What time does Washington ESD unemployment office close - need to call before they shut down
I've been trying to reach someone at Washington ESD all week about my claim that's been stuck in adjudication for almost a month. Does anyone know what time their phone lines actually close? The website says different things and I keep getting busy signals. I work until 4pm so I can only call after that but not sure if I'm missing the window. Really need to talk to someone about why my weekly claims aren't being processed.
37 comments


Freya Nielsen
From what I remember, the main customer service line closes at 4:30pm Monday through Friday. But honestly, good luck getting through even during those hours - I've been trying for weeks myself.
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Ravi Kapoor
•That explains why I keep missing them! By the time I get off work and try calling it's already too late.
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Omar Mahmoud
•Actually I think they extended hours until 5pm recently but don't quote me on that
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Chloe Harris
The phone system is absolutely terrible. I spent 3 hours on hold last Tuesday just to get disconnected right when someone was about to pick up. Even when you call right when they open at 8am, you're looking at minimum 2 hour wait times.
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Ravi Kapoor
•This is so frustrating! How are people supposed to resolve claim issues if you can't even talk to anyone?
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Chloe Harris
•Exactly! And they don't respond to the messages you send through SecureAccess Washington either. It's like they don't want to help anyone.
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Diego Vargas
•I found a service called Claimyr that actually got me through to a Washington ESD agent in under 20 minutes. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of frustration.
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NeonNinja
Wait, what's this Claimyr thing? Is it legit or just another scam? I'm desperate at this point but don't want to get ripped off.
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Diego Vargas
•It's totally legitimate. They basically handle the calling and waiting for you, then conference you in when they get an agent on the line. Super simple to use.
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Anastasia Popov
•I was skeptical too but tried it last week and actually got through to resolve my ID verification issue. Worth every penny to avoid the phone tree nightmare.
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Sean Murphy
The official hours are 8am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday, but like everyone said, actually getting through is nearly impossible. I've had better luck calling right at 8am on Tuesdays or Wednesdays - seems like Mondays and Fridays are even worse.
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Ravi Kapoor
•Good to know about the specific days! I'll try Tuesday morning if I can get coverage at work.
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Zara Khan
•Tuesday at 8am is definitely the sweet spot. I got through in about 45 minutes that way last month.
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Omar Mahmoud
Has anyone tried going to a WorkSource office in person? I heard they might be able to help with some claim issues.
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Freya Nielsen
•I tried that but they said they can only help with job search stuff, not actual claim problems. You still have to call Washington ESD for adjudication issues.
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Omar Mahmoud
•Ugh, figures. Thanks for saving me a trip though.
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Luca Ferrari
The whole system is broken. I've been waiting 6 weeks for my claim to get approved and can barely pay rent. They make it impossible to reach anyone and then act like it's our fault when we can't get help.
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Nia Davis
•I feel you. The stress of not knowing when your claim will be processed while bills pile up is insane.
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Mateo Martinez
•Same boat here. My adjudication has been pending for 2 months now with no explanation.
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Diego Vargas
For what it's worth, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier worked great for my adjudication issue too. They got me connected to someone who could actually see what was holding up my claim and got it resolved the same day.
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Ravi Kapoor
•I'm definitely going to check that out. At this point I'll try anything to get my claim moving.
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QuantumQueen
•How much does it cost though? I'm already struggling financially.
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Diego Vargas
•It's really reasonable considering how much time and stress it saves you. Way better than taking time off work to call all day.
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Aisha Rahman
Pro tip: if you do get through, make sure you have your Social Security number, claim confirmation number, and any relevant dates ready. They'll ask for all that info right away.
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Ravi Kapoor
•Good advice! I should write all that down before I try calling.
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Ethan Wilson
•Also have your job search log ready if they ask about that. They sometimes want to verify you're meeting the requirements.
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Yuki Sato
I tried calling at lunch time once and actually got through faster than I expected. Maybe around 12:30pm when other people are eating?
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Carmen Flores
•That's smart thinking! I never considered that timing.
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Ravi Kapoor
•I might try that tomorrow if I can step away from work for a bit.
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Andre Dubois
Just remember they close for lunch from 12-1pm on some days, so don't call during that window or you'll just get a message.
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Yuki Sato
•Wait really? I don't think that's right - I've gotten through during lunch before.
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CyberSamurai
•I think you might be thinking of a different office. Washington ESD phone lines don't close for lunch as far as I know.
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Zoe Alexopoulos
Bottom line - the system sucks and they make it way too hard to get help. But keep trying different times and days. Eventually you'll get through. Or use that service someone mentioned if you want to skip the hassle.
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Ravi Kapoor
•Thanks everyone for all the advice. I'll try calling Tuesday at 8am and if that doesn't work I'll look into Claimyr.
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Jamal Carter
•Good luck! Hope you get your claim sorted out soon.
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Mei Liu
One more thing - if you do get disconnected while on hold, sometimes you can call back within a few minutes and they'll put you back in the queue without starting over. Doesn't always work but worth a try.
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Ravi Kapoor
•Interesting! I'll keep that in mind if it happens to me.
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