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ESD payment shows 'paid' since Dec 29th but not on KeyBank card - holiday delay?
Hey everyone, I'm a bit confused about my back payments from ESD. My online account shows they've been marked as 'paid' since December 29th, but I haven't seen the money show up yet. I still have my KeyBank debit card from my previous unemployment claim. Will these new payments go onto that same card, or are they sending me a new one? It's January 3rd now and I still don't see any funds available. Could the holiday break be causing the delay? Getting kind of anxious since I've got rent coming up soon. Thanks for any help!
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ESD disqualified me after job ended - missed December letter while not logging in - appeal with OAH?
I'm so stressed right now! I was on unemployment last year, then found a job in January 2025 and stopped filing weekly claims. Well, the job only lasted about 3 months (company had financial issues), so I went back to the ESD website to reopen my claim last week. When I logged in, I discovered there was a letter from February asking for information about my new employment that I completely missed because I stopped checking my eServices account after finding work. I went ahead and completed the reopen claim process anyway and entered all my employer info. Yesterday I was actually able to file a weekly claim and thought everything was good, but I checked this morning and my status shows 'DISQUALIFIED'! I'm absolutely crushed because my initial claim took almost 7 weeks to process the first time around. Do I need to file an appeal with the Office of Administrative Hearings now? Has anyone gone through the OAH appeal process, and how long does it typically take? I'm worried about bills piling up while waiting...
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I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above when I was in appeal limbo. Got through to ESD in about 1.5 hours instead of days of redialing. The agent I spoke with actually helped me understand exactly what documentation I needed for my appeal. Totally worth it.
That's good to hear another positive experience with that service. I think I'll give it a try tomorrow morning. At this point, anything that helps me talk to an actual person at ESD seems worth trying.
UPDATE: I finally got through to ESD this morning! The agent explained that I was disqualified because they needed verification of my work separation. Since I didn't respond to the February letter (which I never saw), they automatically disqualified me. She said I can either appeal OR submit the separation verification now through my eServices account. I'm going to try uploading my documentation today and see if that resolves it without needing a formal appeal. Will update again when I know more. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!
That's excellent news! Uploading the documentation is definitely the faster route. Even if you end up needing to appeal later, at least you've started the process of resolving it. Keep us posted!
ESD denied claim after quitting due to bereavement discrimination - too late to appeal?
I'm in a really tough spot and could use some advice from anyone who's been through something similar. I quit my job in October 2023 after what I felt was disrespectful treatment during multiple family losses. I had bereavement leave approved (but only paid for one day) when my grandfather passed in early 2023, then again when my father died in July. When my other grandfather died in October, I requested time off to attend the funeral - even said I'd take it unpaid - and my manager made a really inappropriate comment asking "how many more bereavements are you going to request?" I was devastated and quit that same day. Weirdly, they approved my bereavement request the next day, then terminated me officially the day after that. I didn't apply for unemployment until March 2024 because my wife was hospitalized for almost 2 months and I was focused on her care. ESD asked for documentation but I missed their deadline while dealing with my wife's medical situation. They denied my claim and I'm still unemployed despite applying to jobs constantly. Do I have any options to appeal this decision now? Can I explain the delay in both applying and responding to their documentation request? Any advice would be so appreciated.
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One more thing - if your appeal deadline has already passed, you can request a "good cause" exception for filing a late appeal. The same situation with your wife's hospitalization that prevented you from responding to their documentation request could potentially qualify as good cause for filing a late appeal. Make sure to submit medical documentation and be very specific about how it prevented you from meeting the deadlines.
This is correct. ESD does allow for late appeals in some circumstances. Be aware that the standard is fairly strict - they'll want to see that you were effectively unable to file on time, not just that it was difficult. Hospital documentation showing your wife was in critical condition and you were her primary caretaker would be ideal evidence. The fact that you were dealing with multiple family deaths plus a hospitalization creates a compelling case for extending deadlines.
my cousin works at a call center and says most ppl get denied at first just to see if theyll give up!! its like a test!! dont give up man
This isn't accurate. ESD doesn't deny claims as a "test" - they follow specific legal guidelines. Claims are denied when they don't meet the eligibility requirements based on the information provided. That said, many initial denials are overturned on appeal when additional information is presented or when the claimant clarifies misunderstandings about their situation.
