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If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
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This conversation has been really helpful. I'm definitely going to look into my own situation as a bus driver. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and knowledge!
Agreed! I have a much better understanding now of what factors Washington ESD considers.
Happy to help. School employee unemployment eligibility is one of the more complex areas of UI law, so it's worth getting it right.
I'm in a similar boat as a substitute teacher, but I work in special education support. From what I've gathered here, it really seems like the key is whether you have any written assurance of work for next year. I haven't received any contracts or guarantees from the districts I work with - they just tell us to "check back in August" when they start scheduling again. Based on these responses, it sounds like I might actually have a case for unemployment benefits this summer. Has anyone else had experience specifically with special ed support staff and summer unemployment claims?
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in the same boat rn...cant get anyone on the phone and my landlord is NOT understanding at all. how did u finally get thru to someone? been trying for 2 weeks straight
I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above. Normally I wouldn't pay for something like that, but I was desperate. Got connected to an actual person at ESD within about 20 minutes. Worth it just for the stress relief of not getting disconnected after waiting for hours!
I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - pending claim for 3 weeks and just found out about an old overpayment too. It's so frustrating how these systems seem designed to work against us when we need help the most. One thing that helped me was contacting my local WorkSource office. They can't resolve the claim directly, but they have better connections to ESD and sometimes can get faster responses on what's causing the hold-up. Plus they have resources for emergency assistance while you're waiting. Also, if you haven't already, make sure you're continuing to file your weekly claims even while it's pending. I almost missed doing this because I thought "what's the point?" but you have to keep filing to get paid for those weeks once it's resolved. Hang in there - from what I'm reading here it sounds like once you get the right person on the phone, these issues can move pretty quickly. The hardest part is just getting through to someone who can actually help.
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has anyone had luck getting through on the phones? i've been trying at different times but always get the "high call volume, try again later" message then it hangs up!
Early morning (right when they open at 8:00 AM) used to work best, but lately even that's hit or miss. That's why I mentioned Claimyr in my other comment - it's the only reliable way I found to actually reach someone at ESD.
I haven't tried calling yet but based on these comments I'm dreading it if I need to. I might try that service if I run into problems with my claim.
Just wanted to add my recent experience for anyone else wondering about this. I filed a new claim in early March 2025 after being laid off from my tech job, and I definitely had to serve the waiting week. The policy change happened when Washington's COVID emergency declarations ended, so the waiting week waiver is no longer in effect for regular unemployment claims. One thing that helped me plan financially was understanding that even though you don't get paid for the waiting week, you still need to file your weekly claim during that period. It shows as "non-payable" in your account but it's required to maintain your claim. My first actual payment came in week 2, and from there it's been consistent as long as I meet all the requirements. The good news is that serving the waiting week doesn't reduce your total benefit entitlement - you still get your full 26 weeks (or whatever you qualify for) of payments, just delayed by one week. Hope this helps with your budgeting!
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Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! This thread really clarified things for me. Going to call DSHS today to report my unemployment income and see how it affects my SNAP benefits.
Same here! Feeling much more prepared for that conversation now.
Glad we could help! Remember to ask about any deductions you might qualify for - every little bit helps.
I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago when I started getting UI benefits. What really helped me was keeping detailed records of everything - when I first received unemployment, when I reported it to DSHS, and all the documentation they requested. My SNAP benefits did get reduced from $280 to about $160 per month, but having everything organized made the process much smoother. Also, don't forget that you can often report income changes online through the Washington Connection website if you can't get through by phone. It's usually faster than waiting on hold for hours!
That's really helpful advice about keeping detailed records! I hadn't thought about using the Washington Connection website - I've been so focused on trying to call. The reduction you experienced from $280 to $160 gives me a better idea of what to expect too. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Ev Luca
Thanks everyone for all this detailed info! This is exactly what I was looking for. Based on what you've all shared, it sounds like with my $52k salary I should expect somewhere in the $650-750 range per week, which would definitely help cover my basic expenses while I look for a new job. I'm going to file my claim this week and make sure to request the 10% federal tax withholding. Really appreciate the heads up about the waiting week and the job search requirements too - I'll make sure to keep detailed records of my applications. Hopefully my claim goes smoothly without any adjudication issues!
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Beatrice Marshall
•Welcome to the community! Sounds like you have a solid plan based on everyone's advice. Just wanted to add - make sure you file as soon as you're eligible since there's that waiting week anyway. Also, if you run into any issues getting through to Washington ESD on the phone (which seems pretty common based on the experiences shared here), don't get discouraged. The system can be frustrating but most people do eventually get their benefits sorted out. Good luck with your job search!
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Ava Rodriguez
Just wanted to chime in as someone who recently went through this process! With your $52k salary, you're likely looking at around $600-700 weekly, which should definitely help with expenses. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you have all your employment documentation ready before you file. Having your last paystub, employer contact info, and separation details organized will make the application process much smoother. Also, don't stress too much about the exact calculation - Washington ESD will figure that out for you once they process your claim. The most important thing is to file as soon as you're eligible and stay on top of your weekly claims. Best of luck with everything!
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Mateo Martinez
•Really appreciate the practical advice about having documentation ready! I hadn't thought about gathering all that paperwork beforehand. Quick question - when you mention separation details, what exactly do they need to know? I'm planning to leave my current retail management position voluntarily to pursue better opportunities, so I want to make sure I understand if that affects my eligibility or benefit amount at all.
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