ESD pandemic overpayment waiver announcement - anyone receive details?

I got an email about this too! From what I understand, they're reviewing cases where people got overpaid during the pandemic years but it wasn't their fault. Like if you got conflicting information from ESD or if they made a mistake calculating your benefits. The thing is, I'm not sure if 2023 qualifies since that's technically after the pandemic emergency ended. Have you tried calling them to ask specifically about your case?

The pandemic overpayment waiver program has actually been extended to include claims through December 2023, so your overpayment should be eligible for review. Here's what you need to know: 1. The waiver isn't automatic - you need to submit a form specifically requesting it 2. You'll need to explain why the overpayment wasn't your fault (like if you reported all info correctly but ESD calculated wrong) 3. You also need to demonstrate financial hardship (basically that paying it back would cause serious problems) Your best bet is to log into your eServices account and look for the "Request Overpayment Waiver" option under the notices section. If you don't see it there, you can download the form from the ESD website. Make sure to include any supporting documentation showing your financial situation. The processing time is currently around 6-8 weeks for decisions.

Yes, submitting a waiver request should pause collection activities while they review your case. Make sure to note on the form that they're threatening wage garnishment so they prioritize your case. If you can't find the form online, call the overpayment department directly at 866-697-4831 rather than the main ESD line - they're usually easier to reach.

If ur having trouble getting thru to ESD, try using claimyr.com - it got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes last week when I was dealing with an overpayment issue too. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 I was skeptical but it actually worked and saved me hours of frustration. The agent I talked to was super helpful and put notes in my account about the waiver request.

They didn't resolve it on the spot but they confirmed I qualified for the waiver program and flagged my account as 'pending waiver review' which stopped the collections process. They also sent me the right form for my specific situation and told me exactly what documentation to include. Made a huge difference compared to trying to figure it out on my own.

OK SO I WORK AT WORKSOURCE and we've been getting tons of questions about this new waiver program. Here's the ACTUAL deal because there's a lot of confusion: - The expanded program now covers ANY overpayment from March 2020 through December 2023 (not just pandemic benefits) - They're automatically reviewing ALL overpayments over $1000 but this takes time - You CAN request expedited review if you're facing hardship (wage garnishment, can't pay bills, etc) - If you already repaid some/all, you might get a refund if approved - The main criteria are: 1) not your fault and 2) financial hardship MOST IMPORTANT: If you have a deadline for repayment or garnishment, don't wait for the automatic review! File the waiver request IMMEDIATELY and call to confirm they received it!

Right now there's no way to check the status online unfortunately. The only way to confirm is to call. Expedited reviews are taking 2-3 weeks versus 6-8 weeks for standard review. Make sure to write "HARDSHIP REQUEST - EXPEDITE" in big letters at the top of your form!

i got hit with a $12,500 overpayment from 2022 and applied for the waiver program back in january... just got approved last week! took almost 4 months tho. my advice: document EVERYTHING. i sent them bank statements showing my bills, rent, debt, everything to prove hardship. also included emails showing that i asked ESD for clarification multiple times during the pandemic but got contradictory info from different agents. the overpayment wasnt my fault b/c they told me i was eligible when i actually wasnt.

no they didnt make me pay anything during the review but i had to call TWICE to make sure they noted my account as 'pending waiver review' otherwise they wouldve started collections. definitely call to confirm!!

UPDATE: I just got through to ESD using the Claimyr service someone suggested! The agent confirmed that my overpayment does qualify for the new waiver program. Apparently there was a glitch in their system that caused people who worked part-time in 2023 to be incorrectly flagged for overpayments even though they reported earnings correctly. This is exactly what happened to me! The agent sent me the special waiver form for this situation and marked my account as under review so collections will be paused for at least 60 days. She said they're prioritizing cases where the overpayment was clearly their error. What a relief! Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions.

im so confused abt all this... i got a $3200 overpayment notice but mine was from PUA not regular unemployment... does anyone know if this waiver thing applies to PUA overpayments too??