Washington Unemployment

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Can't reach Washington Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.

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Unexpected ESD deposit after overpayment waiver - normal or mistake?

So I just checked my bank account this morning and found a $2,240 deposit from ESD that I wasn't expecting at all! About 14 months ago I had to pay back some benefits because they said I didn't report my vacation pay correctly (totally my mistake, I didn't understand the form). I submitted one of those overpayment waiver requests after paying back about $1,800, but never heard anything after that. I honestly forgot about it until today when this money showed up. Has anyone else randomly received money back after an overpayment situation? Should I be worried they made a mistake and will ask for it back? I don't want to spend it if I'm going to get in trouble later!

Just to clarify what's happening with these delayed waiver approvals: In 2024, ESD implemented a new review process for overpayment waivers that had been backlogged during the pandemic recovery period. They're currently processing waivers submitted between June 2023 and April 2025, working through them in batches. For overpayments related to simple reporting errors (like vacation pay misunderstandings), they're typically approving these waivers if: 1. You made a good faith effort to report correctly 2. The error wasn't fraudulent 3. You responded promptly to the overpayment notice When approved, you'll receive a refund of amounts paid plus interest calculated at 1% per month. The deposit usually comes 3-5 business days before the official determination letter appears in your account. This is all perfectly normal and you don't need to worry about them asking for it back unless there was fraud involved in your original claim.

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Thank you so much for the detailed explanation! That timeline makes sense - I submitted my waiver around October 2023. Definitely no fraud on my part, just confusion about how to report vacation pay when I was laid off. This is such a relief!

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anybody else think its weird that they just drop money in ur account with zero warning? like what if someone closed that bank account or something

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lol right?? my old roomate moved to oregon and closed his WA bank account and he told me ESD tried to deposit something but it bounced back. took him like 6 months to get them to mail him a check instead

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Multiple adjudication issues piling up on ESD claim - separation and able/available flags

I'm at my wits end with my unemployment claim! Started in February 2025 and was marked as 'active' right away, but I keep getting new adjudication issues every few weeks. Now I have 8 DIFFERENT claims pending! Under pending issues, two of my previous employers are listed with 'separation from job' flags, plus there's an 'able and available' issue. My weekly payments have completely stopped while all this gets sorted out. I'm so confused about what information they even need from me at this point. I've uploaded all my termination paperwork from both jobs, and I've been doing my job search activities religiously. Do I need to call ESD directly? Will they contact me? Anyone dealt with multiple adjudication issues happening at once? I seriously need to get this resolved before I can't pay rent next month.

Just to add some perspective on timeframes - my claim had multiple adjudication issues last year (separation and able/available too), and it took exactly 11 weeks to resolve everything. But that was AFTER I managed to speak with an ESD representative who could see exactly what was happening with my claim. The system is frustratingly opaque until you can get someone on the phone. One important tip: when you do reach someone, ask them to document everything you discuss in your file notes. This helps if you have to call back later and speak with someone different. Also ask if there's anything specific you can upload to your account that might help speed things along.

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11 WEEKS??? omg i'm so screwed i can't wait that long

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Just checking back - were you able to get through to ESD? Any progress on your claim?

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I called the regular number about 20 times with no luck, so I ended up using that Claimyr service and got through in about 15 minutes! The agent confirmed both issues - the job separations were pending employer response (they have to respond within 10 days) and the able/available flag was indeed from mentioning my certification course. They're sending me a training benefits application just in case I do more courses in the future. Thanks everyone for your help!

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Finally got hired but confused about ESD mail - still need to file?

After 4 months of unemployment stress, I FINALLY got a job offer today! Starting next Monday at a manufacturing plant making $24/hr. Way better than my last gig and honestly a huge relief. But the HR person mentioned something about continuing to file unemployment claims for a couple weeks even after starting? Is that right or did I misunderstand? I don't want to accidentally commit fraud by claiming benefits while working, but I also don't want to miss important ESD communications. Anyone know what the proper procedure is when transitioning back to work? I'm worried about getting hit with an overpayment later.

i did this lastr year and heres wat they dont tell u... if ur new job pays u every 2 weeks but esd wants weekly filing it gets SUPER confusing to report ur wages correctly. like do u divide ur first paycheck by 2 and report half?? nobody explains this!!!!

