How to fix outstanding claim issues on Washington ESD unemployment - stuck for weeks
My Washington ESD claim has been showing 'outstanding issues' for almost 6 weeks now and I have no idea what's causing it or how to fix it. I've been filing my weekly claims but nothing is getting paid out. The eServices website just shows a generic message about needing to resolve issues but doesn't specify what they are. I've tried calling the customer service line dozens of times but either get a busy signal or get disconnected after waiting on hold for hours. Has anyone dealt with outstanding claim issues before? What steps did you take to get them resolved? I'm running out of savings and really need to figure this out.
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Santiago Diaz
Outstanding issues usually mean there's something in your claim that needs manual review by an adjudicator. Common causes include employer protests, discrepancies in work history, or questions about your availability for work. Check your correspondence inbox in eServices to see if there are any letters or requests for information you might have missed.
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Riya Sharma
•I checked my correspondence and there's nothing there. That's what's so frustrating - no explanation at all.
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Millie Long
•Same thing happened to me last year. Turns out my former employer filed a protest that I never got notified about properly.
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KaiEsmeralda
ugh the phone situation is impossible. I've been trying to call for 3 weeks straight and can't get through to anyone. The system is completely broken.
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Santiago Diaz
•Try calling right when they open at 8am or during lunch break around 12:30. Those are usually the best times to get through.
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Debra Bai
•Even those times don't work anymore. The volume is just too high.
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Gabriel Freeman
I was dealing with the same calling nightmare until someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents automatically. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked - got connected within 2 hours instead of spending days trying to call myself. Check out claimyr.com, they even have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.
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Riya Sharma
•Never heard of this before. Does it actually work for outstanding issues like mine?
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Gabriel Freeman
•Yeah, that's exactly what I used it for. The agent was able to see what was causing my outstanding issues and walked me through the resolution process.
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Laura Lopez
•How much does something like that cost? Seems too good to be true.
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Victoria Brown
Outstanding issues can be resolved but you absolutely need to speak with an adjudicator. The most common reasons are: 1) Employer separation disputes, 2) Questions about your job search activities, 3) Income reporting discrepancies, 4) Issues with your identity verification, 5) Problems with your work availability. Each one requires different documentation to resolve.
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Riya Sharma
•This is helpful but how do I find out which category my issue falls into if there's no information in my account?
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Victoria Brown
•You need to get an adjudicator on the phone. They can see the specific flags on your account that aren't visible to you in eServices.
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Samuel Robinson
WASHINGTON ESD IS THE WORST! I've been dealing with this garbage for 2 MONTHS. They owe me over $4000 and won't tell me why it's being held up. This system is designed to deny people benefits.
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Debra Bai
•I feel your pain. The lack of communication is the worst part.
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Santiago Diaz
•I understand the frustration but getting angry won't help resolve the issues. Focus on getting the right documentation together.
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Millie Long
When I had outstanding issues it turned out my previous employer had filed a separation protest saying I was fired for misconduct. I had no idea this was happening until I finally got through to someone. Make sure you request a copy of any employer protests or correspondence.
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Riya Sharma
•How do you request that? Is there a specific form or do you just ask when you call?
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Millie Long
•Just ask the adjudicator directly. They can email you copies of any employer submissions.
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KaiEsmeralda
tried calling again this morning at 8am sharp and still couldn't get through. this is ridiculous
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Camila Castillo
•Same here. Been trying for weeks with no luck.
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Gabriel Freeman
•That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. Saved me weeks of frustration trying to get through on my own.
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Santiago Diaz
For anyone dealing with outstanding issues, make sure you're continuing to file your weekly claims even while the issues are pending. If you stop filing, it can create additional problems and delays in your claim processing.
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Riya Sharma
•Good point, I've been doing that but wasn't sure if I should continue.
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Brianna Muhammad
•Yes definitely keep filing. You can get back pay once the issues are resolved.
