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Have you checked your determination letters in your ESD account? Sometimes they send an explanation there even when nothing shows under pending issues. Also, did you meet all your job search requirements for that week? Missing job search activities can cause a disqualification even if you worked and reported earnings correctly. You need to complete 3 job search activities each week unless you have an approved standby status.
I just double-checked and don't see any new determination letters. And yes, I definitely did my job search activities - I always do at least 4 just to be safe. Based on what everyone is saying, I think it was just that I earned too much that week with my extra shift. I'll keep an eye on next week's claim to be sure.
wait i just remembered somthing - was December 17 a holiday week? cuz sometimes holiday pay counts as earnings even if u worked normal hours and that can push u over the limit
Just to follow up on some of the questions here - for those having trouble reaching ESD, the Claimyr service I mentioned earlier has been really helpful for my clients. Instead of waiting on hold for hours, it actually calls ESD for you and then connects you once an agent picks up. For overpayment issues specifically, you need to speak with the Benefit Payment Control unit, not the general claims agents. As for approval rates on hardship waivers, they have strict criteria, but financial hardship with dependents (like the original poster mentioned) is one of the stronger cases. Make sure you've clearly documented your income, expenses, and why repayment would cause significant hardship.
To answer your question about hardship waiver approvals - yes, they do approve them regularly, but the standards are strict. For a $43,000 overpayment, they scrutinize everything more carefully. They're looking at: - Whether the overpayment was your fault (not reporting income, etc.) or ESD's error - Your current income-to-expense ratio - Future earning potential - Number of dependents - Medical circumstances - Housing stability If you submitted comprehensive documentation of your hardship and have dependents, your chances are better than average. The approval rate for waiver requests overall is around 38-42%, but for documented hardship cases with dependents, it's closer to 65%.
This is really helpful info, thank you! The overpayment happened because my employer reported my return-to-work date incorrectly, and I didn't catch it until ESD audited my claim. I definitely documented all my expenses, including childcare costs which are enormous. Fingers crossed I fall into that 65%!
One more important detail: Make sure your husband answers "no" to the standby question unless ESD has specifically approved him for standby status. On-call work is different from official standby status, which requires ESD approval and is typically only granted in specific circumstances like temporary layoffs where you have a return date. And absolutely keep detailed records of all hours worked at the concert venue, including dates, times, and pay. If ESD ever questions his claims, having this documentation will be essential.
Did your husband register with WorkSource yet? They make you do 3 job searches every week now and my cousin got his benefits cancelled when he forgot to log them!
Make sure you're also aware of the difference between your "hours worked" and "hours offered" - if your employer offers you full-time work (whatever that means for them) and you decline those hours to stay on unemployment, ESD could potentially disqualify you for refusing suitable work. So be careful how you handle the conversation with your manager. When you report your weekly claim, you need to report any hours offered that you turned down, not just hours you actually worked.
back when i filed in 2025 ESD told me that you have to report ALL EARNINGS regardless of how many hours and they calculate ur benefit. i think they deduct like 75% of what u earn from ur weekly amount?? So if u make $100 they take away $75 from ur benefit. i dunno exactly though just know u gotta report everything
You're on the right track, but the formula is that you can earn up to $5 with no deduction, then for earnings above $5, they deduct dollar-for-dollar from your weekly benefit amount. So if your WBA is $400 and you earn $105, they would deduct $100 (everything above the $5 threshold) and you'd receive $300 for that week.
Luca Greco
Update: I had my interview yesterday and they offered me the job! 24 hours per week at $18/hour. Based on the calculation someone shared above, I'll actually come out ahead financially compared to just unemployment. I'm really glad I asked here before potentially turning down the opportunity. I'll update again once I've filed my first partial unemployment claim to let everyone know how it goes!
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Nia Thompson
•congrats on the job!! thats great news!
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GalacticGladiator
just wondering - when u report ur part time work on ur weekly claim do u report the hours u actually worked that week or the hours that were on ur paycheck for that week? my pay periods dont line up with the esd weeks and im confused how to report it
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Mateo Rodriguez
•Always report the hours you actually worked during the ESD claim week (Sunday through Saturday), not what appears on your paycheck. ESD is concerned with when you performed the work, not when you got paid for it. Keep a daily record of your hours to make accurate weekly reporting easier.
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