Why does my Washington ESD unemployment claim say hold - need help understanding

I haven't gotten any messages or letters about what they need though. Shouldn't they tell me what the problem is?

They should but sometimes the system puts a hold first and the notice comes later. Check your correspondence inbox on the website.

How did you find out what the issue was? I can't get through to anyone on the phone.

thats the worst part - calling washington esd is impossible. i used this service called claimyr.com that helped me get through to an actual person. they have some system that deals with the phone lines for you

Never heard of that but I'm desperate at this point. How does it work?

you just give them your info and they call for you and get you connected to a real agent. saved me weeks of trying to call myself. they have a demo video too https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ

I reported some part-time work last month but it was under the threshold. Could that cause a hold?

Yes, any earnings report can trigger a review, especially if the system flags it as inconsistent with previous reports or if there's a question about the dates.

Washington ESD is so paranoid about fraud they put holds on everything now. I got one for working literally 4 hours in a week.

How did you finally get it resolved? I'm worried I'm going to miss payments too.

I kept calling every day at 8am sharp when they open. Eventually got lucky and got through. But honestly you might want to try that claimyr thing the other person mentioned - would have saved me a lot of stress.

I've checked everywhere I can think of. There's nothing in my correspondence and no pending issues showing up.

That's frustrating. You really need to talk to someone at Washington ESD to get the specific reason for your hold.

6 weeks?! How did you survive without payments for that long?

barely did. had to borrow money from family. washington esd eventually backpaid everything but man it was rough

This is exactly why I tell everyone to have an emergency fund. You can't rely on unemployment payments being consistent.

Just tried that and it still shows the hold. This is really stressing me out.

I understand the stress. At this point you need to speak with a representative to get the specific reason and timeline for resolving it.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already struggling financially.

its worth it when you consider how much time you save and how much stress it eliminates. plus if you get your payments faster it pays for itself

That's not fair to say. They have to investigate potential issues to prevent fraud. It's frustrating but there are legitimate reasons.

Maybe but they could at least tell you what the problem is instead of just putting a mysterious hold with no explanation.

Good advice. I've been taking screenshots of everything just in case.

Smart. Also keep track of any financial hardship the delay causes - sometimes they can expedite resolution if you explain the impact.

How did they contact him about the address verification? I haven't gotten any requests like that.

they sent a letter but it got lost in the mail. he only found out when he finally got through on the phone

Just checked and nothing there either. This is so frustrating not knowing what the issue is.

But how am I supposed to provide something if they won't tell me what they need?

That's the catch-22. You have to reach them by phone or sometimes the issue will show up in your account after a few days. It's not a perfect system.

This is exactly why services like claimyr exist - to help people get through when the normal system fails them

Thanks, I really appreciate the support. This community has been more helpful than Washington ESD so far.

That's crazy that such a small mistake can cause such a big problem. I'm going to go back and double-check all my work search entries.

Yeah it's ridiculous but that's how their system works. Every little detail matters.

That's somewhat reassuring to know it's not just me, but also concerning that it might take forever to fix.

I'll try that too. At this point I'm willing to try anything to get this resolved.

Good luck. Keep us posted on what you find out - it might help others in the same situation.

Wow, that's such a random thing to need verification for. Glad you got it sorted out though!

Yeah it was completely random. The agent said their system flagged it for some reason. At least the hold is lifted now and I should get my back payments next week.

see! told you claimyr works. glad you got it figured out

Exactly! I'm going to try the claimyr service too since it seems like the only reliable way to actually talk to someone.

It's unfortunate that third-party services are necessary, but if it helps people get their issues resolved quickly, it's worth considering.

Great advice. I'm definitely going to be more organized with my unemployment documentation going forward.