Washington Unemployment
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First payment timing after waiting week - how long till deposit hits?
Just completed my waiting week with ESD and everything seems clean on my claim (no issues flagged, all docs uploaded correctly). I'm getting anxious about when I'll actually see money in my account though. My rent is due on the 15th and I'm cutting it close. When I file my first eligible week this Sunday, how long should I expect before the payment actually deposits? The ESD website just says "a few days" but that's pretty vague. Anyone with recent experience on payment timing? Does direct deposit hit faster than the debit card option?
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ESD approved my overpayment waiver - will they refund money I already paid back?
Just got amazing news! ESD finally approved my overpayment waiver that I submitted way back in August 2023 (took almost 2 years!). The letter says I'm no longer required to make payments on the $5,800 they initially said I owed from that pandemic period. Here's my question though - I already paid back about $1,200 before I submitted the waiver request. Does anyone know if ESD automatically refunds money already paid on an approved waiver? Or do I need to file some separate request to get that money back? The approval letter doesn't mention anything about refunding previous payments, and I really need that money back if possible. Has anyone been through this process and received a refund after waiver approval?
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off topic but has anyone had success getting ESD to correct wrong tax forms? they sent me a 1099G that's showing like $3k more than i actually got and I cant get anyone to call me back about it
This should be a separate thread, but since you asked - yes, you need to submit a 1099-G correction request through your eServices account. Go to the 1099-G section and there's a correction request option. Include documentation showing the correct payment amounts. If they don't respond within 30 days, call the tax document hotline at 360-486-2822 rather than the main ESD number.
FINAL UPDATE: Just wanted to close the loop on this for anyone who might search for this info in the future. It took almost 8 weeks, but I finally received my refund for the $1,200 I had previously paid! They sent it as a direct deposit to the same account where I originally received my unemployment benefits. No interest included, just the exact amount I had paid. The online status never updated to show the refund was processed - it just appeared in my account. So if you're waiting on a refund after an overpayment waiver approval, be patient and make sure you've submitted form #2266 with all your documentation!
Thanks for coming back and updating! This is actually faster than the current average processing time for refunds (which is around 10-12 weeks). Glad you got your money back!
Will working my part-time job the day before filing ESD claim affect my benefits?
Just found out I'm getting laid off this Friday when my full-time contract ends. I've got a second job I work maybe 10-15 days per year, and they want me to come in this Saturday. I was planning to file my unemployment claim on Sunday (the 30th). Will working this part-time gig the day before I file mess up my initial claim somehow? I'm completely new to ESD and have no idea about the timing rules or if this could reduce my benefits. Also wondering what documents/paperwork I should have ready when I file my claim. My main job was paying $63K annually if that matters. Any advice appreciated!
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ppl are saying report all jobs but i think theres a min dollar amount b4 u have to report it? like if u made under $50 in a week u dont have to?? anyone know 4 sure??
No, that's incorrect. You must report ALL earnings, even if it's just $1. There's no minimum threshold. ESD cross-references with employer tax records, so they'll find out if you earned anything you didn't report.
Another thing - if youre signing up for the first time, WRITE DOWN YOUR SECURITY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS EXACTLY!!! The system is super picky and if you forget how you capitalized something or used punctuation, you can get locked out of your account for DAYS. Ask me how I know lol 🤦♂️
Excellent tip - thank you! I'll definitely write everything down. I tend to forget exactly how I phrase security answers, so this could've been a real problem for me.
ESD demanding $15,000+ overpayment from my son - how common is this?
My son just got hit with an ESD overpayment notice for more than $15,000! I'm completely shocked at the amount. He's only 24 and there's no way he can pay this back anytime soon. The notice doesn't clearly explain WHY this happened - just some vague reference to 'eligibility redetermination.' I'm wondering how widespread this issue is? Has anyone else dealt with massive overpayment demands from ESD recently? I'm trying to understand if this is related to some policy change, a calculation error, or something specific to his situation. Also, what are our options here? Can these be appealed or set up on some kind of reasonable payment plan that won't completely destroy his finances? He was honest on all his claims and genuinely thought he was eligible when he filed in 2024.
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After helping several family members through overpayment situations, here's what I've learned: 1. The reason for the overpayment MATTERS in how you approach it 2. Job search related overpayments can sometimes be resolved by providing documentation after the fact 3. If he has ANY proof of job searches during those weeks (emails, application confirmations, etc.), gather them now 4. Request a payment plan WHILE also appealing - you can do both simultaneously One more tip: When he finally speaks with ESD, ask specifically about a "Section 3304(a)(4) waiver" if he can demonstrate financial hardship. Many agents won't mention this option unless specifically asked.
I've never heard of that specific waiver type! That's exactly the kind of information we need. He definitely has some proof of job searches (emails and application confirmations in his inbox), but probably not for every single week. Would partial documentation help?
woah $15,000 is crazy!!! that's way more than most of the overpayments i've heard about. has your son checked if his identity was stolen? sometimes scammers file claims using other peoples info and that could explain why the amount is so high?? just a thought
I hadn't considered identity theft! That's actually a really good point. I'll have him check his credit reports right away. Though I'm pretty sure he legitimately filed the claims himself, it's worth making sure nothing else strange is going on.
Can I still file weekly claim on 7/28 when my benefits end 7/27?
My benefit year is ending 7/27 and the ESD website shows I'm eligible for 2 more weekly payments. My question is - can I still file a claim on 7/28 for the week ending 7/27? Or does the system cut me off exactly on 7/27? I don't want to miss out on my final payment just because of timing. Anyone dealt with this before? I tried calling ESD but of course can't get through.
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my sister works for esd and she said people file after benefit year ends ALL THE TIME and its totally normal procedure, dont worry about it
Just an update for anyone finding this thread in the future: The law (RCW 50.04.030) defines a "week of unemployment" as any week within your benefit year where you meet eligibility requirements. The date you file the claim is irrelevant as long as you file within the allowable timeframe (usually within 1-2 weeks of the week ending date). This is standard procedure at ESD.
CaptainAwesome
One more thing to remember is that if there are any holidays (even ones you wouldn't think about like Presidents' Day), that can add an extra day to processing. Also, if you file later in the day on Sunday versus early morning, sometimes that can push you into the next processing batch. The ESD dashboard should update to show the payment amount and status before it actually hits your bank account, so that's a good way to know it's on the way.
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Yuki Tanaka
This is actually not true all the time! My dashboard showed "paid" for THREE DAYS before the money actually showed up. ESD told me it was "in transit" whatever that means. Their system is from like 1995 lol
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Esmeralda Gómez
wait, did u make sure to do your job search requirements during your waiting week too? if not, they might deny ur first payable week. happened to my brother
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Amara Okafor
AuthorOh! Yes I did my 3 job search activities during the waiting week and logged them when I filed. Thanks for the reminder though - that would've been a disaster if I missed that.
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