I had an overpayment issue too when I was on unemployment in 2023... took me FOREVER to reach anyone. When I finally did, they told me they had my payment but it was applied to the wrong quarter or something ridiculous like that. Make sure when you finally reach someone that they check ALL parts of your account, not just the current balance!

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone! Used the special Thursday window that someone mentioned here AND had sent an email with all my documentation. The agent confirmed exactly what someone here suggested - my payment got flagged for "verification" because it was made from a new bank account (I switched banks in December). They found my payment in their system, removed the late fee, and said it should be properly applied to my account within 3-5 business days. They're also putting a note that no additional fees should be added while this is processing. Thank you all SO MUCH for your help and suggestions. This community saved me from completely losing my mind this week!

One important tip for anyone going through identity verification: If you have any name discrepancies between your ID documents (like a married name on some and maiden name on others), make sure to upload a document that explains the difference (like a marriage certificate). This is one of the most common reasons for extended verification times. Also, make sure your address on file exactly matches what's on your ID documents. Even small differences can flag your account for manual review.

i had the exact same problem last month and my local state representative's office actually helped speed things up! try contacting your district rep - their offices sometimes have direct contacts at ESD who can check on claims.

just wondering did u tell ur boss in writing why u were quitting? my friend won her case bc she sent an email explaining exactly why she was leaving and how they violated labor laws etc. without that they can just make up whatever reason they want

One more tip - for your appeal hearing, create a simple timeline document showing: 1. Your original job duties/hours when hired 2. Each significant change with exact dates 3. Each time you complained/reported issues 4. Any responses from management 5. How your working conditions differed at the end vs. beginning Administrative judges appreciate organization and clarity. Keep emotions out of it and stick to facts. And if you can show you tried to resolve the issues before quitting, that strengthens your case significantly.

She had to call once because her claim was in adjudication for almost 3 weeks with no update. The agent was actually really helpful and pushed it through after verifying her documentation. Definitely call if you don't see movement after 2-3 weeks!

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I'm going to file my initial claim, report my summer payments as wages, answer NO to reasonable assurance, and keep doing my job searches every week. I'll update here if I run into any issues or if I learn anything that might help others in similar situations.

I've been on unemployment for nearly 18 months now (had to switch from regular UI to extended benefits at one point) and I've found the phone system to be fine for basic claims with no special circumstances. BUT if you have anything unusual to report like hours worked at multiple jobs or holiday pay or anything like that, I strongly recommend using the website. The phone system just isn't designed to handle complex situations. It's pretty much designed for people who either worked zero hours or have a simple single-employer situation with regular hours. Just something to keep in mind!

I always file by phone and never had problem! Just make sure you listen for the confirmation number at the end and write it down!!! Thats how you know it worked for real