I don't understand why people waste time with WorkSource when you could just CALL ESD directly!!! I got through after only 5 attempts and resolved my issue in one call. All these "shortcuts" people keep suggesting sound more complicated than just being persistent with the main phone line!!

Update: I went back to the WorkSource in Everett today and got more info about the UI Liaison schedule. Turns out they're only there Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am-3pm. The woman I spoke with confirmed they can see the same things the phone reps can see but don't have to deal with the massive call volumes so they can spend more time explaining things. I also signed up for 2 workshops while I was there (resume building and interview skills) which will count for my job search activities. So even if you can't see the UI Liaison, still worth checking out WorkSource for the workshops!

my cousin had to wait almost a year for his waiver and then they denied it anyway lol just saying dont get your hopes up too much the system is rigged

I had a similar issue but with a different timeline. For anyone dealing with overpayment waivers, here's what worked for me: 1. Request a Statement of Overpayment Account to verify exactly how much they say you owe and how much they've already recouped 2. Submit a hardship reduction request (Form ESD 640-001) to temporarily reduce the weekly amount they take 3. Check if your waiver was actually denied already - sometimes the notices go to spam or get lost 4. If it's been over 6 months, file a complaint with the ESD Commissioner's Office directly The hardship reduction form specifically asks about your income and expenses, and they can reduce the recoupment to as little as 10% of your weekly benefit rather than the default 50%.

for non-tech savvy people - they can also request it by phone. my dad had to do this. just need ssn and some personal info to verify identity

One more thing to add - if your friend received unemployment in 2024, they'll need the 1099-G for filing their 2024 taxes (which would be due April 2025). The 1099-G forms for 2024 should be available by January 31, 2025. If they're looking for 2023 benefits for filing their 2023 taxes, those forms should already be available in their account.

my neighbors cousins boyfriend works for esd and he says they've been super backlogged since they updated their computer system in march so lots of claims from then are still waiting to be processed manually

Update: I contacted my state rep this morning with all my claim info and received an email response within hours saying they've reached out to their ESD liaison! They said to expect contact within 5-7 business days. Also tried the Claimyr service mentioned below and actually got through to an ESD agent who confirmed my claim needs manual review due to my previous employer contesting it (something I wasn't told before). Thanks everyone for your advice - feeling more hopeful now!

By the way, make sure you're documenting EVERYTHING. When you called, who you talked to (if you get through), what they told you, etc. If your claim gets denied because of the adjudication, you might need to appeal, and having detailed records will help tremendously. I learned this the hard way.

UPDATE: I finally got through! Used the 7:59am trick AND I called on Thursday which seems to be less busy than Monday/Tuesday. The agent cleared up my adjudication issue in about 10 minutes - it was just a verification problem they needed to fix on their end. My standby status was also extended for another 4 weeks. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!