Anyone else getting overdraft fees because ESD payments are delayed?

OMG same boat!!! I've had $85 in overdraft fees so far from my insurance payment going through. Called ESD but just get the busy signal EVERY SINGLE TIME. This is ridiculous. I had to borrow money from my sister just to buy groceries this week. Can't believe they're allowed to just randomly delay payments without any warning.

Have you tried contacting your bank? I called mine to explain the situation and they actually reversed one of the overdraft fees as a \

Unfortunately, ESD doesn't have any program to reimburse overdraft fees, even when the delays are on their end. It's completely unfair, but I've been through this system for years and they consider banking fees to be separate from their benefit obligations. \n\nWhat you CAN do is submit a hardship request through your eServices account. Click on the \

Thank you for this tip about the hardship request. I didn't even know that was an option. Just checked my account and everything shows \

I had a similar issue back in January and finally got it resolved by contacting my state representative. Google \

This is actually great advice. My cousin works in our state rep's office and they handle ESD issues ALL THE TIME. They have direct contacts that regular people don't have access to. Definitely worth trying!

I know this is frustrating, but try contacting your bank too. Many banks have started offering grace periods for government benefit recipients specifically because of these kinds of delays. Chase and Bank of America both have policies where they'll waive overdraft fees if you can show that you're waiting on government benefits. Worth asking!\n\nAs for reaching ESD, I was in a similar situation last month and finally got through using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have a system that basically holds your place in line with ESD so you don't have to keep redialing. I was skeptical but it worked - got through to a real person in about 20 minutes after trying for days on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3\n\nGood luck - this system is truly maddening.

Thank you for the bank tip - I'll definitely try that approach. And I'll check out that Claimyr thing. At this point I'm desperate enough to try anything to get through to ESD. Just need to get this fixed before my rent is due next week or I'm in serious trouble.

lol welcome to the wonderful world of unemployment! ESD has been pulling this crap for years. They don't care about overdraft fees or your bills. Best advice is NEVER set up autopay when your income comes from ESD. Learned that lesson the hard way.

This isnt helpful at all. Not everyone has the luxury of paying bills manually. Some creditors REQUIRE autopay for certain terms or discounts. And many of us had consistent ESD payments for months before these random delays started happening.

I'm having the exact same issue!!! My benefits say

If your payment status shows \

Thank you! Just checked and my account number is correct but maybe there's some verification thing happening. I'll call my bank tomorrow morning and see if they can tell me if ESD attempted a deposit that was rejected.

I've been on unemployment three times in the past few years, and unfortunately, this is becoming more common. The system is just overwhelmed. Here's what has worked for me:\n\n1. Call your bank immediately and explain the situation. Ask them to temporarily disable overdraft protection or place a hold on automatic payments until your benefits arrive. Many banks will work with you.\n\n2. Document EVERYTHING. Keep records of all your weekly claims, confirmation numbers, and any communication with ESD. Take screenshots of your eServices account showing \

Thank you for these practical suggestions. I'm definitely going to call all my creditors tomorrow and explain the situation. I didn't think about keeping screenshots - that's a really good idea. And I'll look into legal aid if this drags on much longer. It helps to know I'm not alone in dealing with this nightmare.

My brother works at a bank and said they're seeing TONS of ESD delays right now. Something about a new payment processing system ESD is implementing. He said their branch has been reversing overdraft fees for customers with pending ESD deposits as a courtesy. Doesn't hurt to ask!