Washington Unemployment
CommunityGovernment Services
Can't reach Washington Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the ESD
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the ESD drops your call
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
COVID ESD overpayment showing $6000 balance but got 'not responsible' notice - still owe?
I've been dealing with this ESD overpayment nightmare since COVID and I'm beyond confused. I have two separate notices about an overpayment - both literally say I'm "not responsible for repayment of any kind" but there's still a $6000 balance showing in my account! The total amount has ping-ponged up and down at least a dozen times over the past few years (originally was around $12,000, then cut in half). The interest charges seem to have stopped completely, which is something I guess. Early in this mess, I managed to actually speak with an ESD rep who casually said "oh don't worry about it, this is happening to everybody" but I never got ANYTHING in writing confirming I don't need to repay. What's weird is I keep getting these monthly paper bills in the mail, but there's never been any collections action or anything urgent-sounding. When I log in, there's definitely a section where I could make payments on this "debt" but no explanation about whether I actually need to. Is there ANY way to find out if I legitimately owe this money without having to contact ESD directly? I've tried calling so many times but getting through is basically impossible these days. Has anyone else had their overpayment situation resolved without having to battle ESD customer service?
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ESD pandemic overpayment waiver taking forever - submitted in April 2025
I submitted my pandemic overpayment waiver to ESD back on April 17th and haven't heard ANYTHING back yet. It's been over 3 weeks now! My account still shows I owe $4,850 from that period when my employer temporarily closed. Has anyone else applied for one of these waivers recently? How long did it take for you to get a response? Getting really stressed about this hanging over my head...
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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.
Is ESD unemployment EVER straightforward? Or is everyone's claim a nightmare?
I swear I'm losing my mind with this ESD process. I filed for unemployment 3 weeks ago after being laid off from my warehouse supervisor position, and it's been nothing but problems. Every single person I talk to seems to have some horror story about waiting months, getting stuck in adjudication, or fighting to prove they're actually looking for work. Is there ANYONE out there who just... filed a claim and got their benefits without drama? Or is the system deliberately designed to be this frustrating? My claim is currently "pending" with no explanation, my messages go unanswered, and I've called 32 times this week without getting through. I'm starting to think unemployment benefits are like Bigfoot - everyone's heard of someone who got them, but nobody's actually seen it happen smoothly. What's your experience been?
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My brother got his no problem! 2 weeks and money started coming. Meanwhile im on week 6 of waiting lol. I think its just random luck honestly
its not random, its def based on your work history. if u had same employer for years and got laid off = easy. if u had multiple jobs or quit = nightmare
@OP - Just FYI, I used that Claimyr service I mentioned after trying to call the regular way for THREE WEEKS. The difference is they have some system that holds your place in line so you don't have to keep redialing. When I finally got through, the ESD agent told me my claim was just sitting there waiting for someone to review a document I had uploaded. She processed it while I was on the phone. Sometimes the claims just need a human touch to move them along in the system. The most frustrating part is not knowing WHY it's stuck or what you need to do. That's why getting through on the phone can make all the difference.
I'll second this approach. I didn't use that specific service, but I did finally get through after weeks of trying. The issue with my claim was so minor (they couldn't read my employer's name on a document) but it had stopped everything. Once I talked to someone, it was resolved in minutes. The system isn't designed for success without human intervention.
Can ESD freeze unemployment claims for suspected fraud?
So I'm super confused and kind of panicking. My boyfriend told me yesterday that ESD 'froze' his unemployment claim about two weeks ago because they suspected fraud on his account. He hasn't received any payments since then. I've been on unemployment before (thankfully employed now) and never experienced this or even heard about it. Is this actually a thing ESD does? Can they just stop paying benefits without warning? He's getting really behind on bills and acting weird about the whole situation. Part of me wonders if he's making this up, but I don't want to accuse him if this is legitimately something that happens. Has anyone dealt with an ESD fraud freeze before?
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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.
This is exactly what I needed to hear. A professional perspective helps a lot. I'm going to have a serious conversation with him tonight about what exactly ESD told him to do.
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.
Glad you got it figured out! Make sure he continues filing his weekly claims even while the hold is in place. Once they verify his identity, they should release all the held payments. And definitely have him call to confirm they received everything - it can speed up the process tremendously.
Impossible to reach ESD agents by phone - any working tricks to get through?
I've been trying for TWO WEEKS to speak with someone at ESD about my claim and I'm completely losing it! Every time I call, it's either 'high call volume' and immediate disconnect or I'm stuck on hold for 2+ hours only to get disconnected! They haven't responded to any of my messages through eServices either. At this point I need to talk to an actual human who can review my claim and answer my questions. Does anyone know any tricks for getting through? Are there specific times when the lines aren't completely jammed? Early morning? Late afternoon? Do they even answer calls on Fridays? I feel like I'm playing some sick lottery game just trying to get basic help with my benefits. I'm desperate here and bills are piling up. Any advice would be seriously appreciated!
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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!
I tried this yesterday and got yelled at by the tech support person who said they can't transfer to claims and that I was "gaming the system" by calling their line. So your mileage may vary with this approach...
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!
awesome! glad u got it figured out. the whole system is so broken its ridiculous.
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
AuthorI 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
AuthorThanks 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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