Washington Unemployment
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ESD demanding repayment but impossible to reach anyone by phone - help!
I'm at my wits end with ESD! They're demanding I repay $6,200 in benefits that were originally APPROVED. I've been trying to call them for 3 weeks straight to explain my situation, but every single time I get the same automated message saying 'all agents are busy' and then it disconnects me! No option to wait, no callback, nothing. I absolutely cannot afford this repayment - I used that money for rent and bills when I was laid off from construction work last winter. The determination letter mentions something about 'failure to report earnings' but that's completely wrong - I reported everything exactly as they asked. Has anyone successfully gotten through to a real person at ESD? What time of day should I be calling? Is there some secret number or extension I don't know about? I only have 27 days left to appeal this and I'm panicking.
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Won ESD overpayment appeal - will I get paid for disqualified weeks or just debt cancellation?
Just got my ESD appeal decision letter in the mail - I WON!!! After fighting a $5,800 overpayment for 4 months, the judge ruled in my favor. Super relieved about that part, but now I'm confused about what happens next. The weeks they had disqualified me for (which led to the overpayment notice) - will I actually get paid for those now? Or is the appeal win just wiping out the debt I supposedly owed them? My online account just shows the overpayment balance as $0 now, but there's nothing about backpay for those weeks they originally denied. Anyone been through this before? Should I be calling ESD to ask about this or just be happy they're not taking my money? Appreciate any insights from folks who've been in this situation.
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i dunno why everyones saying to call esd... have u checked ur bank account? sometimes they just deposit the money without updating the website lol
Yeah, I've been checking my account daily since I got the decision letter (about a week ago). Nothing there yet, unfortunately.
Based on your reply that it's about $4,200 for 7 weeks, that's definitely worth pursuing. While the system should automatically trigger these payments after an appeal win, there's often a disconnect between the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) and ESD's payment systems. Sometimes you need to specifically request what's called a "benefit reinstatement following appeal reversal" - that's the exact phrase that might help when talking to representatives. Also, make sure your current address and payment method are up-to-date in the system. I've seen cases where backpay was issued via paper check to an old address even when people had direct deposit set up.
Thank you! I'll definitely use that phrase when I call. And good point about checking my contact info - I moved about 6 months ago and though I updated my address in the system, it wouldn't hurt to verify everything is correct. Really appreciate the advice!
ESD denied my claim after quitting over tax fraud - employer never contacted for my side
I'm honestly shocked and need advice. I quit my accounting job ($40/hr as bookkeeper) because my employer was deliberately avoiding payroll taxes on employee bonuses. First time it happened, I processed bonuses properly through payroll with appropriate tax withholdings - got reprimanded for it. A month later, boss explicitly instructed me to process new bonuses ($500-1500 range) OFF payroll and code them as 'uniform expenses' (company doesn't even have uniforms). As the person signing quarterly tax forms, I wasn't comfortable falsifying documentation. I explained my concerns twice but was basically told to do it their way or else.\n\nJust got denied unemployment today. The determination letter says I 'failed to discuss changing illegal activities with employer' - except I absolutely DID. What's more frustrating is that no one from ESD even contacted me to hear my side before making this decision. How can they rule against me without investigating? I'm supposed to sign off on fraudulent tax documents to keep my job? Really regretting trying to do the right thing right now...
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ESD denied my claim while in medical assistant school - appealing 'not able and available' determination
Just got hit with a claim denial and I'm LIVID!!! ESD is saying I'm not 'able and available' for 40-hour work because I started medical assistant training. They classified my schooling as 'not in-demand' so I'm apparently ineligible for benefits. Here's the situation - I'm still technically employed at my healthcare facility (20hrs/week) but my hours were reduced from full-time. I enrolled in this MA program specifically to advance from entry-level healthcare work to something more stable. I've worked in healthcare for 5+ years paying into this system! The denial letter states I'm 'restricting my availability' but I'm available for ALL shifts outside my class times (evenings M/W/F and weekends). I've applied to 5+ jobs since starting school that would work with my schedule. I'm filing an appeal this week but have NO IDEA what evidence I need or how to prove medical assisting IS actually in demand (there are literally hundreds of open positions in my area). Has anyone successfully appealed an 'able and available' determination while in school? What evidence worked? Can I get this escalated beyond the normal appeals process? I'm desperate - rent is due in 2 weeks and I was counting on these benefits that I EARNED.
