ESD overpayment waiver stuck for 15+ months - how long is the backlog?
I'm going crazy waiting for ESD to process my overpayment waiver request! I submitted it way back on May 12, 2023 (over 15 months ago now) and there's been absolutely zero movement. I've been consistently making $320 monthly payments during this entire waiting period and have managed to reduce my balance from around $22,000 down to $17,450. I did at least get them to waive the interest while my waiver is "under review" (if you can even call it that when nothing's happening). I'm completely in the dark about what's going on. Does anyone have insider knowledge about: 1. How big is the current backlog of overpayment waiver requests? 2. Is there any realistic timeline for when these pandemic-era waivers will finally get processed? 3. Should I just give up and accept I'll be paying this forever? Been calling the regular ESD number but either can't get through or get transferred to voicemail black holes. Starting to feel like they're just ignoring these requests hoping people will pay them back before they have to make a decision. Any insights would be hugely appreciated!
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Zainab Omar
I work as an employment counselor (not for ESD) and see this issue all the time with clients. The current backlog is absolutely massive - last I heard in June 2025, they were still processing waiver requests from early 2023. One of my clients just had their waiver from March 2023 finally processed last month. The unofficial estimate I've heard is they won't clear the pandemic-era backlog until at least mid-2026. The department had massive staffing cuts after the pandemic emergency ended, but the workload stayed enormous. Don't give up though! Keep making those payments to show good faith. If your waiver is approved, you should get refunded for overpayments made after the waiver request date. Document EVERYTHING - every payment, every call, every message.
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QuantumQuasar
•Thank you so much for this info! Mid-2026 is depressing but at least it's some kind of timeline. Do you know if they're processing them strictly in chronological order? Or are they prioritizing certain types of overpayment situations? Mine was due to their own calculation error that I reported multiple times.
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Connor Gallagher
im in the same boat!!! submitted my waver in feb 2023 and crickets since then. have been paying $100/mo for almost 2 years and still owe like $8k. they dont care AT ALL about us. system is so broken its a joke
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Yara Sayegh
•Not true that they don't care - my waiver was processed after 14 months of waiting & was approved. I got a full refund of all the payments I'd made (about $4,200 total). The people working there are overwhelmed but they do eventually get to everyone. You just have to keep following up.
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Keisha Johnson
If you want to actually get someone from ESD on the phone, I highly recommend using Claimyr. I was in the exact same situation with a $19K overpayment waiver pending for 13 months and couldn't get through calling normally. Claimyr got me connected to a live ESD agent in about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for weeks with no luck. The agent couldn't process my waiver on the spot but did enter notes in my file confirming it was still pending and escalated it. Two weeks later I got movement. Worth checking out their video explaining how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3
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QuantumQuasar
•I've never heard of this service - does it actually work? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point. Did you actually get your waiver processed faster after using it or just got more information?
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Keisha Johnson
•It definitely helped me get actual information instead of automated messages. The agent I spoke with confirmed my waiver was still in queue (not lost) and added an escalation note. About 2 weeks later I got a letter saying my waiver was being reviewed, which was the first update I'd had in over a year. Still waiting on the final decision but at least there's movement now.
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Paolo Longo
WHY are you still PAYING them???? If you requested a waiver you should have just STOPPED paying until they make a decision!!!! They're happy to take your money while making you wait forever. I stopped paying after I submitted my waiver and nothing bad happened to me. Save your money!!!
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CosmicCowboy
•This is dangerously incorrect advice. If your waiver is denied and you haven't been making payments, ESD can and will send your account to collections, garnish wages, and even intercept tax refunds. Additionally, not making required payments can be seen as evidence of not acting in good faith, which could negatively impact the waiver decision itself. Please don't spread misinformation that could harm others financially.
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Paolo Longo
•whatever, i did it and I'm fine. they cant keep up with anything anyway and I'm not giving them thousands while they sit on their butts for years
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Zainab Omar
I should also mention that if you haven't done so already, contact your state representative's office. They have constituent services specialists who can often get information from ESD when normal channels fail. I've had several clients get movement on their cases this way. It doesn't necessarily speed up the process dramatically, but it does often get you more information and ensures your case doesn't fall through the cracks.
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QuantumQuasar
•That's a great idea I hadn't thought of! Do you just contact the representative for your district? And is it better to call or email them about this kind of issue?
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Zainab Omar
•Yes, contact the rep for your district. Start with their website - most have a specific form or process for constituent services. Email is usually fine to start the process, but include your phone number. Be very specific about your situation, include your ESD claim ID number, the date you filed your waiver, and what you've done to try to resolve it. The more specific info you provide, the better they can help you.
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Amina Diallo
my cosin works at esd (not in overpayments dept tho) he says they r still working on Jan 2023 waivers rn... so ya ur looking at many more months sorry dude
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QuantumQuasar
•Ugh, that's what I was afraid of. Thanks for the inside info though - at least I can adjust my expectations. Did your cousin mention if they're hiring more people to help with the backlog?
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Oliver Schulz
Anyone know if ESD is actually APPROVING any of these waivers? Or are they just making us wait years only to deny everyone? I'm wondering if it's even worth continuing to wait or if I should just give up and keep paying. This system is crushing people financially and mentally.
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CosmicCowboy
•They are definitely approving waivers, but they're evaluating each one individually based on the criteria in WAC 192-220-028. The key factors are whether the overpayment was your fault, your financial situation, and if repayment would cause significant hardship. I've seen many pandemic-era overpayments get waived, especially ones caused by ESD calculation errors or unclear guidance. Don't give up hope - document your financial hardship carefully when they finally review your case.
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QuantumQuasar
Update: I just tried calling again today and finally got through to someone after a 2.5 hour wait! They confirmed my waiver request is still in the system but couldn't give me any specific timeline. The agent said they're still processing requests "in order" but admitted some complex cases take longer than others. She recommended I continue making payments until a decision is made. Not much new info but at least I know it's still in their system and wasn't lost or anything.
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Yara Sayegh
•That's actually a good sign they confirmed it's still in the system! I had a similar experience about 6 weeks before my waiver was finally processed. Keep hanging in there and definitely keep detailed records of every conversation, including the date/time and the name of any agent you speak with.
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