How do I contact Washington ESD unemployment office - phone keeps hanging up

It's crazy how impossible it is to reach them. My rent is due and I have no idea what's wrong with my claim.

Try calling right at 8am when they open, sometimes you can get through then

I've tried both those numbers dozens of times. The 800 number just hangs up and the tech support one says they can't help with claim issues.

Yeah the tech line is only for login problems. For claim issues you need the main line or try the online messaging system in your account.

Is this legit? How much does it cost?

Yeah it's real - basically they handle the calling and waiting for you then connect you when they get an agent on the line. Way better than sitting on hold for hours yourself.

I've heard of this too but haven't tried it yet. Anything is better than the current system.

It just says 'under review' but doesn't give any details. I reported my work hours like always but something triggered a flag.

That usually means adjudication - they're reviewing something about your eligibility. Could be the hours you reported or they might need to verify your job search activities.

I sent a message 5 days ago and haven't heard anything back.

Messages can take 7-10 business days for a response unfortunately. Phone is still faster if you can get through.

Appeals are taking forever right now. My friend waited 4 months for hers.

Appeal hearings are handled by a different department - Office of Administrative Hearings. You might need to contact them directly.

Do you have the number for that?

253-798-7000 for Tacoma WorkSource. They can't handle everything but might be able to point you in the right direction.

200 calls?! That's insane. There has to be a better way.

That's unfortunately pretty normal. The system is designed to handle way fewer calls than they actually get.

4-6 weeks?! I can't wait that long. I need to talk to someone now to see if there's anything I can do to speed it up.

I understand the urgency. That's exactly why so many people are using services like Claimyr to actually get through to agents who can check the status.

That's interesting - I've only been calling from my cell phone. Maybe I should try a landline.

I doubt that makes a difference but worth a shot I guess.

How does it work exactly? Do they just call for you?

From what I understand, they handle all the dialing and waiting, then call you back when they have an agent ready to talk. Saves you from sitting on hold all day.

That makes sense but it doesn't help me pay my bills while I wait.

Absolutely - just trying to explain why the system is so overwhelmed. Doesn't make it any less frustrating.

Thanks! I'll try that number tomorrow morning.

Regional offices usually just redirect you back to the main customer service line for claim issues.

Yeah, most Washington ESD offices are appointment-only now and mainly for WorkSource services, not unemployment claims.

You can still make appointments for certain issues but they're booking weeks out.

That's a good idea. Do you know how to find out who represents my district?

Go to the Washington State Legislature website and use their district finder tool. Your rep might have staff who deal with constituent services.

That's exactly what I need - someone who can actually see what's wrong with my claim. I'm going to check out that video demo.

How much did it cost you if you don't mind me asking?

Worth every penny considering how much time and stress it saved me. Check their website for current pricing.

I'll try that today. I've been calling in the mornings mostly.

Afternoons can be better but still no guarantee. The whole system needs an overhaul.

I've been checking but nothing new. Just the usual weekly claim reminders.

Also check your account messages in the online portal - they sometimes send correspondence there instead of email.

That's the third person who's mentioned Claimyr. I'm definitely going to look into it.

Same here - heard good things about their service from multiple people.

I didn't know they had live chat! Where do I find that?

The live chat is mainly for technical issues with the website, not claim problems. But worth trying if you're having trouble accessing your account.