Make sure to request a waiver of the overpayment! Even if you lose the appeal, you can still request that they waive repayment due to financial hardship or because the overpayment wasn't your fault. I got my $3,200 overpayment completely waived after showing I couldn't afford to pay it back on my current income.

UPDATE: After looking at the responses here, I wanted to share that there's now a class action lawsuit against ESD over these mass overpayment notices. You might want to Google it and see if you qualify to join. It argues that ESD approved claims based on their guidance at the time, and can't retroactively change interpretation of eligibility rules years later.

Does anyone know if theres a specific department or option to select when calling for this specific issue? Like should I choose claims questions or payment issues or what? The phone menu has like 10 different options and I never know which one will get me to the right person fastest

UPDATE: Success! I finally got through to ESD this morning after using the Claimyr service (which worked exactly as described). The agent confirmed that since my mom had already served a waiting week in July 2024, she shouldn't have had another waiting week for this standby period. They're updating her claim now and said the payment should be processed within 48 hours. Thanks everyone for your help! For anyone else with this issue - definitely mention the "benefit year" and "previously served waiting week" specifically when you call. The agent told me their system sometimes doesn't automatically connect claims properly, especially with standby status.

To answer your question about weekly claims - yes, you should absolutely continue filing weekly claims while your appeal is pending. You should also continue doing your job search activities (3 per week) until you receive actual approval for Training Benefits. Regarding TAA approval - TAA stands for Trade Adjustment Assistance, which is a federal program. Not all training programs need to be TAA approved for regular Training Benefits, but they do need to be on the state's Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL). You can check if your bootcamp is on this list on the WorkSource website. If your program isn't on the ETPL, that's likely the main reason for denial, and you'll need to specifically address this in your appeal by showing equivalent credentials and employment outcomes.

my cousin waited 14 weeks for commissioner appeal last year lol. the system is broken. good luck! ps - did u apply for food benefits while u wait? might help stretch ur budget

I tried using that Claimyr service that someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked really well. Got through to ESD in about 15 minutes when I'd been trying for days. The agent confirmed my waiver was approved and explained the whole refund process. Just wanted to update in case anyone else is struggling to get answers from ESD.

I'd recommend checking your spam folder for emails from ESD as well. They sometimes send electronic notifications about important account changes that get filtered out. Also, when you do receive your official determination letter, make sure to keep it in a safe place indefinitely. Overpayment waivers can sometimes be revisited years later during audits, so having documentation of the approval is important for your records.

My sister got audited and lost benefits because she couldn't prove she did her job searches!!! Just putting that out there!!

To summarize for clarity: 1. You must begin job searching immediately after filing your initial claim 2. You report these activities when you file your first weekly claim 3. You need 3 qualifying activities per week 4. Keep detailed records of all activities 5. Various activities count beyond just applications This pattern continues for the duration of your claim period. Each week you'll report the previous week's activities when filing your weekly claim.

Thank you all for the responses! This is really helpful. I'll keep my logs organized and make sure I'm documenting everything properly. I might scan them too just to be safe - good suggestion. Feeling much better about this now!

Just to confirm what's been said - the current requirement is 3 job search activities per week, and you need to keep your own records but don't submit unless asked. ESD moved away from requiring weekly submission to reduce their administrative burden, but they still expect you to maintain detailed logs. And yes, mixing up your activity types is wise - applications, interviews, WorkSource workshops, networking events, etc. all count.

wait im confused... are you trying to get regular unemployment or is this for disability? because they're different systems. if u cant work for medical reasons u should apply for disability not unemployment. unemployment is for when ur able to work but cant find a job.

btw when is ur hearing date? make sure u prepare like CRAZY for it. i bombed my first hearing cuz i wasnt ready for all their questions. write down EVERYTHING u wanna say before u go in!!!

Another thing to consider: did your benefit year recently restart? If you started a new benefit year, your weekly benefit amount might have been recalculated based on a different base year period, which could explain the difference in payment amount. This happens to many claimants and isn't always clearly communicated by ESD.

Update: I spoke with HR and you all were right! They've been reporting my standard 20 hours every week regardless of what I actually work. They thought that's how the Shared Work program is supposed to function - that I get the same supplement amount even if my hours fluctuate a bit. They're going to correct my hours for last week and resubmit to ESD. Thank you all for helping me figure this out!

my brother had this happen and it was cuz they needed more info from his old job but nobody told him!! check if theres any letters in your esd message center maybe

One other thing to check - log in to your SAW account directly (not through the ESD link) and see if there are any identity verification notices there. Sometimes those don't show up properly in the ESD portal. Also, double-check that all your contact information is up-to-date in both systems. If you've been waiting more than 3 weeks with no change in status, reaching a claims agent is really your best option. Unfortunately, the phone system is completely overwhelmed right now due to the seasonal layoffs in construction and hospitality.

I had a similar experience back in 2023 when I was working seasonal jobs. Had to reopen my claim twice and never had to do another waiting week. Just make sure all your info is up to date when you reopen. Good luck!

UPDATE: I reopened my claim yesterday and confirmed with an ESD agent (after way too many attempts calling) that I do NOT need to serve another waiting week! They said I can file my weekly claim this Sunday for this week. Thanks everyone for your help!