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i just called esd and the recording said 188 minute wait time!!! that's like 3 hours!! who has time for that??
This is exactly why I mentioned Claimyr earlier. Instead of waiting on hold for hours, they get you a callback from an ESD agent, typically within 1-2 hours. I've seen the wait time estimates go up to 4+ hours recently, which is ridiculous when people are trying to resolve important financial issues. The video on their site shows exactly how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3
Anyone else think it's INCREDIBLY SUSPICIOUS that ESD is suddenly offering these waivers right before the 5-year statute of limitations kicks in for pandemic unemployment claims??? It's like they're trying to get people to acknowledge the debts before they legally expire! Be careful what you sign!!!
This is incorrect information. The waiver program was mandated by federal guidelines, not created by ESD independently. Additionally, acknowledging an overpayment doesn't reset the statute of limitations in Washington for unemployment debt. The waivers are a legitimate way to have valid overpayments forgiven based on financial hardship or absence of fault. Please be careful about spreading misinformation that might prevent people from seeking legitimate relief.
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!
I work in HR and can confirm this is 100% legitimate. We've had several employees experience fraud holds in the past year. What's concerning is that ESD always sends very specific instructions about how to release the hold. Usually it involves uploading identification documents through their secure portal. If he's being vague about what steps he needs to take, that would make me suspicious.
Update: I talked to him and he showed me his eServices account. There actually is a fraud hold! He had a letter in his messages that he hadn't even opened asking for ID verification from 3 weeks ago! No wonder it's taking so long - he never responded to them! We're uploading his documents now. Thanks everyone for helping me understand this was a real thing and not made up.
Update on my earlier comment - I finally got through to a supervisor at ESD today and was told they actually do have a "trusted claimant" program they're rolling out for people with consistent seasonal claim history. It's not fully implemented yet, but you might want to specifically ask about it when you call. Apparently if you've had 3+ years of clean claims with the same seasonal pattern, you can request to be added to this expedited review process for future claims.
just got my first payment today!!! only took 5 weeks this time which is better than the 9 weeks last year i guess lol. progress?
Amara Okafor
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.
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Jamal Harris
•I never thought about doing a formal records request - that's a great idea! I'll look into that right away. And yes, the notices do reference my specific claim ID and mention the original overpayment amount (though not the current reduced amount). This makes me feel a bit better knowing it's a known systems issue rather than something unique to my situation.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
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.
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Jamal Harris
•Thanks for sharing that insider perspective! It's reassuring to hear that the notices are what legally matter. I'll definitely try to get the computer balance fixed too, just so I don't have to keep stressing about this.
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