my cousin works for esd (not posting which office lol) and she says this happens ALL THE TIME. the computer system is from like 1985 or something ridiculous. she says the approval letter trumps the online status every time but you gotta call to get someone to manually fix it in the system.

UPDATE: I called ESD this morning (got through after 14 attempts) and spoke with a very helpful agent. She confirmed that my claim is APPROVED despite the online status showing disqualified. She manually removed the disqualification flag and said my backpay for the last 7 weeks should process within 48-72 hours! HUGE relief! Thanks everyone for your advice!

After you get through to ESD and fix the restart date, make sure to double-check that you've met the job search requirements for that week too. Even though it was for training, you still need to list 3 job search activities unless he has formal standby status. Just wanting to make sure you don't hit another roadblock after fixing the date issue!

Just to follow up - were you able to reach ESD and get the restart date fixed? Union training weeks can be tricky in the system, but they should be able to resolve this if you explain the situation clearly.

btw my friend who works at esd says they look at if u tried to fix the problem b4 quitting. like did u talk to ur boss about the overtime? did u try to fix the schedule? did u report to HR? make sure u have proof u tried to fix it first!!!

If you do decide to quit and file, be prepared for a LONG adjudication process. Quit claims almost always go to adjudication, which means an ESD adjudicator will interview both you and your employer separately. They'll ask detailed questions about the situation and want to see your evidence. I'd recommend preparing a written timeline of events with dates and a summary of how you tried to resolve the issues before quitting. Also, be ready for your employer to potentially fight your claim and present their own version of events.

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at ESD today! Turns out my adjudication issue was because my former employer contested my claim saying I was fired for misconduct (completely untrue - it was a documented layoff). The agent helped me submit the proper documentation to prove it was a reduction in workforce. Regarding the overpayment, I've submitted a waiver request with all the financial hardship documentation you guys suggested. The agent said they can put a temporary hold on collections while they review it. Seriously, thank you all for the advice. This has been so stressful, but I feel like I'm finally making progress. Will update again when I hear back about either issue.

in the same boat rn...cant get anyone on the phone and my landlord is NOT understanding at all. how did u finally get thru to someone? been trying for 2 weeks straight

lol remember when everyone was saying how much better ESD had gotten after the pandemic?? still the same old garbage systems and impossible to reach anyone 🙄

Quick update for you - I just helped someone last week with this exact situation. There's a specific form you should fill out called the "Request for Refund of Recouped Benefits" that you can find in your eServices account under "Upload a Document." This isn't well known, but it can start the process without having to call. Still, calling will speed things up considerably once you've submitted the form.

update us when u hear back! i hate how companies can just fire people for no reason during probation and then we have to stress about bills. good luck!

Thank you! I'll definitely update when I know more. You're right - at-will employment feels so one-sided sometimes.

has anyone tried going to the worksource office in person? i heard they can sometimes help with esd issues even though they're separate

UPDATE: I FINALLY got through! Used the 3:15pm timing suggestion and the menu shortcut from @casual_commenter. Was on hold for 47 minutes but finally spoke with someone. Turns out my claim was flagged because I quit my previous job when my husband got transferred. The agent was actually really helpful and explained that I need to provide documentation of my spouse's job offer and our relocation. She put notes on my account and said the adjudicator should review it within 7-10 business days. THANK YOU all for your help!!

just wondering did they send you warnings before disqualifying u? i got an email last week saying some of my job search logs were incomplete and i need to fix them but idk what to do

One more important thing about the appeals process: if you win your appeal, ESD will pay all benefits for the weeks that were held during the appeal process. However, you must continue filing your weekly claims during this time, even though you won't receive payments until after the appeal decision. If you don't file weekly claims while waiting for your appeal, you won't be paid for those weeks even if you win.

i had to do worksorce meeting too but im only 29 lol. they just make sure ur looking for jobs and stuff. kinda boring but no big deal. my brother is like 57 and he said they were actually pretty cool with him, helped him find a government job. maybe try that? goverment jobs like older people i think

Update: Just had my WorkSource appointment this morning and wanted to share for others in my situation. It was much better than expected! The counselor was actually close to retirement herself and totally understood my challenges. We talked about age-friendly employers in my area and she connected me with their 55+ program coordinator. They're helping me apply for a part-time bookkeeping position with a non-profit that specifically values experienced workers. She also explained exactly how to handle my job search requirements when I start receiving Social Security next month. Thanks everyone for the advice and support!

dont listen to the negative ppl here! i just went thru this in february and got my money in like 5 days after winning appeal. its fast now not like during covid when everything was slow

To answer your question about whether payments come individually or as a lump sum - it can actually be either! I've seen cases where all back payments come at once, and others where ESD processes each week separately, resulting in multiple deposits over a day or two. Also, important note: when they process your backpay, they'll withhold taxes if you elected for tax withholding on your initial application. You can verify or change this selection in your eServices account before payments are processed if needed.