What time does Washington ESD unemployment phone lines open?

Phone lines open at 8:00 AM Monday through Friday. But honestly, calling right at 8 AM is when everyone else is calling too. You're competing with thousands of other claimants.

Washington ESD customer service opens at 8:00 AM Monday through Friday. The main number is 833-572-8400. However, you're right that it's nearly impossible to get through during normal business hours due to high call volume.

ive been calling for 3 weeks straight, same thing happens every time. the system is completely overloaded

I had the same problem last month when my weekly claim got flagged for some reason. Spent hours every day trying to call Washington ESD. Finally found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that actually got me through to an agent in like 20 minutes. They have this video demo that shows exactly how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ

The phone system opens at 8 AM but closes at 4 PM Monday-Friday. Best times I've found are usually around 10:30 AM or right after lunch around 1:30 PM. Avoid Mondays completely if possible.

ive been calling for 3 weeks straight and only got through once. they told me my claim was still being reviewed and to keep filing my weekly claims. so frustrating!

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A JOKE!!! I've been calling for 2 months about an overpayment notice that makes no sense. They want me to pay back $2800 but won't explain why. Phone system hangs up on you, online messaging never gets answered.

I actually found a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to Washington ESD. They basically call for you and connect you when they reach an agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that explains how it works. It saved me so much time and frustration.

Update: tried calling at 10:30 AM like someone suggested and actually got in the queue! Still waiting but at least I'm not getting the busy signal.

just use the secure messaging system on your washington esd account, way easier than calling

The phone system is completely broken. I've been trying since March and my claim is still pending. They need to hire more staff or fix their system because this is ridiculous.

My cousin works at WorkSource and she says the phone system gets reset every morning at exactly 8 AM. That's when the queue opens up but it fills instantly. She recommends calling at 7:59 and pressing redial right at 8.

I work from home so I can call multiple times per day. I've noticed the lines seem less busy around 10am and 2pm compared to right when they open at 8am. Still takes forever but slightly better chance of getting through.

I remember when you could actually walk into the unemployment office and talk to someone face to face. Now everything is online and phone calls that never work.

Just wanted to update everyone - I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked! They got me connected to a Washington ESD agent in about 2 hours. The agent was able to explain why my claim was held up (missing employer verification) and what I needed to do to fix it.

Just wanted to follow up on the Claimyr thing I mentioned earlier. Used it again this week for a different issue and got through in about 15 minutes. Worth checking out if you're tired of the calling game.

Been dealing with Washington ESD for my standby status and the phone issue is real. What worked for me was calling exactly at 8:03 AM - seems like there's a sweet spot right after the initial rush.

Has anyone tried calling the technical support line instead of the main customer service line? Sometimes they can transfer you or give you better information about your claim status.

The 833-572-8400 number is the main customer service line that opens at 8 AM. There's also a separate number for job search requirements but I can't remember it off the top of my head.

This is exactly why I'm glad I found Claimyr early on. I was stuck in adjudication for my standby claim and couldn't get through no matter what time I called. They connected me to an agent who explained the job search requirements for standby claims - apparently I was missing some documentation.

honestly the whole calling thing is such a waste of time. ive calculated that ive spent over 40 hours trying to reach washington esd in the past month

I've been setting multiple alarms and calling exactly at 8:00 AM every day for two weeks. Got through ONCE and then got disconnected while on hold. I'm about to lose my mind.

Pro tip: if you do get through to someone, ask them to call you back if you get disconnected. Some agents will do this and save you from having to start over.

just wanted to say thanks to whoever mentioned claimyr earlier. finally got my claim resolved after being stuck for 6 weeks. the agent explained my disqualification and helped me understand the appeal process. definitely worth it.

For anyone still trying to call directly - I've noticed that Wednesdays and Thursdays seem to have shorter hold times than Mondays and Fridays. Not sure if that's actually true or just my experience.

UPDATE: Used Claimyr this morning and got connected to Washington ESD in under 3 hours! The agent was able to release my claim from adjudication - apparently there was an issue with my employer's response that needed to be manually reviewed. My payments should start processing within 3-5 business days. Thanks everyone for the help!

Pro tip: if you get disconnected while on hold, call back immediately. Sometimes the system will put you back in the same position in the queue if you call within a few minutes.

Update from earlier - I finally got through using that Claimyr service someone mentioned! Took about 25 minutes and I actually talked to a real person at Washington ESD. They explained my adjudication issue and said it should be resolved within a week.

Just a heads up that Friday afternoons are terrible for calling. Everyone's trying to resolve issues before the weekend and the agents seem rushed.

Does anyone know if the phone lines are open during lunch time? I can only call during my lunch break at work.

Final update: Got my adjudication resolved! Turns out there was just a missing piece of paperwork from my previous employer. Thanks everyone for the timing tips and especially whoever mentioned Claimyr - that really saved me.