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JaylinCharles
My cousin used some calling service and got through to Washington ESD in like an hour. Said it was worth every penny because she got 6 weeks of back pay released.
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Riya Sharma
•Was it the same Claimyr service mentioned earlier?
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JaylinCharles
•Yeah I think so. She said it was super easy to use.
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Victoria Brown
Important reminder: if your outstanding issues are related to job search requirements, make sure you have documentation of all your work search activities. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week and they need to be verifiable.
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Eloise Kendrick
•What counts as verifiable job search activities?
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Victoria Brown
•Online applications, in-person visits, networking events, career fairs, etc. You need company names, dates, and contact information for each activity.
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Debra Bai
I'm in the same boat with outstanding issues. It's been 5 weeks and I'm about to lose my car because I can't make payments. This system is broken.
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Lucas Schmidt
•Have you tried contacting your local WorkSource office? Sometimes they can help escalate issues.
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Debra Bai
•I'll try that, thanks for the suggestion.
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Freya Collins
Does anyone know if outstanding issues affect your eligibility for other programs? I was thinking about applying for food assistance but don't want to mess up my unemployment claim.
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Santiago Diaz
•No, applying for other assistance programs won't affect your unemployment claim. They're administered by different agencies.
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Freya Collins
•That's a relief, thank you!
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Laura Lopez
Update: I finally got through using that Claimyr thing and found out my issue was a simple address verification problem. Took 2 minutes to fix once I actually talked to someone. Wish I had known about this service weeks ago.
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Riya Sharma
•That's amazing! How long did it take them to connect you?
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Laura Lopez
•About 90 minutes. Way better than the weeks I spent trying to call myself.
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LongPeri
•I'm definitely going to try this. My outstanding issues have been going on for 7 weeks now.
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Oscar O'Neil
Pro tip: if your outstanding issues are related to identity verification, you might need to submit additional documents through the SecureAccess Washington portal. Don't just upload them to eServices.
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Riya Sharma
•What's the difference between the two systems?
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Oscar O'Neil
•SecureAccess Washington is the newer identity verification system. Some documents need to go there instead of the old eServices portal.
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Sara Hellquiem
My outstanding issues were caused by a discrepancy in my reported wages. Make sure the wages on your claim match exactly what's on your W-2s and pay stubs. Even small differences can trigger a hold.
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Riya Sharma
•How do you check what wages are reported on your claim?
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Sara Hellquiem
•Log into eServices and look at your monetary determination. It should show the wages from each employer.
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Charlee Coleman
been following this thread and just wanted to say thanks for all the info. finally understand what might be causing my issues
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Santiago Diaz
•Glad it helped! The key is getting the right information to resolve whatever is causing the hold.
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Liv Park
For anyone still struggling with phone calls, I can confirm Claimyr works. Used it yesterday and got connected to an adjudicator who cleared up my outstanding issues in 10 minutes. The whole process from start to finish was way smoother than trying to call on my own.
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Riya Sharma
•Alright, I'm convinced. Going to try this today. Thanks everyone for the help!
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Leeann Blackstein
•Keep us posted on how it goes!
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Ryder Greene
Just a reminder that if your outstanding issues result in a denial, you have the right to appeal. Don't give up if the first decision doesn't go your way.
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Riya Sharma
•Good to know. Hopefully it doesn't come to that but I'll keep it in mind.
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Ryder Greene
•Appeals have a 30-day deadline so don't wait if you need to file one.
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Carmella Fromis
Outstanding issues are the worst part of the whole unemployment system. At least once you get through to someone they can usually resolve it pretty quickly.
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Theodore Nelson
•That's the most frustrating part - the actual fix is usually simple but getting to that point is nearly impossible.
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Riya Sharma
•Exactly! That's why I'm going to try the calling service. Seems like the only way to actually reach someone.
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AaliyahAli
Hope this thread helps other people dealing with the same issue. Outstanding claim problems seem to be really common right now.
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Riya Sharma
•Definitely! This has been super helpful. Will update once I get my issues resolved.
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