Washington Unemployment
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How long after paying ESD overpayment until weekly benefits resume?
Just finally managed to pay off a $2,800 overpayment from ESD after they determined I underreported some freelance income last winter. I've continued filing my weekly claims during this whole mess (going on 7 weeks now), but haven't received any benefits since the overpayment notice. My eServices account shows my claim is active and weekly claims are 'pending' status. It's been 5 days since I made the payment - how long should I expect to wait before my benefits start flowing again? My landlord is getting impatient and I'm down to eating ramen for every meal. Anyone dealt with this before?
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Can't get through to ESD by phone - constant busy signals since the system update
Has anyone else been getting constant busy signals when trying to call ESD since they updated their phone system last week? I've been trying every day this week, sometimes calling 20+ times a day, and I ALWAYS get the same automated message saying they're experiencing high call volume. My claim has been stuck in adjudication for almost 5 weeks now and I'm getting really worried because my standby status is about to expire and I need to talk to someone before I run out of money. I tried the online message center too but haven't gotten any response in 10 days. I'm getting desperate - does anyone know a trick to getting through to an actual person?
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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!
Great news! And thanks for updating the thread - it's helpful for others to see what worked. Make sure you check your ESD account in a couple of days to verify everything is processing correctly.
Where to find 1099-G tax form for ESD unemployment income?
I'm trying to help a friend locate their tax form for unemployment benefits they received last year. Where exactly on the ESD website can they find the 1099-G form for reporting unemployment income on their taxes? They're stressing because tax deadline is coming up soon and they don't remember getting anything in the mail. Is it somewhere in their eServices account? Any help would be really appreciated!
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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
That's helpful! My friend isn't very tech-savvy either, so calling might be easier for them.
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.
Thanks for clarifying! They received benefits in 2024, so they're trying to find the form for this year's taxes. I'll let them know to look in their eServices account.
ESD adjudication taking forever - filed May 29 and still waiting
I applied for unemployment on May 29th after getting laid off from my warehouse job (budget cuts, ugh). My claim has been stuck in 'adjudication in progress' for almost a month now! I check the ESD website every single day and nothing changes. Still the same status. I've called at least 15 times but either get disconnected or told the wait time is over 2 hours. I'm seriously stressing out because my rent is due next week ($1,750) and I barely have enough for groceries. My landlord isn't exactly the understanding type either. Has anyone else dealt with adjudication taking this long? Is there anything I can do to speed this up or at least find out what the holdup is? I'm really at my wit's end here.
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did u check if ur employer is contesting ur claim? that makes adjudication take way longer
I'm not sure - how would I find that out? My former supervisor seemed supportive when I told him I was applying for unemployment, but who knows what HR is doing.
Good news is that once adjudication is complete, you'll receive all back payments for eligible weeks at once. I know that doesn't help with immediate bills, but at least you'll eventually receive what you're entitled to. If your situation becomes dire while waiting, call 211 for referrals to emergency assistance programs in your area.
Thanks for the reminder about 211. I might need to use that resource if I can't get this resolved soon. At least knowing the backpay will eventually come is some comfort, though my landlord won't be as understanding.
Can I open an ESD claim now but wait to submit until after final paycheck in August?
My company just announced layoffs and I'm one of the affected employees. They said my final paycheck will come sometime in August (about 6 weeks from now). I'm trying to be proactive and get everything ready. Can I go ahead and create/open an unemployment claim with ESD now, but hold off on actually submitting or activating it until after I receive my final paycheck? I want to avoid any delays once I'm officially unemployed but don't want to mess anything up by applying too early. I've never filed for unemployment in Washington before and the whole process seems confusing. Thanks for any advice!
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The ESD system is so annoying. I'm still fighting with them over an overpayment notice from a job I had 6 months ago! They claim I didn't report income correctly but I absolutely did. Now they want $2,400 back! I've been trying to appeal but good luck getting anyone on the phone. The whole system is designed to be frustrating.
This is off-topic and might scare the OP unnecessarily. Most claims process normally without these kinds of issues. If you're dealing with an overpayment, you should submit a formal appeal through your eServices portal and/or consult with the Unemployment Law Project for free legal assistance.
To summarize what everyone's said: 1. Wait until your last day of work to file 2. File immediately after your last day (don't wait for final paycheck) 3. Report your final paycheck during weekly claims for the week you receive it 4. Prepare to do and document 3 job search activities every week 5. File weekly claims consistently, even during adjudication 6. Keep records of everything Good luck with your claim and job search!
Thank you all so much for the helpful advice! I feel much more prepared now. I'll get my documentation in order, file right after my last day, and make sure to keep up with the weekly claims and job search requirements. Really appreciate everyone taking the time to explain things!
Malik Johnson
dont they have a phone number specifically for overpayments? might be easier to get through on that line than the main number
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Ravi Sharma
Yes, the ESD Collections Office has a separate number: (360) 486-5817. They handle overpayment questions specifically and might have shorter wait times than the main UI claims line. Good suggestion!
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Isabella Ferreira
i honestly gave up on ever getting through to esd and just went to my local worksource office in person. took about an hour waiting but they were able to check on my claim status and confirm they received my payment. didn't speed anything up but at least i knew they had the money and it was being processed. my benefits started again about 2 weeks after payment.
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Omar Fawaz
THIS!!!! WorkSource offices can sometimes see things in the system even if they can't fix them directly. At least you get ANSWERS instead of being IGNORED!!!
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