ESD only paid half my benefits with no explanation letter - anyone else dealing with this?

r u sure ur work hours didn't go up? they reduce ur benefit when u report hours even if u havent been paid yet. check ur weekly claim confirmation page

This sounds like they're deducting child support, taxes, or there was an overpayment on a previous claim. ESD automatically withholds 50% of benefits for certain types of garnishments. Check your eServices account under 'Deductions' to see if there's any information there. Most notifications are electronic now, not mailed, so be sure you're checking all the tabs in your online account. Also, make sure your contact information is up to date. They might have sent something to an old address if you've moved recently.

The EXACT same thing happened to me in January!! I was supposed to get $743 and only got $371.50 with NO EXPLANATION whatsoever. Turns out after WEEKS of trying to get through that there was a child support enforcement order that I didn't even know about!!! The most INFURIATING part is that they don't send ANYTHING telling you this is happening. Like how hard would it be to at least notify people??? The child support office has to be the one to adjust the percentage - ESD just does what they're told to withhold. You need to contact the Division of Child Support at 800-442-KIDS.

In addition to checking your deductions as others suggested, I recommend submitting a secure message through your eServices account. Go to your dashboard, click on "Send a message," and select "Claim questions" as the category. Explain your situation and specifically ask why your payment was reduced. They're required to respond within 5-7 business days, which is often faster than getting through by phone. You can also check if there's a pending adjudication on your claim - look under the "Notices/Letters" section of your eServices account. Sometimes a pending issue will cause partial payment.

If you need to speak with an actual ESD agent faster, I highly recommend trying Claimyr. I was in the same frustrating loop of constantly getting disconnected until someone here mentioned it. It basically holds your place in line with ESD and calls you back when an agent is available. Saved me DAYS of redial hell! Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 I used it when my benefits suddenly changed and needed answers right away. Got through to a real person who fixed my issue in about 15 minutes!

They always do this!!! ESD is THE WORST at communication. I had a similar issue last fall and couldn't get answers for over a month. Keep calling and demand to speak to a supervisor if you get through. The front-line people often don't have the authority to explain or fix deduction issues. The whole system is designed to be impossible to navigate on purpose!

If it is child support, as you discovered in the Deductions section, here's what you need to know: 1. The 50% withholding is actually set by federal and state laws for income withholding orders, not by ESD's choice. 2. To request a modification of the withholding percentage, you need to contact the Division of Child Support (DCS) directly at 800-442-5437. ESD can't change this - they're just following the garnishment order. 3. You'll need to demonstrate financial hardship to DCS with documentation of your expenses vs. income to potentially get the withholding percentage reduced. 4. While waiting for that process, make sure you're aware of all available resources - food banks, energy assistance programs, and temporary rental assistance might help bridge the gap.

has anyone noticed that ESD notifications show up in spam folders sometimes??? might be worth checking there too. happened to my cousin last month

Based on what you've found out about the child support deduction, I wanted to add that you should make sure to print or save screenshots of your payment details from eServices. These will be important documentation if you need to request a modification from DCS. Also, when you do connect with DCS, ask them about the "need-based formula" - there's a calculation they use that might allow for a lower withholding percentage based on your basic living expenses.