To summarize for everyone concerned about these refunds:\n\n1. Yes, they are legitimate refunds resulting from ESD's benefit calculation audit\n2. Official documentation is being mailed but is delayed (expect within 2 weeks)\n3. The money is yours to keep - it's a correction of an underpayment\n4. The refunds are taxable income for 2025 (will be on your 1099-G)\n5. If you need immediate confirmation, contacting ESD directly is your best option\n\nI hope this helps ease everyone's concerns. This is a rare case where ESD is actually correcting errors in the claimants' favor!

Thank you so much for this clear summary! I think I'll wait for the letter before spending the money, but I'm definitely feeling much better about the situation. Really appreciate everyone's input and experiences.

Let me just add something important - did you receive any written warnings before being fired? Was there a progressive discipline policy they were supposed to follow but didn't? Those details can really matter in your case, especially if they claim it was for performance but can't show they followed their own policies. And for what it's worth, I've seen claims get approved even when the employer responded late with their side of things, but the employee had good documentation showing the termination wasn't for misconduct or truly poor performance. So gather whatever evidence you can!

I had a similar thing happen and my claim was in adjudication for almost 6 weeks!!! Keep filing your weekly claims even though you're not getting paid yet. If they approve you, you'll get all the back payments at once. But yeah, the employer responding late doesn't automatically approve you - wish it did lol

This overpayment situation is actually quite common with PUA and other pandemic unemployment programs. The formal notices stating you're "not responsible for repayment of any kind" are likely the result of blanket overpayment waivers that were authorized by federal legislation for non-fraudulent COVID-related overpayments. What you're experiencing is a disconnect between ESD's waiver processing and their accounting systems. Here's what I would recommend: 1. Double-check that the notices specifically reference your current claim ID and the exact overpayment amount you're concerned about 2. Submit a records request through ESD's Public Records department (you can do this online) asking for all documents related to your overpayment balance and any waivers applied 3. Keep copies of all waiver notices in a safe place - these are your legal protection The lack of collection activity is actually a good sign that the waiver is recognized in their enforcement system, even if the accounting system still shows a balance. This is a known issue with ESD's outdated computer systems. Getting it fully resolved will likely require speaking with someone at ESD who has the authority to manually adjust your account.

A bunch of us at my old job got hit with these overpayment notices after COVID and almost everyone I know got them reduced or waived completely. But the ESD computer system is like ancient and doesn't update right. My cousin works for DSHS (different agency but they talk) and she said the notices saying your not responsible are the official legal document that matters, not what the computer shows. But yeah if u can get through to them somehow get them to correct the computer balance too just for peace of mind.

At my last job, I actually processed unemployment claims for the state of Nevada (similar system to WA). The training is incredibly intensive because one small mistake can cause massive overpayments or wrongful denials. I had three months of training and still made mistakes my first year. Accessing sensitive data also requires background checks and security clearances that take time. That said, ESD should absolutely implement a callback system rather than making people wait on hold. That technology exists and many other states use it. No excuse for not having that in 2025.

You can submit feedback about the callback suggestion through the Contact Us form on the ESD website, but honestly reaching out to your state representatives might be more effective. They have direct channels to ESD leadership and constituent complaints get prioritized. Worth a shot!

Try calling the technical support line instead of the main claims line. When you get someone from tech support, explain that you've been unable to reach claims for weeks. Sometimes they'll transfer you directly to a claims specialist, bypassing the main queue. Worked for me twice in the past month!

UPDATE: I finally got through!!! Used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above and was connected to an agent in about 30 mins. They fixed my claim issue right away - turns out there was a simple verification problem they could have solved in 5 minutes if I could have just reached them weeks ago! So frustrating but at least it's resolved now. Thanks everyone for your suggestions!