How to reach Washington ESD unemployment by phone - getting through is impossible
I've been trying to call Washington ESD for two weeks straight and I can't get through to anyone. Every time I dial the main number I either get a busy signal or get put on hold for hours only to get disconnected. My weekly claim got flagged for some reason and I need to talk to someone to fix it before I miss another payment. Has anyone figured out the secret to actually reaching a human being at unemployment? I'm starting to panic about my bills.
42 comments
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Angelica Smith
The phone system is completely overwhelmed right now. I've had success calling right when they open at 8am but you have to be ready to dial the second they open. Also try calling during lunch hours around 1-2pm when call volume might be lower.
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Sophia Long
•I tried calling at 8am sharp yesterday and still couldn't get through. How early do you start dialing?
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Angelica Smith
•I literally start hitting redial at 7:58am so I can get in the queue right when they open. It's ridiculous but sometimes works.
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Logan Greenburg
same problem here, been trying for 3 weeks to talk to someone about my adjudication status
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Charlotte Jones
•Have you tried using the online messaging system through your Washington ESD account? Sometimes they respond faster that way.
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Logan Greenburg
•yeah I sent like 5 messages and never got a response
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Lucas Bey
I actually found a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to Washington ESD when I was stuck in adjudication hell for 6 weeks. They have some system that calls for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. Saved my sanity honestly. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Harper Thompson
•Is this legit? Sounds too good to be true. How much does it cost?
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Lucas Bey
•Yeah it's real, I was skeptical too but I was desperate. They don't publish pricing on the site but it was worth it to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD after weeks of trying.
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Sophia Long
•I'm willing to try anything at this point. Did they actually get you connected to the right department?
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Charlotte Jones
The key is persistence and timing. Washington ESD gets thousands of calls per day and they simply don't have enough staff. Try calling different numbers - the general UI line, the employer line if you have questions about your employer, or the fraud line if your claim was flagged for identity verification.
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Caleb Stark
•wait there are different phone numbers? I've only been calling the main one
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Charlotte Jones
•Yes, check the Washington ESD website for the full list. Sometimes the specialized lines have shorter wait times.
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Jade O'Malley
This is exactly why the unemployment system is broken. They make it impossible to reach them when you need help the most. I've been calling for a month about an overpayment notice that makes no sense.
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Hunter Edmunds
•Feel your pain. The whole system is designed to make you give up.
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Angelica Smith
•For overpayment issues you definitely need to get through to someone. Those notices have strict appeal deadlines.
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Ella Lewis
I keep a call log of every attempt - time called duration on hold outcome. After 47 attempts over 3 weeks I finally got through last Tuesday. The agent said they're averaging 15000+ calls per day with only about 200 agents available.
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Sophia Long
•47 attempts?! That's insane. What did you end up needing help with?
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Ella Lewis
•My claim was stuck in adjudication because they needed to verify my identity. Took 5 minutes to fix once I got someone on the phone.
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Andrew Pinnock
•This is exactly why I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned. Life's too short to make 47 phone calls.
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Brianna Schmidt
Pro tip from someone who worked in a call center: call on Tuesdays or Wednesdays mid-morning around 10-11am. Mondays are swamped with weekend issues and Fridays people are rushing to file before the weekend. Mid-week mid-morning is your best bet.
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Sophia Long
•That actually makes a lot of sense. I'll try tomorrow morning.
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Alexis Renard
•Also avoid calling right after holidays or the first few days of the month when people are panicking about rent.
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Camila Jordan
Just wanted to say I tried that Claimyr thing after seeing it mentioned here and it actually worked. Got connected to Washington ESD in about 20 minutes instead of the usual hours of trying. Worth every penny when you're dealing with claim issues.
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Tyler Lefleur
•How does it work exactly? Do you give them your personal info?
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Camila Jordan
•No they don't need your claim info or anything like that. They just handle the calling part and then connect you directly to the Washington ESD agent.
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Madeline Blaze
The automated system sometimes has an option to request a callback instead of waiting on hold. I think you press 3 or 4 when it asks. Haven't tried it myself but might be worth a shot.
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Max Knight
•I tried the callback thing and never got called back. Think it's broken.
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Emma Swift
•Same here, requested a callback 5 days ago and nothing.
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Isabella Tucker
Maybe try reaching out to your state representatives office? Sometimes they can help with unemployment issues when you can't get through the normal channels.
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Sophia Long
•That's a good idea. Do you know if they actually help with individual cases?
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Isabella Tucker
•My friend had success with this approach when her claim was denied. The representative's office contacted Washington ESD directly and got her case expedited.
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Jayden Hill
Update: I finally got through this morning using the Tuesday 10am strategy someone mentioned. Waited 2 hours on hold but actually got to talk to someone. They fixed my weekly claim issue in 10 minutes. Keep trying everyone!
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LordCommander
•Congrats! What was wrong with your weekly claim if you don't mind me asking?
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Jayden Hill
•They needed me to verify some work dates from my last employer. Simple fix but required talking to an actual person.
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Lucas Bey
•Glad you got it sorted! For anyone still struggling, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really does work if you just need to get connected faster.
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Lucy Lam
Just a heads up that if your issue is related to identity verification or fraud alerts you might have better luck calling the specific fraud prevention line instead of the general number.
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Aidan Hudson
•Good point. The fraud line seems to have shorter wait times because fewer people know about it.
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Zoe Wang
•Where do you find the fraud line number? I can't find it on their website.
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Connor Richards
Been following this thread because I'm in the same boat. Going to try the Claimyr thing tomorrow since I'm tired of spending my whole day trying to get through to Washington ESD.
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Grace Durand
•Let us know how it goes! I'm curious if it really works as well as people say.
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Connor Richards
•Will do. At this point I'm willing to pay for a service that actually gets results.
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