a position in Spokane (I'm currently in Tacoma), and a PDF letter I wrote explaining why I needed my claim expedited. The letter was super important - I kept it brief but clearly explained that I couldn't afford to relocate for my new job without receiving my unemployment benefits. Make sure to attach the letter as a PDF and include your claim ID! Don't write your explanation in the email body - that address is specifically for processing attachments. Within 12 days my entire claim was processed and paid - $4,780 that had been pending since January. If you're desperate like I was, this approach might help you too.
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Lily Young
Wait so you literally just called the governors office?? How do you even do that? Im on week 7 of waiting and im so desperate
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Marcus Williams
•Yes! The Governor's Office of Constituent Services has a phone line specifically for helping with state agencies. Their number is 360-902-4111. They took my info and created a case file. I think that's what flagged my ESD claim for review when I sent the hardship documents a few days later.
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Kennedy Morrison
•You can also try your state representative. I couldn't get through to the governor's office but my rep's staff helped push my claim through after I was facing eviction. Absolutely ridiculous we have to go to these lengths just to get benefits we're entitled to!
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Wesley Hallow
This is really great advice! I'd like to add a bit more detail for anyone who tries this method: 1. The Governor's office constituent services number (360-902-4111) has limited hours (8am-5pm weekdays) 2. When submitting hardship documents, make sure they are CURRENT (dated within 30 days) or ESD might reject them 3. Include your full name and claim ID in both the email subject AND your attached letter 4. Valid hardship documents typically include: eviction notices, utility shutoff notices, foreclosure documents, medical bills, or job offers requiring relocation 5. If possible, send the email from the same email address you used for your ESD account This method works best for claims that are stuck in processing, not for claims denied due to eligibility issues or adjudication.
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Justin Chang
•do u know if they'll accept a overdue car payment notce? i got one saying my car will be repoed if i dont pay by 6/15 and I need my car to get to interviews
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Wesley Hallow
•Yes, they should accept a vehicle repossession notice as a hardship document. Many people need transportation for work (or finding work), so this is considered a legitimate hardship. Make sure the notice shows the date, your name, and clearly states the repossession threat. Also explain in your hardship letter how losing your vehicle would impact your ability to find employment.
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Grace Thomas
This is so frustrating. The fact that we have to jump through all these hoops just to get what we're owed is ridiculous. I've been waiting 9 weeks with zero movement on my claim. I've called 47 times and always get disconnected or told to call back later. Meanwhile bills are piling up and no one at ESD seems to care at all.
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Hunter Brighton
•Have you tried using Claimyr? I was in the same situation - couldn't get through on the phones for weeks. I used their service and got connected to an ESD agent in about 25 minutes instead of spending hours redialing. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Their website is claimyr.com - it basically holds your place in line so you don't have to keep calling back. Saved me so much stress when I was trying to fix an adjudication issue.
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Grace Thomas
•never heard of it before but ill try literally ANYTHING at this point. thx for the tip.
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Dylan Baskin
Quick question - did you include any kind of personal financial statements with your hardship documents? I'm wondering if I should include my bank statement showing my account is overdrawn along with my eviction warning.
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Marcus Williams
•I didn't include bank statements with mine, just the eviction notice, job offer, and my letter explaining the situation. But I think including a bank statement showing your account is overdrawn could definitely strengthen your case! Just make sure to black out any account numbers or sensitive info before sending it.
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Justin Chang
ok so i just tried to email that address and my email bounced back??? said the attachments were too big or something? how big were ur files???
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Wesley Hallow
•ESD's email system has a 10MB attachment limit. Try reducing the file size by: 1. Scanning documents at a lower resolution (200-300 dpi is sufficient) 2. Converting images to PDF format (usually smaller) 3. Using a file compression tool 4. Sending multiple emails if necessary (clearly label them as 1 of 2, 2 of 2, etc.) Also, make sure you typed the email correctly: unemploymentclaim@esd.wa.gov (no 's' after 'claim'
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Justin Chang
•omg i was typing claims with an s at the end!!! thx for catching that!!! gonna try again now
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Kennedy Morrison
I tried something similar but included way too many documents and I think they just ignored my email. My advice is to keep it SUPER focused - only send the most important/urgent hardship documents and make your letter very clear and direct. When I resubmitted with just my eviction notice and a clear explanation, I got movement within a week.
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Lily Young
•How long was your letter? I tend to overexplain everything and I'm worried I'll write too much.
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Kennedy Morrison
•Keep it under one page! Mine was about 3 short paragraphs - first paragraph explained I was requesting expedited processing due to hardship, second explained the specific hardship (eviction), third explained what I was requesting (immediate release of benefits). Added my claim ID, contact info, and date at the top. That's it! The clearer and more concise, the better.
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Lauren Wood
im confused... if you got a new job why did you need unemployment?? aren't you supposed to stop claiming once you have a job lined up?
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Wesley Hallow
•Good question! You can continue claiming unemployment benefits until you actually start working at your new job (not just when you receive the offer). While you're in between jobs, even with an offer in hand, you're still eligible for benefits until your first day of work. Additionally, if the new job requires relocation, you may need those funds to help with moving expenses, deposits, etc., which seems to be the case for OP.
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Marcus Williams
Quick update for everyone - my claim was paid retroactively for all 8 weeks it had been pending. I think the key factors that helped were: 1) Having MULTIPLE hardship documents, not just one 2) The letter explaining exactly why I needed immediate action 3) Following up with a phone call to ESD after sending the email (I just mentioned I had submitted hardship documents).
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Dylan Baskin
•That's fantastic! Did you call the regular ESD number for your follow-up? I'm wondering if there's a special number for hardship cases or if you just went through the main line?
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Marcus Williams
•I called the regular ESD number (800-318-6022). It took me about 45 minutes on hold to talk to someone. I just mentioned that I had submitted hardship documents via email and asked if there was anything else I needed to do. The agent made a note on my account that I had called about the hardship documents, which I think helped connect everything together.
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