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 :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
For anyone else reading this thread in the future, here are some proven strategies for contacting ESD in 2025: 1. Call at 8:00am sharp when they first open (or 7:59am as someone mentioned) 2. If your issue is urgent (eviction, utilities being shut off), make sure to mention this 3. Keep your claim ID number, last 4 of SSN, and specific issue details ready 4. If you can't get through after multiple attempts, contact your state representative 5. Always document every contact attempt with date/time for reference 6. Check if your issue can be resolved through the eServices portal 7. Prepare for a potential 30-60 minute hold time once you do connect Staying calm and being specific about your issue when you do reach someone will help get your problem resolved more quickly.
I've been dealing with this same nightmare for the past 2 weeks! After reading through all these suggestions, I finally got through yesterday using a combination of the tips here. Called at exactly 8:00am, selected option 1 then 4, and waited on hold for almost an hour. The agent was able to see that my claim had been flagged for identity verification even though I never received any notice about it. She walked me through uploading documents right there on the call and said it should process within 48 hours. Dylan, so glad you got through too! For anyone still struggling - persistence really is key, and having all your info ready makes the call go much smoother once you do connect. Don't give up!
Thank you for sharing your experience Dana! It's so frustrating that they don't send notices about identity verification flags - how are we supposed to know what's wrong if they don't tell us? I'm going to try your exact approach tomorrow morning. Did the agent mention why these identity verification flags are happening so frequently? It seems like a lot of people are getting stuck on this step without any notification.
Join the conversation
I'm in a similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I've been unemployed for about 6 weeks now after getting laid off from my warehouse job, and I've been considering CDL training but wasn't sure if it was realistic with unemployment benefits. Reading everyone's experiences gives me a lot more confidence about moving forward with this. One question I have - for those who went through the program, how physically demanding is the training itself? I'm in decent shape but I'm wondering what to expect in terms of the daily physical requirements during those 4-6 weeks of school. Also, did anyone here transition from a completely different field into trucking? I'm curious how that career change felt and if there were any unexpected challenges beyond just learning to drive the truck. Planning to start calling WorkSource tomorrow morning at 8 AM sharp based on the advice here!
Hey Jamal! Great question about the physical demands - I'm about halfway through my program right now and can give you some insight. The training itself isn't too physically demanding during classroom portions, but when you're doing the hands-on driving practice, there's definitely some physical work involved. You'll be doing pre-trip inspections which involve crawling under the truck, checking tire pressure, and climbing up to check engine components. The actual driving gets tiring because you're constantly adjusting mirrors, turning a heavy steering wheel (especially during backing maneuvers), and staying alert for long periods. Most people handle it fine, but definitely wear comfortable clothes and good shoes. As for career transitions, I came from office work and the biggest adjustment for me has been the shift from sitting at a desk all day to being much more active and hands-on. It's actually been refreshing! The main unexpected challenge was realizing how much there is to learn beyond just driving - regulations, safety protocols, proper load securement, etc. But the instructors are great at breaking it all down. Good luck with your call tomorrow!
I'm actually in the middle of researching this exact same thing! Been unemployed for about 3 months and keep hearing about the demand for truck drivers. Reading through all these responses is super encouraging - it sounds like Washington ESD really does support CDL training and people are having good success with it. The timeline seems to be around 2-3 months total from application to finishing training, which is longer than I hoped but definitely manageable. I'm particularly interested in the local routes since I have family obligations, and it's good to hear there are decent opportunities for home-daily positions. Planning to gather all my paperwork this week and start the WorkSource application process. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread is exactly what I needed to see to feel confident about moving forward with this career change!
Oliver, you're absolutely right about the timeline - it does seem like 2-3 months total is pretty standard based on everyone's experiences here. I'm also drawn to the local route option for family reasons, and it's reassuring to hear from multiple people that there are good opportunities for drivers who want to be home every night. The pay might be lower than long-haul, but work-life balance is worth a lot. One thing I've learned from reading all these responses is that being well-prepared for that first WorkSource appointment seems to make a big difference in how smoothly the process goes. Sounds like having your research done, documentation ready, and a clear explanation of why trucking makes sense for your situation really helps. Good luck with gathering your paperwork and starting the application! Hopefully some of us going through this process around the same time can keep each other updated on how it goes.
Join the conversation
Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! This has answered all my questions about the 1099-G timeline and process. I feel much better about the whole situation now.
