When i had a similar isue with contradicting letters, I sent a message through eServices (under the "Upload a Document" section) explaining the situation clearly and attaching both letters. Might be worth trying while you're also working on your appeal. Sometimes they can fix these things without a formal hearing if its clearly a mix-up. And yea like others said, keep filing those weekly claims no matter what!

To clarify about quitting to care for a family member: You don't need to prove you were the ONLY person who could provide care, but you do need to show it was reasonable for you to quit. The fact that your siblings live out of state and professional care was unaffordable are absolutely relevant factors. Make sure to include the information about only being eligible for 2 weeks of FMLA - that's important because it shows you tried alternatives before quitting. During your appeal, focus on these key points: 1. You had a good faith family care reason to quit 2. You attempted to preserve your employment (FMLA request) 3. You provided notice to your employer 4. Your employer incorrectly reported the separation And don't worry too much about the employer getting upset about the discrepancy - this happens fairly often with large companies where HR and direct managers don't communicate well.

I want to give a quick update on the Training Benefits timeline since a lot has changed in 2025: 1. Apply ASAP through your eServices account 2. Current processing time is around 3-4 weeks for most applications 3. While waiting for approval, you should still look for work and document your job searches 4. If approved, your job search requirements will be waived automatically 5. Benefits are applied retroactively to your application date if approved Also important to note that the approval rate has improved significantly in 2025 - ESD has streamlined the process, especially for in-demand fields like tech. Software development has an approximately 85% approval rate for Training Benefits. One last tip: Make sure your school can provide documentation showing it's an "approved training provider" - this will speed up your application considerably.

Thank you all SO much for all this information! I'm going to apply for Training Benefits tomorrow morning, and I've already confirmed the software development program is on ESD's approved list. If I can't get through to ESD on my own, I'll try Claimyr to make sure everything is set up correctly. Fingers crossed I get approved - will update this thread once I hear back!

I don't have experience with this exact situation, but I just wanted to say that calling the governor's office actually worked for me! My claim was stuck for over a month, called the governor's office, and magically my claim was processed within 48 hours. Definitely do that on Monday. \n\nAlso, have you tried WorkSource? They sometimes have connections to jobs in specific fields that aren't advertised publicly. Might be worth checking if they have any graphic design leads before jumping into retail.

I haven't tried WorkSource yet - that's a great suggestion! I'll definitely check with them. And good to know the governor's office route worked for you. I'm desperate to get this claim processed so I can make better decisions.

THIS!!! 💯 💯 💯

Update: I want to thank everyone for the amazing advice! I took a combined approach - sent daily messages through eServices, created the comprehensive documentation package, and contacted both my state rep and senator yesterday. This morning I actually got a call from someone at ESD who said they were assigned to review my claim after receiving an inquiry from my representative's office! She said there was a simple issue with my job separation that needed verification, which she was able to clear up during our call. My claim should be processed within 72 hours, and I'll receive all my backpay. I'm still in shock that after 9 weeks of nothing, one day of focused effort following your advice made all the difference. I'll post another update when the money actually arrives.

I work in employment law (not for ESD) and can add some context here. When ESD determines you're "not at fault" for an overpayment, it means they've concluded you didn't misrepresent anything or try to collect benefits you knew you weren't entitled to. By law, they must refund any money you've already repaid on a non-fault overpayment. However, their internal processes weren't designed well for this scenario. Their collection system and refund system are separate, which causes delays. As others have suggested, call and specifically request to speak with the overpayment department. Be very clear that you've already paid the full amount and now have a determination letter saying you're not at fault. Use those exact terms. They may tell you to wait for automatic processing, but in my experience, these refunds rarely happen without direct follow-up from the claimant. Be politely persistent.

my cousin had this EXACT situation in 2023 and she neve rgot her money back because she waited too long to call them!! dont wait!!! ESD is terrible about this stuff u have to be super aggresive or they will just keep ur money