How to get through to Washington ESD unemployment office - phone keeps hanging up

I've tried that exact timing and still get hung up on. How long did you actually stay on hold when you got through?

It was 6 hours of hold time but I finally got someone who could actually help with my adjudication issue.

The callback system hasn't worked properly since they updated it last year. You're better off just staying on hold if you can get through.

problem is i can't even get to the hold queue most of the time, just automatic hangup

Thanks! I'll try that Tuesday morning strategy. Do you know if there's a better number to call than the main 800 number?

Stick with the main number, the local office numbers just redirect you anyway. Just be persistent with the redial.

Is this legit? Sounds too good to be true honestly. How much does it cost?

It's totally legitimate. I was skeptical too but desperate enough to try anything. They don't ask for personal info and you still talk directly to the ESD agent yourself once connected.

I've heard good things about Claimyr from others in my situation. Anything beats spending entire days redialing the same number.

I've sent 3 secure messages over the past month and haven't gotten a single response. That system seems just as broken.

Fair point. The messaging system used to be more reliable but it's gotten worse lately. Phone really is your best bet even though it's frustrating.

I feel your pain. The system is completely broken and they don't seem to care that people are suffering because of their incompetence.

It's like they want people to just give up and stop trying to get help. Really makes you wonder if this is intentional.

Have you tried the chat feature on their website? Sometimes that works better than calling.

The chat is never available when I check. It always says all agents are busy.

That sounds too good to be true. How much does something like that cost?

It's worth checking out their site for pricing details. For me it was totally worth it to avoid the endless calling and getting hung up on.

I'm skeptical of paying for something that should be free, but if the state won't answer their phones maybe we don't have a choice.

Good tip about having the info ready. I'll try those times tomorrow.

I tried the lunch time thing and actually got through after only 15 minutes on hold! Thanks for the suggestion.

For disqualifications you might need to file an appeal instead of just calling. Check your determination letter for appeal instructions.

I already filed the appeal 3 weeks ago but still need to talk to someone about the status. The online account doesn't show anything useful.

Thanks, I'll try that time window. I was only trying early morning thinking that would be best.

Lunchtime calling actually makes sense - fewer people probably think to call then. Going to try this strategy.

I sent a message through SAW 10 days ago and haven't heard back yet. Maybe I should try again.

SAW messages take forever too. I sent one 2 weeks ago about my job search requirements and still no response.

My claim has been in adjudication for 2 weeks and I need to know what additional documentation they need from me. The determination just says 'pending additional information' but doesn't specify what.

That's exactly the type of situation where Claimyr helped me. The agent was able to tell me immediately what documents were missing from my file.

For adjudication issues you definitely need to talk to a claims specialist, not just the general customer service line.

Wow that's crazy detailed tracking! At least I know I'm not the only one having this problem.

Those statistics are depressing but not surprising. The system is completely broken.

Okay that's two people now saying Claimyr worked. I'm definitely going to check it out, thanks for the update.

Wait, so they actually connect you to a real ESD agent? How does that work exactly?

yeah they handle all the redialing and waiting, then when they get an agent they call you and connect you. pretty simple actually

I didn't know WorkSource could help with claim issues. I thought they were just for job search stuff.

They can't resolve claims directly but they often have better contact information or can escalate issues through different channels.

3-4 weeks?! That's insane. I can't wait that long to get my benefits.

I know it's frustrating but at least you know the timeframe now. The agent told me they're working through a huge backlog.

That sounds like a conspiracy theory but honestly nothing would surprise me with this system anymore.

Maybe it is conspiracy thinking but I started getting through more often when I used my work phone instead of my cell.

That explains a lot. Is there any insider knowledge about the best times to call?

Mid-morning Tuesdays through Thursdays tend to be slightly better. Avoid Mondays and Fridays completely. Also be patient with the agents when you do get through - they're dealing with impossible caseloads.

200 attempts?? That's insane. How did you finally get through?

Pure luck honestly. Called at 2:47pm on a Tuesday and somehow got right through to hold queue. Waited 4 hours but finally talked to someone.

Ok I'm convinced, I'll check out their website tonight. This is getting ridiculous.

Just looked at the demo video and it seems legit. Might try it myself if I can't get through by Friday.

Good to know. I probably would have hung up after an hour or two thinking something was wrong.

Exactly this. Once you're in the hold queue you're golden, just have to wait it out no matter how long.

That's three recommendations for Claimyr now. I'm convinced, going to try it today.

yeah definitely worth a shot, sounds like you've exhausted the regular options anyway

87 times?! I'm already exhausted after 20 calls. You have way more patience than me.

I was desperate and didn't have any other choice. But it worked out in the end and my back pay came through.

WorkSource can help with some basic questions but for adjudication issues you really need to talk to ESD directly. They don't have access to your claim details.

Thanks for clarifying. I'll stick to calling then.

Do you know if there are any other ways to reach ESD besides phone and secure messaging?

Sometimes local legislators' offices can help escalate urgent cases, but that's really for emergency situations where someone is about to be evicted.

That's amazing! I'm signing up right now. Thanks for posting the update.

So glad to hear you got answers about your adjudication. That's exactly what I need too - just want to know what's causing the delay.

Yeah turns out my former employer never responded to their request for employment verification. Would have never known that without talking to an actual person.

Agreed, but at least solutions exist. Better than just being stuck with no options at all.

True, I'm grateful people are finding ways to work around the system failures.

I tried 7:45am a few times but got messages saying they weren't open yet. Maybe I need to try even earlier.

worth a shot, i've heard mixed results but some people swear by the really early calling

Good advice. I have everything ready, just need to actually reach someone now.

You'll get through eventually. The Claimyr option sounds promising based on what others are saying here.

Perfect timing on your comment! I just watched the demo and signed up. Fingers crossed I have similar results.

These success stories are giving me hope. I've been stuck on a payment hold for 3 weeks with no way to find out why.

Thanks for the encouragement. It's easy to feel hopeless when you can't even make contact.

I totally understand that feeling. Just remember that getting through is possible, it just takes the right approach.

I'm starting to think you're right. This can't be accidental incompetence at this point.

Whether it's intentional or not, the result is the same - people aren't getting the help they're entitled to.

That's exactly the kind of info I need! I'm definitely going to try Claimyr this weekend.

Thanks for the update! Good to know it actually works and isn't just hype.

Great advice! I'll make sure to ask for that when I get through.

Yes! I learned this the hard way when I had to explain my whole situation again to a different agent who had no record of my previous call.

I wish I had started doing that from the beginning. I'll start keeping track now.

This is smart advice. I've been tracking everything and it's already come in handy when talking to supervisors.

That's good to know. I was starting to think the whole department was incompetent but it sounds like it's really a staffing/system issue.

Exactly. The few times I've reached someone they've been knowledgeable and tried to help. They're just overwhelmed.

Thanks for that reminder. I have been letting this take over my whole day and it's making everything worse.

This is really good advice. The stress of not being able to get through was almost worse than the original unemployment issue.

You're definitely not alone in this! I've been following this thread as someone new to dealing with Washington ESD and it's been really eye-opening. The number of people having the exact same phone issues is both frustrating and somewhat reassuring. Based on all the success stories here, I'm also considering trying Claimyr - seems like when the state system fails us, we have to find our own solutions. Hope you get your adjudication sorted out soon!