UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at ESD after using Claimyr (thanks for that suggestion). The agent confirmed my garnishment flag was STILL ACTIVE despite my appeal being decided in my favor 6 weeks ago! She said she's submitting an urgent request to have it removed, and I should receive written confirmation in 7-10 business days. So relieved I checked on this before filing taxes! Will update again when I get the confirmation letter.

Glad you got through! Make sure to follow up if you don't receive that confirmation letter within 10 business days. And definitely contact the Department of Revenue directly to verify the hold has been released on their end before you file your taxes. The two systems don't always update simultaneously.

my cousin works at esd (not saying which office lol) and she always tells me they are SUPER backed up right now. apparently they switched computer systems in april and its causing all kinds of glitches with payments. she said if you were approved you'll definitely get paid eventually, but "eventually" might be weeks away unless you can actually get someone on the phone who can manually fix it. good luck!!!

Just wanted to follow up since I've helped a few people with this exact situation. The most common reason for "approved but can't pay" status is that the system needs a manual review of those specific weeks before releasing payment. After a disqualification is reversed, each week doesn't automatically switch to paid status. When you do call (and I agree with others that you should call if it's not resolved in 10 days), ask specifically for a "payment review" of the weeks in question. Use those exact words. Also, have ready: 1. The exact dates of the disqualified weeks 2. The date on your approval letter 3. Your claim ID number This gives the agent everything they need to quickly review and potentially release your payment while you're on the phone.

Back to your original question - I just checked the ESD website and there's no announcement about delays to Training Benefits processing or any impact from federal funding changes. That's a good sign! Your application timing is actually fortunate because we're past the pandemic emergency period when things were chaotic. Processing times are much more predictable now.

One final tip: If your TB application has been pending for more than 3 weeks, there might be an issue that needs addressing. While you wait, make sure you're completing your 3 job search activities each week and documenting them properly. Even though you're planning to start training, you need to maintain UI eligibility until your TB is officially approved. Once approved, the job search requirement is typically waived while you're in training.

Appeals don't affect current benefits but they take FOREVER! Mine took 12 weeks last year and I lost anyway. Just warning you to be prepared for a long wait.

One thing to note - if you DO lose the appeal, you can request a waiver of the overpayment if repaying it would cause financial hardship. There's a special form for this on the ESD website. They don't advertise this option much but it's definitely available if you truly can't afford to repay.

Update: I finally got through to ESD after trying for days! They told me this situation is considered a "constructive layoff" since the employer has essentially eliminated my position by not offering work for such an extended period. The agent said I should formally resign but explicitly state in my resignation letter that I'm leaving due to "lack of work for over 24 months." I need to upload a copy of this letter to my ESD account after sending it to my employer. Apparently, this is fairly common in the hospitality industry with on-call or as-needed positions.

Did you use Claimyr to get through to ESD? Their service saved me hours of frustration when I was dealing with my claim issues.