I had a similar experience a few months ago. After weeks of trying to call ESD and getting nowhere, I used Claimyr.com to get through to an agent. Found out my claim was stuck because of a simple system flag that needed manual clearing. The agent fixed it while I was on the phone and all my weeks switched from processing to paid within 48 hours. Seriously worth checking out their video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 if you're desperate to talk to someone at ESD.

Update: I FINALLY got through to ESD this morning! Called right at 8am like someone suggested. Turns out my claim has been in adjudication this whole time due to the contractor work I did last year. The agent said they need to verify my earnings from that period. She expedited my claim and said I should see movement within 7-10 business days. Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions!

Here's what's happening: ESD is conducting a systematic review of all 2020-2021 overpayment determinations following the USDOL directive 22-21. Many overpayments that were previously collected are now being retroactively waived if they meet certain criteria (non-fraud overpayments, agency error, etc.) By law (RCW 50.20.190), if your overpayment is waived after you've already repaid it, you are entitled to a refund with interest. However, ESD's system isn't automatically processing these refunds - you need to specifically request it. Call the Collections Unit at 866-697-4831 and specifically request a "refund of waived overpayment previously collected." Be prepared to verify your identity, provide your claim ID, and reference the determination letter number. They should be able to verify your payment history in their system. Documentation that may help: - Original overpayment notice from 2020 - Proof of your payments (bank statements) - The new waiver determination letter - Your claim ID and SSN for verification The refund typically takes 4-6 weeks to process once approved.

UPDATE: I finally got through to ESD this morning! I used that Claimyr service that someone recommended and it actually worked - got me through to an agent in about 30 minutes instead of endless hold. The agent confirmed that I'm eligible for a full refund of the $4,700 I paid back in 2020, plus interest! She said they've been reviewing thousands of pandemic-era overpayments and many are being waived retroactively. The refund will take 3-5 weeks to process and will come either as a direct deposit (if they still have my bank info) or a paper check. For anyone else in this situation - you MUST call them to request the refund. They don't process these automatically even after sending the waiver letter. Make sure you have your claim ID number and the waiver determination letter reference number when you call. Thanks everyone for your help!

While contacting the Governor's office can work in some cases, please be aware it's not a guaranteed solution. It's essentially an escalation path that can help when there are administrative delays, but it won't change legitimate disqualification decisions. If your claim is genuinely stuck in adjudication with no movement for 4+ weeks despite multiple contact attempts, this approach may help. But if you're in adjudication because of a quit, discharge, or availability issue, the Governor's office can only nudge ESD to process it, not change the outcome. In 2025, ESD is actually required to complete most adjudications within 21 days, but with current staffing issues, that timeline is often not met. Just be prepared that even with the Governor's intervention, some complex claims may still take time to resolve.

UPDATE: I called the Governor's office this morning after seeing this post. They took all my information and said they'd send an inquiry to ESD. Honestly didn't expect much, but I just got an email from ESD saying my adjudication has been assigned to an agent who will contact me within 24 hours! This actually works! Will update again when I hear from them.

ESD ALWAYS does this!!! Their system is designed to prevent people from filing! I had the exact same problem in January and guess what? My claim lapsed because I couldn't file on time and they denied my backdate request! Keep records of EVERYTHING - screenshots of errors, dates/times you tried to log in, and all your call attempts. You'll need this evidence when they inevitably try to blame you for their system failures.

Final update: SOLVED! I tried the Claimyr service someone suggested above and got through to ESD in about 15 minutes (after days of trying on my own). Turns out there WAS a security flag on my account because I had accessed the site from different IP addresses (home network and phone hotspot) which triggered their fraud detection system. The agent cleared the flag and had me reset my password, and now everything works! Thanks everyone for your help.

I don't see this option in his eServices account. Is this perhaps only available in certain counties or for certain types of claims? His claim is regular UI, not any special category.

It should be available statewide for all claim types. If he doesn't see it, it might be because his claim is already under some other special status. Have him call ESD directly to request the Conditional Job Search status - sometimes the online system lags behind what agents can do manually.