Can't reach Washington Unemployment? Claimyr connects you to a live ESD agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the ESD
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the ESD drops your call
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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An update would be great when your son figures out what the issue was! It helps others with similar problems. In my experience, most payment delays after approval are resolved within 2-3 weeks once you get through to the right person. The challenge is getting through their phone system.
I'll definitely post an update once we figure it out! He's trying to call them again this morning. Fingers crossed he gets through.
UPDATE: Success! My son FINALLY got through to ESD this morning. Turns out there was an identity verification hold that wasn't showing up anywhere on his account. They needed him to upload his driver's license and social security card to verify his identity, which he did while on the phone. The agent said payments should process within 48 hours and include all backpay. The agent also mentioned this is super common right now due to increased fraud prevention measures. Thanks everyone for the advice! Special thanks to whoever suggested Claimyr - that's what finally got him through after trying for days.
Great news! Thanks for updating us. The identity verification holds are definitely common since ESD upgraded their security systems in 2025. Glad he got it sorted out and will be receiving his payments soon.
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What a nightmare these different systems are! I had to transition from PFML to UI last year after a surgery and ended up in adjudication hell for SIX WEEKS because of confusion about my work status. ESD kept saying I wasn't able to work even though I had a doctor's note - turns out they were looking at my PFML end date incorrectly. TRUST ME - apply exactly on January 5th (not before, not after), upload that doctor's note immediately, AND call ESD on the same day to explain your situation. You need to get ahead of any potential confusion. Also, make sure your PFML claim shows as properly closed in the system. I'd go with the seasonal layoff explanation if your employer agrees. Anything medical-related tends to trigger extra scrutiny from ESD about whether you're truly able and available for work.
Six weeks?! That's terrifying. I'm definitely going to be proactive about this. How do I check that my PFML claim is properly closed? Is that something I need to do, or does it happen automatically when the benefit period ends?
It should close automatically, but nothing is truly automatic with these systems! Log into your PFML account after your last payment and check that it shows your claim as completed/closed. If you see anything weird, definitely call them. The biggest issue is when one system shows you're still on medical leave while you're telling another system you're able to work. That contradiction is what causes the adjudication nightmare.
Wait you can go from PFML straight to unemployment??? I thought that wasn't allowed!
Yes, you absolutely can transition from PFML to UI as long as you meet the qualification criteria for unemployment. The key requirements are: 1. You must be able and available for work (which the doctor's note establishes) 2. You must have lost your job through no fault of your own (seasonal layoff qualifies) 3. You must have worked enough hours in your base year to qualify There's no rule preventing someone from receiving PFML and then UI - they're separate benefit programs with different purposes and eligibility requirements.
oh wow ok thats good to know! i always thought it was one or the other
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Thank you all for the suggestions! I tried calling this morning at 8:00 am sharp using the menu options suggested, but still ended up in the automated system with a "high call volume" message. I've gone ahead and sent a message through eServices AND emailed my state rep as suggested. I may try the Claimyr service tomorrow if I don't hear anything by then. This is so frustrating - I've been working for 7 years and this is the first time I've ever needed unemployment. I had no idea it would be this difficult just to talk to someone about why my claim was denied.
When you do get through to someone, make sure to ask if they can put a note on your file that this was a system error. This will help if you encounter any similar issues in the future. Also ask them to explain exactly why the disqualification happened so you understand what to avoid going forward.
Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get through to ESD yet? Did any of the methods work for you?
YES! I finally got through using Claimyr this morning after trying for 3 more days with no luck on the regular line. The agent confirmed it was a system error related to my identity verification. Apparently my driver's license expiration date was entered incorrectly. They fixed it on the spot and said my payments should resume next week. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your help.
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Last year I was in adjudication for 8 weeks, and what finally worked was sending a direct email to the ESD Commissioner's office explaining my hardship situation. I'm not saying it will work for everyone, but within 3 days of sending that email, my claim was suddenly processed. Sometimes going straight to the top can shake things loose when the normal channels are backed up. I included details about facing eviction and having medical needs that couldn't wait. If you're in a genuinely dire situation, it might be worth trying.
Do you still have the email address you used? I'm definitely in a hardship situation at this point - about to miss rent and car payment, and I have medication I need to refill next week.
I believe I sent it to [email protected] but that was last year so maybe double-check their website to make sure it's still current. Keep your email concise but include specific details about your hardship situation and all the steps you've already taken (governor's office, legislator, etc). Good luck!
Just checking back - any updates? Did any of the suggestions help move your claim forward?
Small progress! I finally got through to someone at ESD using Claimyr (definitely worth it after weeks of trying on my own). The agent confirmed there's an employer verification issue that's not showing on my portal. My former employer apparently hasn't responded to ESD's requests for information. I've contacted my ex-employer and they're going to submit the required info today. The agent also noted the hardship on my account and said it should expedite things once the employer responds. Fingers crossed, but at least now I know what the holdup is!
Cassandra Moon
i had partial unemployment last year when i worked at a restaurant and my hours got cut. nobody told me I had to do job searches every week even tho i was still working part time!! ended up getting disqualified for like 3 weeks of benefits and had to appeal. make sure he does his job searches!!!
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Aurora St.Pierre
•Just to clarify on this point - if his reduced hours are temporary (less than 4 weeks), he might qualify for standby status where job searches aren't required. His employer would need to verify the temporary nature of the reduction and provide an expected return-to-full-time date. He can request standby when filing his initial claim or by contacting ESD directly.
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Nora Brooks
When I had my hours reduced at my plumbing job last winter, I struggled with the ESD phone system for days. After multiple disconnections, I found Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an ESD representative quickly. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 showing how it works. The agent confirmed that in Washington: 1. Your employer automatically gets notified when you file 2. The earnings threshold is definitely the 1.33 × WBA formula others mentioned, not a fixed hour amount 3. You MUST do job searches unless you get standby approval The service saved me hours of frustration and the agent fixed some issues with my claim that would have delayed my payments.
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Aiden Chen
•Thanks for the additional confirmation on those points. I hope we don't need to call ESD, but if we do, I'll keep that service in mind. Did you find that the weekly claim filing process for partial unemployment was straightforward, or were there confusing parts?
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Nora Brooks
•The weekly claims were mostly straightforward except for two things: 1. You have to be very exact about reporting earnings for work performed that week (not when you got paid). My company pays biweekly, which made it confusing. 2. The job search documentation section is weirdly designed - make sure he saves details of all job search activities (company name, contact info, application method, position). I lost benefits for one week because I couldn't provide specific enough details during a random audit. The partial unemployment math worked exactly as others described, though. If he has any issues with his claim showing as pending for more than a week, I'd definitely recommend calling rather than waiting it out.
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