I'm in a similar situation and have been researching this extensively. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that Washington State also has a Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program if your job loss was due to foreign trade impacts. It's pretty specific criteria but worth checking if it applies to your situation. Also, if you're a veteran, there are additional unemployment benefit extensions available through the VA that run parallel to regular UI. These programs aren't well-publicized but could provide extra weeks of benefits if you qualify. Definitely worth asking Washington ESD about these when you finally get through to someone.

I'm in a somewhat similar boat - about 4 months into my benefits with maybe a month left. Reading through all these responses has been really eye-opening about options I didn't even know existed. The TAA program and Worker Retraining Program sound particularly interesting. I think the biggest takeaway for me is that there are way more specialized programs available than Washington ESD actively advertises, but you have to know to ask about them specifically. It's frustrating that you have to dig this deep just to find out what assistance might be available. Has anyone actually gone through the Worker Retraining Program? I'm curious about the application process and what kinds of training they approve.

Some additional insights that might help those waiting for refunds: - The refund process is handled by a completely separate department from the waiver approval team - Refunds over $5,000 require additional verification steps and take longer - If you made payments while under an active payment plan, the refund is typically faster than if you made lump sum payments - The fiscal year transition (June-July) can cause additional delays - If your banking information has changed since you made payments, notify ESD immediately to avoid further delays For the original poster, since your amount is $2,800, you're in the standard processing category which is generally more predictable.

I'm in a very similar situation - got my overpayment waiver approved about 3 weeks ago after paying back $3,200. Reading through everyone's experiences here is really helpful but also shows how inconsistent the process is! It sounds like I should expect anywhere from 4-8 weeks total based on what people are sharing. The fact that there's no way to track the refund status online is so frustrating. I guess I'll just have to keep checking my bank account and hope for the best. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines - at least now I know I'm not the only one dealing with this uncertainty!

Has anyone actually received their 2025 payment yet??? Or are we all just waiting and speculating?? 😤

I'm in the same boat as everyone else - still waiting on my 2025 WFTC payment! I applied back in January right after filing my taxes, but my MyDOR account just shows "application under review." It's frustrating because I really need that money for rent. I called the DOR number someone mentioned (360-763-7300) yesterday and they said my application looks complete, just waiting for the April 5th processing batch. At least now I know it's not an ESD issue - I was checking the wrong website this whole time! Fingers crossed we all get our payments soon.

Bottom line advice: get professional guidance before making any decisions. This isn't something to figure out through trial and error because the financial consequences of getting it wrong are too high.

I've been following this discussion and wanted to add that Washington State also has Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) which might be relevant to your situation. It's different from both unemployment and disability - it's for when you can't work due to a serious health condition but may return to work later. You might want to look into whether your back condition qualifies for PFML benefits instead of or in addition to the other options you're considering. The eligibility requirements and how it interacts with other benefits could be worth exploring.

Thank you all so much for the helpful information! I'm going to start tracking my design work hours more carefully and report the gross earnings during the week I actually do the work. I'll make sure to stay under that 25% threshold when possible to maximize my benefits while I'm job hunting. This community has been way more helpful than the ESD website!

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who does freelance photography while on UI - I've found it really helpful to use a simple spreadsheet to track everything weekly. I have columns for: date of work, client/project, hours worked, gross earnings, and notes. This makes it super easy when I file my weekly claim and also gives me documentation if ESD ever audits me. Also, don't forget that if you work more than your "full-time" hours in a week (usually 40), you might be considered unavailable for work that week even if your earnings are below the threshold. The availability requirement is separate from the earnings deduction!