ESD claiming I owe $4,750 in overpayment from 2020 - just got notice after 5 years!

Yes, ESD has been sending out a LOT of these notices recently. They have 5 years to assess overpayments, so they're getting them out right before that deadline. You need to appeal this ASAP - you only have 30 days from the date on the letter. Look for the appeal instructions at the bottom of your determination letter. When you appeal, you'll need to explain why you believe you weren't overpaid and provide any documentation you have from that time period (layoff notice, zero income proof, etc.).

OMG ME TOO!!!!! just got a letter saying i owe like $3200 from 2020!! this is SUCH bull**** how do they expect anyone to remember details from 5 YEARS ago during a global crisis????? i was literally just trying to survive and now this??? the govmnt always screws the little guy

I got a similar notice last month claiming I had an overpayment of $6,300. What I discovered was they were saying I didn't report some 1099 work I did during one month, but I absolutely DID report it each week. When I appealed and sent them screenshots of my weekly claim confirmations (thank god I saved them!), they reversed the decision pretty quickly. Definitely appeal, but know that the burden of proof is unfortunately on you. You'll need to prove you DIDN'T have earnings, which is harder than proving you did. If you have bank statements from that period showing no deposits except unemployment, that might help.

have u tried calling them? maybe its just a mistake in their system and they can fix it without making u do the whole appeal thing

I've been helping several clients with these pandemic-era overpayment notices. Here's what you need to understand: 1. ESD is conducting mass reviews of pandemic claims before the 5-year statute of limitations expires 2. You need to file your appeal within 30 days - this is NON-NEGOTIABLE 3. During appeal, you can request a "stay" on collection, which means you don't have to pay until it's resolved 4. You should request all records ESD has on your claim through their records request process 5. Look for specific weeks they're claiming overpayment for and focus your defense on those Many of these are system errors or misinterpretations of the pandemic-era rules, which were constantly changing. Don't panic, but do take immediate action on your appeal.

Listen, I went through this exact same nightmare scenario back in January. Got a $5,200 overpayment notice out of nowhere. I spent WEEKS trying to get through to ESD with no luck - constant busy signals, disconnects, and never getting past the automated system. Then I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual ESD agent in about 25 minutes. They have this system that basically waits on hold for you and calls when an agent is available. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The ESD agent was actually really helpful once I got through and explained that there was an employer reporting error. They put a hold on my case while they investigated. Still dealing with it, but at least I'm not getting collection notices now.

When I worked as a server back in 2019-2020, I had something similar happen. It turned out my restaurant had reported that they paid me for 2 weeks of training in March 2020 when they actually hadn't (they closed before I ever started). The ESD system automatically flagged it as unreported income. The appeals process is actually pretty straightforward. You basically write a letter explaining your situation and send in any proof you have. I won my appeal because the restaurant owner confirmed I never actually worked or got paid. Don't stress too much - a lot of these are automated system flags that a human can easily fix.

My cousin's wife's brother got one of these notices for $12,000! She said he had to set up a payment plan for like $50/month for basically the rest of his life lol. The whole unemployment system is a scam if you ask me. They give you money when you're desperate then come back years later saying oops just kidding pay it all back.

One more thing that might help - request a detailed breakdown of exactly WHICH weeks they're claiming overpayment for. The notice should have this info, but sometimes it's not clear. Once you know the specific weeks, check if you can access your old weekly claim certifications in your ESD account history. The system usually keeps these records, though they might be archived. Also, if you file an appeal, you'll automatically get scheduled for a hearing with the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH). This is actually good because it gives you a chance to explain your situation to a judge who isn't part of ESD.

One more tip: If your appeal is denied, you can still request a waiver of the overpayment based on financial hardship. There's a specific form for this on the ESD website. They'll look at your current income and expenses to determine if repaying would cause significant hardship. I've seen many pandemic-era overpayments waived this way, especially for people who are still struggling financially.