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This happened to me too!!! The whole system is rigged against students. I got denied because of "school conflicts" even though I could work weekends and evenings. It's so frustrating. Let us know how your appeal goes - I gave up and didn't fight it.
One more thing - when you file your appeal, check the box requesting an IN-PERSON hearing if possible (not phone). Statistical data shows appeal approval rates are higher for in-person hearings versus phone hearings. Bring all your documents organized in a folder with tabs. Also, in your situation, the Training Benefits program really does sound like the best option. You can apply for it separately from your appeal. If approved, it would override the able and available issue completely. The application is on the ESD website under "Services" then "Training Benefits" - there's a downloadable form.
I just looked up the Training Benefits program and filled out the application! It specifically mentions healthcare training as a priority area. I had no idea this existed - thank you so much for pointing me in this direction. I'll still proceed with my appeal but this seems like it might solve the whole problem.
ESD weekly claim filing system not showing option to file this week - anyone else having issues?
I'm having an issue with filing my husband's weekly claim this morning. He has an active claim that's been working fine up until now, but when I logged in to help him file for this week, the option to file isn't even showing up! His claim status still shows as active and everything else looks normal. He's supposed to file today (Sunday) as usual but the system just isn't giving us that option. We've already tried logging out, clearing browser cache, and even using a different device, but nothing's working. Is the ESD system down or glitched? Anyone else experiencing this problem today? Getting really anxious as we can't afford to miss a week of benefits right now.
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UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know it's working now! Just successfully filed my husband's weekly claim. Looks like it was some kind of system glitch that got fixed. For anyone else having this issue, try logging in again now.
just tried and mine is working now too! typical esd... create panic for no reason then magically fix it without any explanation 🤦♀️
Glad to hear it's resolved! For future reference, when this happens again (because let's be honest, it probably will at some point), there are a few official ways to check system status: 1. ESD's Twitter account sometimes posts about known outages 2. The technical support email (esditprod@esd.wa.gov) will sometimes respond with an auto-reply if there's a known issue 3. The recorded message on the main claims line occasionally updates to mention system issues Also remember that even if you can't file on Sunday, you have until Saturday of the following week before it's considered late. So there's usually no need to panic if the system is down for a day.
This is really helpful info, thank you! I didn't know about checking their Twitter for updates. Will definitely remember these tips for next time there's an issue. And you're right about having until Saturday - I just get anxious because we really depend on that payment coming on time.
Millie Long
Regarding your original question about best times to call - ESD's phone lines open at 8am and your best chance is to call exactly at 8:00:00. Not 8:01, not 7:59 - exactly when they open. Have your claim ID and all information ready. Mondays and Tuesdays are typically the busiest days, so Wednesday through Friday may offer slightly better odds. That said, using the Claimyr service someone mentioned is probably more reliable than hoping to get through on your own.
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Santiago Diaz
Ive tried calling at exactly 8am for weeks and still get disconnected everytime. its all luck
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Riya Sharma
UPDATE: I used Claimyr this morning and actually got through to an ESD agent! She was really helpful and went through my file with me. Turns out they had mixed up some of my reported earnings with another claimant who has a similar name! She said she's flagging it for correction and will be sending me a revised determination that should reduce my overpayment significantly. She also put notes in my file documenting the error and extended my appeal deadline by 14 days to give time for the correction to process. SUCH a relief - worth every penny to finally talk to someone who could actually help. Thanks everyone for your advice!
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Victoria Brown
That's fantastic news! Make sure to get the agent's name and ID number for your records, and follow up in a week if you don't see the revised determination in your online account. I'd still recommend submitting a precautionary appeal before the original deadline just to be safe, noting that you've spoken with an agent who's working on correcting the issue.
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