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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!
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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
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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!
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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.
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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!
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Don't forget to document EVERYTHING. Each time you call, write down the date, time, and what happened (even if you couldn't get through). If you eventually need to escalate this or file an appeal, having this documentation really helps. Also, if you do get through, ask for a direct number or extension to reach that same person again if possible!
That's smart advice. I'll start keeping a detailed log of all my attempts. Hopefully it won't come to needing an appeal, but better to be prepared.
I'm dealing with something very similar - 5 weeks of pending claims after being laid off from my retail job. The most frustrating part is the complete lack of communication from ESD about what's actually happening with our claims. Based on what I'm reading here, it sounds like there are so many different reasons claims can get stuck, but they don't bother to tell us which one applies to our situation. I'm going to try calling right at 8am tomorrow and also reach out to my former employer to make sure they responded properly. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - at least now I know I'm not alone in this nightmare!
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I went through something similar last year and it was incredibly stressful. One thing that helped me was keeping a detailed log of every call attempt, what happened, and any reference numbers they gave me. When I finally got through to someone, having all that documentation made the conversation much more productive. Also, if you haven't already, try calling right at 7:30am when they open - that's when I had the most luck getting through. The automated system sometimes drops calls later in the day when volume is high. Hang in there, it really does get resolved eventually even though it feels hopeless right now.
That's really smart advice about keeping a detailed log! I wish I had started doing that from the beginning. I'll definitely try calling right at 7:30am tomorrow - hopefully the early bird gets the worm with ESD. It's good to hear from someone who actually got through this process successfully, gives me hope that there's light at the end of the tunnel.
I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now! Filed my claim 2.5 weeks ago and it's been stuck on "pending - need more info" with absolutely no indication of what they actually need. I've uploaded everything I can think of too - W2s, pay stubs, termination letter, driver's license. It's so frustrating that their system can't at least give you a hint about what's missing. I've been afraid to keep calling because I don't want to seem pushy, but reading all these responses makes me realize I need to be more persistent. The stress of not knowing when (or if) this will get resolved is almost worse than being unemployed. Thanks for posting this - it helps to know I'm not the only one going through this nightmare!
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I think it depends on how they structured your severance? When I got laid off my employers payroll lady said they coded it as "continuation of wages" not "severance" so unemployment treated it differently? i dunno the whole system is confusing af
This is an important point. The classification of your severance can matter. "Continuation of wages" and true "severance pay" might be treated differently. Check your separation agreement for the specific language used.
Update: I went ahead and filed my initial claim. The ESD website had a specific section where I could report the severance arrangement. I also uploaded my separation agreement as supporting documentation. I got an automated message saying my claim was received and that I should continue filing weekly claims even if I'm receiving severance. I'll start my job search activities this week and keep everyone posted on what happens!
Smart move filing right away! Just wanted to add - when you're doing your weekly claims, be super precise about reporting your severance amounts. ESD calculates it based on when you receive the payment, not when it's "earned." So if you get paid bi-weekly like you mentioned, report it in the week you actually receive each payment. Also keep copies of all your pay stubs/severance documentation - you might need them later if there are any questions about your claim.
That's exactly the right approach! One thing to watch out for - make sure you understand how your 8-week severance timeline aligns with ESD's benefit year. Since you're getting paid bi-weekly, that's 4 payments over 8 weeks. Just double-check that your separation agreement specifies whether those 8 weeks are consecutive calendar weeks or if there's any gap. Sometimes companies structure it differently and it can affect the timing of when your benefits kick in. Good luck with the job search!
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Just to summarize the main disqualification reasons: voluntary quit without good cause, misconduct, not able/available for work, refusing suitable work, not meeting job search requirements, not reporting income correctly, and not participating in required services. Most can be appealed or resolved with proper documentation.
This is a great summary. I'm going to save this thread for reference.
And remember, if you need to talk to Washington ESD about any of these issues, don't waste hours trying to get through on your own. There are services that can help you actually reach a human when you need one.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that if you receive severance pay, it can affect your unemployment benefits timing. Washington ESD considers severance as wages for the period it covers, which means your benefits might be delayed until after the severance period ends. I learned this the hard way when I got laid off with a severance package and couldn't figure out why my claim was delayed. It's not exactly a disqualification, but it can definitely impact when you start receiving benefits.
Zadie Patel
Update us when you get your back pay! I'm curious how long it actually takes from approval to payment.
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Kolton Murphy
•Will do! I'll check back in once I see the deposits hit my account.
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Jibriel Kohn
Congratulations on finally getting approved! The 6-week wait must have been incredibly stressful. Just to add to what others have said - make sure you keep detailed records of all your weekly certifications and any correspondence from ESD during this process. If there are any discrepancies with your back pay, having that documentation will be really helpful. Also, once you start receiving payments, double-check that the amounts match what your weekly benefit calculation should be. I've seen cases where people received partial payments due to system glitches. Fingers crossed everything processes smoothly for you!
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