ESD claiming overpayment of $499 for week I never got paid for - help!

omg the EXACT same thing happened to me last month!! They said I owed like $600 something for a week I never even got paid for. Such BS. The system is totally broken. I filed an appeal but haven't heard anything back yet. good luck getting through to a human on the phone lol

Did you get any kind of confirmation number or email after you filed the appeal? I'm worried about doing it wrong and making things worse.

This might be related to a conditional payment. Sometimes ESD will pay you while they're verifying something, then later determine you weren't eligible. But if you never got the money to begin with, that doesn't make sense.\n\nCheck your ESD account online and look for a determination letter that explains the overpayment. There should be something under

I checked my account and found a letter from 3 weeks ago that I somehow missed. It says something about me reporting earnings incorrectly that week? But I didn't have ANY earnings that week, that's what's so frustrating! The letter mentions I have 30 days to appeal so I still have time, but I'm worried about doing it without talking to someone first.

I had a similar issue and what helped was getting through to a live person at ESD. After 2 weeks of failed attempts, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get connected to an ESD agent without the endless hold times. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3\n\nOnce I explained the situation to the agent, they could see in their system that it was a data entry error on their end. They fixed it right away and canceled the overpayment. Much better than waiting on an appeal!

is this legit? seems sketchy to use a third party service for unemployment stuff

It's just a call-back service, not like they're filing anything for you. They just get you on the phone with an actual ESD agent so you can explain your situation directly. Worked for me when I couldn't get through after trying for days.

Did u submit any earnings that week at all? Even if u clicked part time work but didnt mean too? becuz sometimes the system thinks you worked but didnt report income properly and thats why u didnt get paid. then later they audit and say u lied. happened to me

You know what, I think I might have clicked that I worked part-time that week by accident! But then I realized my mistake and put $0 for earnings. So maybe the system flagged it as inconsistent? But why would they say I owe $499 when my weekly benefit is only $323? That's what's really confusing me.

The difference between your weekly benefit amount ($323) and the overpayment amount ($499) is likely due to the federal pandemic supplement that was being added to claims. If this claim week was during the period when the $300 federal supplement was active, that would explain why the overpayment is higher than your base benefit amount.\n\nRegarding the error itself - if you indicated you worked part-time but reported $0 in earnings, that's a red flag in their system. The computer assumes you're not reporting wages correctly. \n\nYou have two options:\n\n1. File a formal appeal within 30 days of the determination letter date. This requires completing the appeal form online or by mail and possibly attending a hearing with the Office of Administrative Hearings.\n\n2. Contact ESD directly to explain the data entry error. They can sometimes fix these administrative errors without a formal appeal process.\n\nWhile waiting, continue filing your weekly claims properly to maintain your claim status.

Thank you so much for explaining this clearly! This makes sense now - the week in question was back in early 2025 when the temporary federal supplement was still active. I'll try to contact ESD directly first since it was just an honest mistake clicking the wrong box. If I can't get through, I'll file a formal appeal before the deadline. Really appreciate your help!

My sister works for ESD (not saying this to brag lol) and she says these data entry mistakes happen ALL THE TIME. People click the wrong box and the system goes haywire. Best bet is to file the appeal right away so you don't miss the deadline, but also try calling. Keep good records of all your attempts to contact them too.

the whole UI system is GARBAGE!!! I got an overpayment notice for $2,800 last year when I did everything right. Took 4 months to get it fixed and they still took $420 out of my tax refund before updating their system. I'm still fighting to get that back!!!!

That's terrible! Did you work with a taxpayer advocate? They can sometimes help with getting refund offsets returned faster.

UPDATE: I was finally able to speak with an ESD agent today. Turns out exactly what you all suggested - I had accidentally indicated I worked part-time that week but reported $0 earnings, which flagged the system. They could see it was a data entry error and are correcting it on their end! The agent said it will take 7-10 business days to process, but the overpayment notice should be canceled. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions.

Great news! Make sure to keep an eye on your online account to confirm the overpayment is removed from your account. Sometimes these things can get lost in the system. Glad you got it resolved!

how did u finally get thru to them?? been trying for days

I ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above. Normally I wouldn't try a third-party service, but I was desperate after not being able to get through for days. It worked - got a callback within about 40 minutes.