Why can't I certify for unemployment today - Washington ESD system issues?
I'm trying to file my weekly claim today but the Washington ESD website keeps giving me errors when I try to certify. It says something about my claim not being available for certification right now. I usually file on Sundays and haven't had this problem before. Is anyone else having trouble certifying today? I'm worried I'm going to miss my deadline and lose benefits.
47 comments


Andre Lefebvre
I had the same issue this morning! Tried logging into eServices multiple times but kept getting error messages when I clicked on 'File Weekly Claim
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Carmen Ruiz
•At least I'm not the only one. Did you try clearing your browser cache?
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Andre Lefebvre
•Yeah tried that and even used a different browser. Still nothing.
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Zoe Alexopoulos
There are a few reasons why certification might not be available. Check your claim status first - if you're in adjudication or have an outstanding issue, you can't certify until it's resolved. Also make sure you're within your filing window.
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Carmen Ruiz
•My claim status shows active and I don't see any issues listed in my account
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Zoe Alexopoulos
•What does it say under 'Weekly Claim Filing Status'? Sometimes there's a delay between when the system updates.
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Jamal Anderson
If you can't get through on the website, try calling the automated phone line at 1-800-318-6022. Sometimes that works when the website is having issues. But honestly, getting through to an actual person at Washington ESD is nearly impossible with their phone system.
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Mei Wong
•I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about my claim and can never get through. The phone just rings and rings or I get disconnected.
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Jamal Anderson
•Yeah their phone system is terrible. I actually found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. They handle all the calling for you - you can check it out at claimyr.com. There's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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QuantumQuasar
•Interesting, never heard of that before. Does it actually work?
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Liam McGuire
UGH the Washington ESD system is SO frustrating! I swear they make it impossible on purpose
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Amara Eze
•Tell me about it. I've been dealing with their broken system for months now.
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Zoe Alexopoulos
Before panicking, double-check these things: 1) Are you filing within your designated week? 2) Is your claim benefit year still active? 3) Have you completed any required job search activities? The system won't let you certify if any of these aren't met.
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Carmen Ruiz
•I checked all of those and everything looks fine. This is so stressful because I need these benefits to pay rent.
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Giovanni Greco
•Same boat here. Can't afford to miss a week of benefits.
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Fatima Al-Farsi
Try logging out completely and logging back in. Sometimes the session gets stuck.
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Carmen Ruiz
•Already tried that multiple times unfortunately
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Dylan Wright
I had this exact problem last month and it turned out there was a hold on my account that wasn't showing up in the main dashboard. You might need to call to find out what's really going on.
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Carmen Ruiz
•How did you finally get through to someone?
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Dylan Wright
•Honestly I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above. Worth every penny to actually talk to a human at Washington ESD instead of wasting hours calling.
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Sofia Torres
•I keep seeing people mention Claimyr. Is it legit or just another scam?
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GalacticGuardian
Check if there's scheduled maintenance on the eServices website. Washington ESD sometimes takes the system down for updates on weekends.
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Carmen Ruiz
•Good point, I'll check their website for any notices
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Dmitry Smirnov
•They usually post maintenance windows on their homepage if there are any planned outages
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Ava Rodriguez
This happened to me when I hadn't done my job search activities. Even though the system didn't give me a clear error message, that was the problem.
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Carmen Ruiz
•I've been keeping up with my job searches and logging them in WorkSourceWA
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Ava Rodriguez
•Make sure they're actually showing as complete in the system. Sometimes there's a delay.
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Miguel Diaz
The Washington ESD system has been extra glitchy lately. I've noticed more errors and slower loading times over the past few weeks.
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Zainab Ahmed
•Yeah I've been having issues too. Takes forever to load pages.
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Connor Gallagher
•Must be all the people trying to use it at once
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AstroAlpha
If you're still having problems tomorrow, definitely try to get through to someone. Missing a week of certification can mess up your whole claim.
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Carmen Ruiz
•That's what I'm worried about. I can't afford to lose benefits right now.
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Yara Khoury
•You usually have until the end of the week to certify, so don't panic yet
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Keisha Taylor
I've been using Claimyr for the past month whenever I need to actually talk to Washington ESD about claim issues. It's been a lifesaver honestly - no more wasting entire days trying to get through their phone system.
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Paolo Longo
•How does it work exactly?
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Keisha Taylor
•You just give them your info and they call Washington ESD for you, then connect you when they get an agent on the line. Super simple.
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Amina Bah
Try using a different device or internet connection. Sometimes it's just a connectivity issue on your end.
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Carmen Ruiz
•I tried from my phone and laptop, same error on both
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Oliver Becker
Keep trying throughout the day. The system is usually less busy in the evening or early morning.
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CosmicCowboy
•Good advice. I always file really early in the morning to avoid traffic on the site.
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Natasha Orlova
This is why I hate depending on government websites. They're always breaking down when you need them most.
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Javier Cruz
•At least it's not just us having problems. Misery loves company I guess.
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Emma Thompson
UPDATE: I was finally able to certify about an hour ago. Looks like whatever was wrong with the system got fixed. Try again if you're still having issues!
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Carmen Ruiz
•Thank you! I'll try right now.
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Malik Jackson
•Just tried and it worked for me too. Crisis averted!
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Isabella Costa
For future reference, if this happens again and you can't get the website to work, you can also certify over the phone using the automated system. The number is 1-800-318-6022.
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Carmen Ruiz
•Good to know for next time. Thanks everyone for the help!
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