Washington ESD unemployment claims - how much unemployment results from $10 minimum wage floor?

That makes sense. He's still waiting for his adjudication to complete. Been about 2 weeks now with no updates on his claim status.

2 weeks isn't too bad actually, I've seen adjudication take 4-6 weeks lately

You're right about the $10 being lower than current rates. My brother has been trying to call Washington ESD for days but keeps getting busy signals or hung up on.

That's the real problem - the phone system is completely overwhelmed. I'd suggest he try calling right at 8am when they open.

Interesting, never heard of that. How much does something like that cost?

They don't really focus on pricing details, more about solving the problem of actually reaching someone. Worth checking out if you're stuck.

Sounds too good to be true honestly. How do we know it's legit?

That's anecdotal though. Studies of Washington's wage increases haven't shown massive job losses. Restaurant industry has high turnover anyway.

Tell that to the people who lost their jobs! The studies don't capture everything that happens in real life.

Have you tried calling? I keep hearing different advice about the best times to get through.

tried calling like 50 times, never get through. might try that claimyr thing someone mentioned

That's really frustrating. People need these benefits to pay rent and buy food. A month delay is devastating.

Exactly. And when you can't get through on the phone to check status or resolve issues, it makes everything worse.

That's helpful context. So the job losses aren't necessarily massive from wage policies?

Correct. The bigger unemployment drivers are typically economic cycles, technological changes, and industry shifts rather than wage floors.

But that doesn't help people who are unemployed right now and can't get their claims processed

That's exactly when I used Claimyr - when I was desperate and had tried everything else. It actually worked for me.

Maybe I should look into it. This is getting ridiculous.

You're right, I should have been clearer. I was thinking more theoretically about wage floors in general and how they might relate to unemployment claims.

gotcha. well the theory says some job losses but empirical evidence in washington suggests minimal impact

That's rough. Fast food does have thin margins but also high turnover regardless of wages. Focus on getting your claim processed - that's what matters now.

Yeah you're right. Just frustrated with the whole system. Can't even get through to ask basic questions about my claim status.

Haha that's probably true. The stress of trying to reach them is definitely real.

For real though, I spent 6 hours on hold yesterday and got disconnected right when someone answered

Absolutely agree. The system needs major improvements for people who need help.

In the meantime services like Claimyr are filling a real need. Shouldn't have to pay extra just to reach a government agency though.

That sounds like exactly what my brother needs. His claim has been in adjudication for weeks with no explanation.

Yeah, that's exactly the kind of situation where talking to an actual person makes all the difference. The online system doesn't always show what's really happening.

Adjudication means they're reviewing your claim to determine if you're eligible for benefits. Could be checking your work history, reason for separation, or other eligibility factors.

ok that makes sense. mine has been like this for 3 weeks now. is that normal?

Unfortunately yes, 3-4 weeks is becoming pretty normal lately. Used to be much faster.

Thanks for the detailed economic perspective. It seems like the employment effects are relatively small compared to other factors.

Exactly. And Washington has implemented increases gradually which helps businesses adjust. The bigger challenge is supporting people who are unemployed for any reason.

That's great news! Exactly the kind of simple issue that gets resolved quickly once you can actually talk to someone.

Ok I'm definitely going to try this for my overpayment issue. Been waiting way too long for answers.

Thanks everyone for the help and discussion. Really appreciate the economic insights and practical solutions!