This community is always so helpful with these kinds of questions. Glad you got the answers you needed!
Agreed! I'm glad I asked here instead of just worrying about it.
Just wanted to share an update - I received my 1099-G in the mail today! So they're definitely being sent out now. For anyone still waiting, mine took about 3 days after it appeared online in my SAW account. The online version was exactly the same as the paper copy, so if you need it for early tax filing, definitely check your SAW account first rather than waiting for the mail.
That's great news! I just checked my SAW account after reading this and mine is available online too. You're right that the online version is identical to the mailed copy - saves so much time waiting. Thanks for the update!
Join the conversation
I'm in a very similar situation - been running a freelance graphic design business for about 18 months and my client base has completely disappeared. Like you, I never paid unemployment taxes as self-employed, but I did have a regular W-2 job at a marketing firm for about 4 months around a year ago. Reading through everyone's experiences here is really encouraging! It sounds like those W-2 wages might be my saving grace. I'm definitely going to use that benefit calculator on the ESD website to see if I meet the minimum requirements. The hardest part for me is going to be explaining during any interview that I'm genuinely looking for traditional employment and not just trying to float my design business. But honestly, the uncertainty and feast-or-famine nature of freelancing has been incredibly stressful, so I really am ready to go back to stable employment with benefits. Thanks for asking this question - it's been so helpful to see that others have successfully navigated this situation!
Your situation sounds really familiar! That 4-month marketing firm job could definitely be your ticket - especially since marketing roles tend to pay decent wages. I'd encourage you to run those numbers through the benefit calculator as soon as possible. The key thing I learned from reading everyone's experiences is being genuine about wanting stability rather than just supplementing freelance work. It sounds like you're already there mentally with recognizing the stress of the feast-or-famine cycle. That's exactly the kind of reasoning that seems to resonate with ESD during interviews. Four months of steady W-2 wages from a marketing firm could easily put you over the minimum thresholds, so I'm optimistic for you! Don't let the interview part worry you too much - if you're genuinely ready for traditional employment, that authenticity will come through.
I went through something very similar about a year ago! Had been doing freelance marketing consulting for nearly 3 years when the pandemic aftereffects finally caught up and all my retainer clients cut their budgets. I thought I was completely out of luck since I'd only ever paid self-employment taxes, but it turned out I had worked a contract-to-hire position for about 3 months about 16 months prior where I was actually a W-2 employee. Those wages were just enough to qualify me for benefits! The application process itself was pretty straightforward online, but I definitely recommend using that benefit calculator on the ESD website first to see if your wages meet the minimums. The trickiest part was the phone interview where they asked detailed questions about my consulting business and whether I was truly available for full-time work. I was honest that the instability of freelancing had become unsustainable and I was actively seeking traditional employment for the security and benefits. Make sure you can demonstrate you're genuinely job hunting for regular positions, not just looking for more clients. It took about 3 weeks to get my first payment, but having that safety net while transitioning back to employee status was invaluable. Don't give up - even short-term W-2 work can sometimes be enough!
Giovanni Greco
Congratulations on getting your claim approved! 8 days is actually a pretty quick turnaround. Your update gives me hope - I'm in a similar situation waiting for adjudication on my claim. It's so stressful not knowing when (or if) the money will come through, especially when bills keep piling up. Did you get the full backpay for all 5 weeks you were waiting, or did they only approve certain weeks? Thanks for sharing your experience!
0 coins
Malik Thompson
•Yes, I received full backpay for all 5 weeks! That was one of my biggest worries too - whether they'd only approve from a certain date forward. But as long as you've been filing your weekly claims during the waiting period (which I did religiously), you get everything you're entitled to from when you first became eligible. The lump sum was definitely a relief after stretching my savings so thin. Hang in there - if your case is straightforward like mine was, hopefully you'll hear something soon!
0 coins
Aliyah Debovski
This is really encouraging to see! I'm currently in week 3 of waiting after my adjudicator call, so hearing about your 8-day approval timeline gives me hope. My situation is similar - laid off from a marketing firm due to budget cuts. The waiting is definitely the hardest part, especially when you're watching your savings dwindle. Thanks for taking the time to update everyone with your good news - it really helps those of us still in limbo to see that the system does actually work sometimes! Fingers crossed I'll have a similar update to share soon.
0 coins