For anyone else experiencing this situation, here's what's happening: When ESD approves an overpayment waiver, two things occur: 1. The remaining balance of your overpayment is forgiven (reduced to zero) 2. Any money you already paid toward that overpayment is refunded to you The refund typically processes through ESD's payment system before the determination letter is generated by their notification system. This creates a situation where claimants often receive money before they receive an explanation. If you can't access your online account, it's likely because your claim status has changed, which sometimes triggers a security protocol requiring re-verification. You can request a new access code by mail through the SAW (Secure Access Washington) system. To confirm your waiver status without waiting for the letter, call ESD at 800-318-6022. Current wait times are extremely long (1-3 hours), so call early in the morning right when they open at 8:00 AM.

I forgot to mention - check your spam/junk mail folder! My determination letter got caught in my email spam filter. Also, after I finally got through to ESD, my online account started working again about 48 hours later. Apparently they have to manually reset something after a waiver approval.

I used Claimyr last week when I was in a similar situation (not disqualified but stuck in adjudication forever) and got through to ESD in about 15 minutes. The agent was able to see that there was a flag on my account that needed to be removed. Much better than spending days trying to call them directly.

UPDATE: I managed to get through to ESD today (after trying Claimyr - totally worth it). The agent confirmed my employer incorrectly reported that I quit. She put notes on my account and advised me to continue with my appeal. She said the appeal should be successful since I have documentation, but it will still take several weeks to process. For anyone facing similar issues - KEEP FILING YOUR WEEKLY CLAIMS even while disqualified! The agent emphasized this multiple times. Also, check your correspondence tab regularly for any letters requiring action. Thanks everyone for your help and advice. I'll update when my appeal is resolved.

My sister works for ESD (not speaking officially obvs) and she says ppl get confused about this all the time. The 6x rule is real but its actually about "requalifying" after you've already received benefits in your benefit year and had a break in your claim. For a totally new benefit year after your old one expired, its all about the 680 hrs in your base year. Also if your hours got reduced, def look into partial unemployment! You can sometimes get benefits if you're working part time depending on how much you earn compared to your weekly benefit amount.

Thanks everyone for the responses! Just to update - I called ESD (used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and got through in about 35 minutes). The agent confirmed I need BOTH the 680 hours AND earnings of at least 6x my previous weekly benefit amount. She checked my records and said I've earned enough to meet the 6x requirement but I'm still about 120 hours short of the 680 hours. So I'll need to keep working for another month or so before I can file a new claim. She also said I might qualify for partial unemployment now since my hours were cut significantly, but I'd need to file a new claim to find out for sure. I'm going to stick it out a bit longer to hit that 680 hour mark first.

not to be that person but have u tried gig work? doordash, uber, instacart etc? not great money but u can start like immediately and it might help while ur waiting for other assistance to kick in. plus then ur earning wages for next time u need unemployment

I work at a nonprofit that helps people navigate benefit systems. Two suggestions beyond what others have mentioned: 1. Contact your county's Coordinated Entry for housing assistance - they can often provide emergency rent help even while TANF is processing 2. Check with local churches and community action agencies - many have funds specifically for preventing eviction Also, Washington has strong eviction protections. Even if you can't pay on time, your landlord must provide a 14-day pay or vacate notice before filing an eviction. Use that time to gather resources. And if you receive an eviction notice, immediately contact the Eviction Defense Hotline at 1-855-657-8387 for free legal help.

The ESD system is COMPLETELY BROKEN for trades and seasonal workers!!! I spent 6 weeks trying to get my benefits approved during my last training period and then they wanted all kinds of additional documentation that wasn't listed anywhere on their website. By the time it was approved, my training was almost over. Make sure you start this process EARLY and document EVERYTHING. Take screenshots of every page you submit, record the names of every ESD agent you talk to, and follow up constantly. The system is designed to make you give up!!

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I'm going to: 1. File my initial claim at the start of Christmas break 2. Complete my waiting week during that time 3. Do the required job searches during the Christmas break period 4. Request the Training Benefits application for my February apprenticeship training 5. Get documentation from my training coordinator about the mandatory nature of the training 6. Keep detailed records of everything I submit I really appreciate all the insights and warnings about potential pitfalls. This community has been super helpful!