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You actually report wages for the week you EARNED them, not when you got paid. So if you worked Monday-Friday and earned $800 that week, you report $800 for that claim week, even if your paycheck doesn't arrive until 2 weeks later. ESD cares about when you performed the work, not when the money hit your bank account.

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Amara Eze

Author

Thank you everyone for the advice! I'll definitely keep filing my weekly claims for at least a month after starting my new job, making sure to report all my hours and wages correctly. Better to be safe than end up with an overpayment notice months later. Excited about this new chapter but glad to know how to properly close out my unemployment claim!

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Good choice! And congratulations again on the new job - $24/hr in manufacturing is solid work. Best of luck with everything!

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ESD benefits stuck in pending status for 7 weeks - desperate for timeline info

I've been waiting in pending hell since my layoff the first week of January. It's going on 7 weeks now with ZERO communication from ESD about what's happening with my claim! All I see is 'pending' when I log in, and I've submitted everything they asked for. No indication of any issues or missing documents. I've been calling constantly but either get disconnected or told to 'just keep waiting.' My savings are nearly gone and rent is due next week. How is anyone supposed to survive when the system moves this slowly? Has anyone actually received benefits recently? Is this normal or is something wrong with my claim? I worked at the same company for 5 years before being laid off, so I definitely qualify. Getting desperate here!

Just wanted to update - I called my state rep after getting nowhere with regular ESD channels, and their constituent services person actually helped. Got a call from ESD 3 days later and they had a specialist review my claim. Found out it was stuck because of a system flag that incorrectly identified my separation reason. Got approved the next day with all back payments. Might be worth trying if you're still stuck.

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This gives me hope! I've emailed both my state reps but haven't heard back yet. Did you call or email them? I wonder if calling would be faster.

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I called first and then they had me send details by email. Definitely try calling - they were super helpful and understood how urgent unemployment issues are.

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Quick update on timelines based on what I'm hearing from other claimants: ESD is currently taking about 6-8 weeks to process claims that require adjudication. If your claim is straightforward with no issues, it should be faster (2-3 weeks). However, about 60% of new claims end up needing some form of adjudication. If you hit the 8-week mark with no resolution, that's when I'd recommend escalating through your state representative as others have suggested. In the meantime, make absolutely sure you're completing your weekly claims and any job search activities required.

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Thank you for this insight. I'm approaching the 8-week mark so I'll definitely follow up with my representatives if I don't see movement this week. I've been doing my job search activities and keeping detailed records just in case they ask for verification.

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Switching from Training Benefits to regular UI - expired benefit year issue

I just finished my Training Benefits program last week and now I need to apply for regular unemployment while job hunting in my new field. My benefit year expired about 3 weeks ago, and I'm totally confused about what to do next. Do I need to file a completely new claim since my benefit year expired? Or is there some kind of conversion process from Training Benefits to regular UI? I've sent 4 messages through eServices over the past 10 days but haven't gotten any response at all. I tried calling this morning right when they opened at 8:12am and got the automated message saying call volume is too high! I'm getting really worried because I have bills coming due. Has anyone gone through this transition from Training Benefits back to regular UI with an expired benefit year?

I just wanted to add that when you file your new claim, make sure you answer the question about being in an approved training program as "No" since you've completed it. I made that mistake and it caused confusion in my claim. Also, don't forget to update your resume in WorkSource with your new skills and certifications - that will help with your job search and it counts as one of your weekly job search activities!

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That's a great tip about updating my WorkSource resume counting as a job search activity! I'll definitely do that. And thanks for the warning about the training program question - I might have answered that incorrectly.

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Just following up - were you able to get through to ESD? If you're still having issues, another option is to contact your state representative's office. They often have direct channels to ESD and can help escalate your case.

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I tried that Claimyr service you mentioned and got through to an ESD agent this morning! It took about 40 minutes instead of days of calling. The agent confirmed I need to file a new claim and that I should upload my training completion certificate. They also said I might need to complete an adjudication interview about my training program but they'd try to expedite it. Thanks for all the help everyone!

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