my friend works at esd (not supposed to tell anyone lol) but she said they added a bunch of new options to everyone's accounts last month. something about "streamlining the user experience" whatever that means. if u dont have an actual notice u should be fine

I just want to clarify something important about overpayments with ESD, since there seems to be some confusion in this thread: 1. Overpayments are NEVER a surprise - they are always accompanied by a formal written determination that explains why the overpayment occurred, how much you owe, and your appeal rights 2. You would have a specific timeframe (30 days) to appeal the determination 3. The waiver application option is separate from an actual overpayment determination 4. ESD has 3 years from the date of payment to establish an overpayment The system update adding this option to everyone's dashboard is unfortunately causing unnecessary anxiety for many claimants. For future reference, always check your ESD message center and mail for official determinations before worrying about dashboard options.

The whole system is RIDICULOUS! Why can't they program their computers to process payments regardless of holidays?? I've been on UI for 4 months and EVERY holiday causes delays. Meanwhile bills don't wait and my landlord doesn't care about federal holidays! This is how they keep people struggling!!

To answer your original question: No, ESD does not process unemployment payments on MLK Day or any federal holiday. The banking system that ESD uses operates on the federal reserve schedule, which observes all federal holidays. Even if ESD wanted to process payments, the ACH system they use for transfers would not be operational today. For future reference, you can find the federal holiday schedule on the ESD website under Payment Information FAQ. Always add one business day to your expected payment date when a holiday occurs.

Since you mentioned not having taxes withheld, be prepared that unemployment benefits are fully taxable at the federal level. At $850/week, that could be a significant amount depending on your tax bracket. You might want to set aside some money or make an estimated tax payment if possible to avoid a surprise tax bill in April. The 1099-G will show the total amount you received in 2025 that you'll need to report on your federal return.

It's not too late to change your tax withholding preference. Log into your eServices account, go to your claim summary, and look for the option to update your tax withholding preference. The standard withholding is 10% for federal taxes (WA has no income tax). Making this change won't affect what you've already received, but it will help reduce your tax liability for future payments.

Yeah it changed for me too. My friend who works at WorkSource said they're trying to reduce the amount of data they process weekly since most people never get audited anyway. Just make sure you keep your own records!!! My cousin got randomly audited last month and they wanted to see EVERYTHING from the past 8 weeks. She almost got disqualified because she hadn't written down phone numbers for two applications.

I really appreciate everyone's responses! This clears up a lot. I'm going to create a more detailed spreadsheet for my job search activities going forward to make sure I have everything documented properly. It sounds like this is a system improvement, even if it was confusing at first. Thanks again for the help!

I want to clarify something important: When an employer doesn't respond, ESD is supposed to make a determination based on the claimant's statement and any other available information. However, they still need to complete their investigation process, which includes verifying your identity, wage information, and reason for separation. If you're approaching the 30-day mark in adjudication, you can request an escalation. Call and specifically ask for your claim to be escalated due to financial hardship. Use those exact words. Also, while you're waiting, make sure you're meeting all requirements for when your claim is (hopefully) approved: 1. File your weekly claims consistently 2. Complete and document 3 job search activities each week 3. Register with WorkSource if you haven't already 4. Check your ESD account and email daily for any communications If you do get denied and need to appeal, you have 30 days from the date of the determination to file your appeal with the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH).

have u checked ur spam folder? sometimes esd sends emails asking for more info and they go to spam. i missed one and it delayed my claim for weeks!!