ESD overpayment waiver approved but no refund yet - how long to wait?
Just got an official ESD letter dated 5/22/25 saying my overpayment waiver was APPROVED and I 'do not have to repay the overpayment.' But here's the thing - I already paid back over $4,300 to ESD about 3 years ago! The letter doesn't say anything about refunding me what I've already paid. Has anyone else been through this? How long does it typically take to get your money back after a waiver approval? Do I need to call them or will they automatically process the refund? Starting to worry they'll just keep my money...
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Wait so they made you pay back the money and then 3 years later decided you didn't need to pay it after all??? That's crazy! I'm dealing with an overpayment notice right now but haven't paid anything yet. Hope your refund comes through soon!
Yes, exactly. I was told I had to pay immediately or face collections, so I paid the full amount. Only now, 3 years later, they review my case and decide I shouldn't have had to pay. The system is completely backwards. If you're dealing with an overpayment now, definitely look into filing a waiver request BEFORE you pay anything!
I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Got my waiver approval last week after paying $2800 last year. Called this morning and was told I need to email overpayment@esd.wa.gov with my approval letter, claimant ID, and proof of payment. The rep said it would take "at least 8 weeks" for processing after they receive the email. This whole system is just designed to make it as difficult as possible to get your own money back!
Thanks for sharing your experience - at least now I know what email to use. Did they say what counts as valid "proof of payment"? I paid by check but I'm not sure if I still have the cancelled check images from 3 years ago.
They told me bank statements showing the withdrawal or check clearing would work, or copies of receipts/confirmation emails from ESD when you made the payment. I'm digging through old emails now trying to find something. Such a hassle!!
ESD showing incorrect employers on husband's claim during adjudication - how to fix?
My husband's unemployment claim has been stuck in adjudication for 2 weeks now because of an employer issue that's happened before. His ESD account correctly shows his actual employer (a construction company), but there are also TWO completely random companies listed that he's never worked for! One is some retail store and the other is a restaurant chain. The weird part is that the "wage name" for these companies isn't even his name - it's someone else's! This exact same thing happened back in 2022, and it took over 5 weeks to resolve before his benefits were finally paid, but apparently they never fixed whatever is causing this in their system. Has anyone dealt with this identity/employer mix-up? I've been trying to reach someone at ESD for days but keep getting the dreaded "high call volume" message and disconnected. Any advice on getting these wrong employers removed from his claim? We're starting to worry about bills piling up while this drags on.
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did your husband recently change his name or anything? my cousin had something similar happen after she got married and changed her last name. ESD had her old and new name as different people somehow and it was a total mess!
No name changes, which makes it even stranger! It's literally someone else's name appearing as the wage earner for these companies. I'm starting to wonder if there's someone with a similar SSN.
After reading through this thread, I want to clarify something important: This is almost certainly a database association error, not identity theft. ESD's wage record system occasionally creates erroneous employer associations when processing quarterly wage reports, especially with similar SSNs or data entry errors. The good news is that once your husband speaks with a claims specialist, the resolution process is straightforward. The specialist will verify his identity, confirm which employers are legitimate, then remove the incorrect associations manually in the system. After that, the claim will be released from adjudication and processed normally. To expedite this, have the following ready when he calls: 1. His ID and SSN card 2. W-2s from his legitimate employer 3. A list of the incorrect employers shown on his claim 4. The approximate date when this issue occurred previously And as others have mentioned, he absolutely must continue filing weekly claims during this process.
Thank you for this reassurance! We've gathered all the documents you mentioned and will have them ready when we call. It's a relief to hear that once we actually speak to someone, the fix shouldn't be too complicated.
Natalie Wang
One time my payment went to my old address even though I updated my info. Maybe double check your contact info is current?
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Chloe Mitchell
That would only matter if they were getting a paper check. For KeyBank card deposits, the address doesn't affect fund transfers.
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Samantha Hall
Just to add a bit more info - ESD and KeyBank operate as separate entities. Once ESD shows "paid," the transaction is in KeyBank's hands. You can actually call KeyBank's unemployment debit card customer service directly at 1-866-295-2955 to check pending deposits. Sometimes they can see pending transfers before they're fully processed.
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Aaron Lee
AuthorUpdate: I called KeyBank, and they said there IS a pending deposit that should be available by tomorrow! Thank you all for the help and keeping me from panicking!
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