What day do you call Washington ESD for unemployment - best times to reach them?

Thanks! I'll try Tuesday morning. What time do you usually call?

Right when they open at 8am or around 10:30am seems to work best

How long do you usually wait on hold? I waited 3 hours yesterday and got hung up on

Usually 45 minutes to 2 hours. It's ridiculous but sometimes that's what it takes to get through to Washington ESD

Never heard of that, how does it work exactly?

They handle all the calling and waiting for you. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Way easier than spending hours on the phone yourself

Sounds too good to be true... is there a catch?

That makes sense. I've been calling at 8am sharp thinking I'd get in first but it's always busy

Everyone has that same idea, so the lines get flooded immediately at opening time

What's your issue with job search requirements? Maybe someone here can help

they keep rejecting my job contacts even though im following the rules. need to talk to someone to understand what im doing wrong

So frustrating! You'd think they'd have enough staff to handle the call volume by now

They probably do it on purpose to discourage people from calling

Good to know! I was planning to try Friday if I couldn't get through earlier this week

Save yourself the headache and try Tuesday or Wednesday instead

How much does something like that cost?

I'd rather pay something than waste days trying to get through myself. The time saved was definitely worth it for me

Same here, especially when you're dealing with adjudication delays and need answers quickly

I agree the system needs improvement, but there are strategies that can help increase your chances of getting through

Yeah maybe, but it's still ridiculous that we need 'strategies' just to talk to someone about our benefits

Really? I usually wait a few minutes before trying again

Nope, call back right away. The busy signals don't mean the lines are full, just that they're routing calls weirdly

WorkSource can help with job search assistance but for claim-specific issues you need to reach Washington ESD directly

ah ok that makes sense, thought it was worth asking

Awesome! What did they say about your adjudication?

They needed some additional documentation from my former employer. Should be resolved in another week or two once they get the paperwork

Great news! At least now you know what's causing the delay

It's definitely worth trying if you're stuck. The peace of mind knowing someone else is handling the calling part is huge

I'm still skeptical but if it works for people maybe it's worth a shot

That's interesting, how did you figure that out?

Just from multiple calls over the past few months. The agents on those days seemed more knowledgeable about complex adjudication cases

That's a balanced approach. Sometimes timing works out, sometimes you need additional help

exactly, no point in being stubborn about it when your benefits are on the line

That's a good point, I never thought about waiting just a few minutes after they open

Yeah, everyone calls exactly at 8am so if you wait 15-20 minutes you might hit a lull

Washington ESD follows the state holiday schedule, so they're closed on both federal and state holidays

thanks, was wondering why I couldn't get through last Monday

Hope it works out for you! Let us know how it goes

Yeah definitely update us, always good to hear about people's experiences with different approaches

Seriously, this thread should be required reading for anyone trying to call Washington ESD

Agreed, these strategies can save people a lot of time and frustration

Good to know, I need to call about my weekly claims being held up

Yeah Thursday around 9-10am worked well for me when I had weekly claim problems