How do I contact Washington ESD about my unemployment claim?

I've tried calling right at 8am several times but still get the busy signal. How many times do you usually have to redial?

Sometimes 20-30 times in the first few minutes. It's frustrating but eventually one will go through to the hold queue.

Don't give up! I know it's frustrating but persistence is key. Have you tried using the callback feature if you do get through to hold?

there's a callback feature?? where do i find that

Is that legit? How much does it cost? I'm desperate at this point.

Yeah it's totally legitimate. I was skeptical too but it actually worked. They don't ask for any personal info about your claim or anything, just your phone number so they can connect you.

I used Claimyr too when my weekly claim got stuck. Much better than spending my whole day redialing.

I understand the frustration, but there are strategies that work better than others. Have you tried calling different numbers? The UI claims line sometimes has shorter wait times than the main number.

What's the UI claims number? I've only been calling the main 833 number.

The direct UI line is on the Washington ESD website under contact info. Also try calling right after lunch around 1pm - sometimes there's a brief lull in call volume.

Good to know! My issue is definitely adjudication related so I'll make sure to say that upfront.

what exactly is adjudication? my claim says that but idk what it means

Adjudication means they're reviewing something about your claim that needs manual verification - could be your work history, reason for separation, or eligibility. It usually takes 2-4 weeks to resolve.

That makes sense! I'll try calling Wednesday morning instead of Monday.

interesting, i always thought early morning was best but maybe mid-morning is better

I mentioned in my post that I tried the online messaging but haven't heard back after a week.

Oh sorry, missed that. Yeah the messaging system is pretty slow too unfortunately.

The messaging never works for anything urgent. I sent a message about my overpayment notice and didn't hear back for 3 weeks.

Smart thinking! I'll definitely ask for that.

yes! and write down the agent's name too, sometimes that helps when you call back

That would explain why I never get through after noon. So frustrating that they limit calls when people need help.

makes sense why everyone says to call first thing in the morning then

How long did it take for them to connect you? I'm seriously considering it at this point.

It took about 45 minutes for them to get an agent and then they called me back to connect us. Much better than me sitting there redialing for hours.

Thanks for the encouragement! It's good to hear that once you reach someone they can actually help.

yeah the agents are usually helpful once you get to talk to one, it's just the phone system that's terrible

I didn't know WorkSource could help with ESD issues! I'll look up my local office.

Not all WorkSource offices do this but some have direct lines to ESD that bypass the regular phone system.

my worksource office was closed when i went there last week, but maybe they're open again now

Thanks everyone for all the advice! I feel much more prepared now. Going to try the early morning calling strategy first and maybe look into Claimyr if that doesn't work.

good luck! let us know how it goes