ESD pandemic overpayment waiver stuck in processing for 6 months - anyone else waiting?

It took my waiver about 4 months to be processed and approved. I submitted mine in June 2024 and heard back in October. My overpayment was similar - about $8,200. The key was following up EVERY week through the eServices message center. I also made sure to include all supporting documentation with my waiver application (bank statements showing financial hardship, proof that I was actually eligible for the benefits, etc.). Keep trying to call them - early mornings (right when they open) seemed to work best for me.

stil waiting on mine too!!!! filed in july and nothing. its bs how they expect us to wait this long when they want their money back right away if we owe them. my waiver is for $5240 and ive called like 20 times with no answer ever

I went through this same nightmare last year. Filed my waiver in November 2023 and didn't get resolution until May 2024 - so about 6 months total. What finally worked for me was contacting my state representative's office. No joke - I emailed my rep explaining the situation, and their constituent services person contacted ESD on my behalf. Within TWO WEEKS my waiver was approved and the debt was cleared. The pandemic overpayment situation is a mess because they're still working through thousands of cases. ESD won't admit it, but they're completely overwhelmed and prioritizing cases that get escalated through official channels. Save yourself the frustration of calling ESD directly and go straight to your state rep. I wish I'd done it months earlier!

mines been pending since august lol good luck gettin any answers from esd there literally impossible to reach i tried for WEEKS

I process unemployment claims (not for WA state, but similar system), and I can tell you that pandemic overpayment waivers are still being processed in huge batches. Here's what's happening behind the scenes: 1. The pandemic programs created millions of overpayments nationwide due to changing eligibility requirements and documentation standards 2. Most states are handling waivers in batches by date AND by type of overpayment 3. Waivers involving income verification issues (like yours) are in a separate processing queue from those with eligibility issues 4. They're generally processing them in chronological order, but with limited staff My advice: - Ensure your contact information is current in the system - Check your spam/junk folders regularly - Submit a formal escalation request citing financial hardship - Contact your state representative as another commenter suggested - Make sure you've submitted ALL requested documentation, even if you think you already did The good news is that most states are approving the majority of pandemic-related waiver requests, especially for documentation issues rather than fraud. But the process is painfully slow.

I filled out my waiver in October 2024 and got approved in January 2025, so about 3 months. But my situation might have been different because my overpayment was smaller (only $3,500). I think larger amounts take longer to review. During the waiting period, I called EVERY DAY for two weeks straight until I finally got through to a human being. The representative told me that pandemic overpayment waivers have different processing timeframes depending on the reason for overpayment. Income verification issues (which sounds like your case) are taking the longest because they require manual review of documentation. Don't give up!

The pandemic overpayment waiver backlog is a nationwide issue, not just Washington. I work with clients dealing with this in multiple states. Here's what I've observed about approval timelines: - Simple documentation issues: 2-4 months - Complex income verification issues: 4-8 months - Cases involving multiple benefit types: 6-12 months ESD is actually doing better than many states. Some states have 12+ month backlogs for pandemic-related waivers. While you're waiting, make sure you request a hold on collections if they haven't already placed one. This prevents them from garnishing wages or tax returns while your waiver is being reviewed. You can do this through eServices or by phone.

My brother had an overpayment from 2023 and his waiver took 9 months to get approved!! By the time they finished he had already paid back half of it because he was scared of the collection threats. Then he had to wait another 2 months to get a refund for what he'd already paid. The whole system is designed to make you give up and just pay even if you qualify for forgiveness.

Update on my earlier comment - I just remembered something important. When I called ESD about my waiver, the agent mentioned they were prioritizing cases where people had submitted a "Financial Hardship Statement" along with their waiver request. It's not officially required, but apparently it helps move your case up in the queue. Basically, write up a 1-page statement explaining: 1. Why you can't afford to repay the amount 2. How the overpayment wasn't your fault 3. How repayment would affect your ability to meet basic needs Submit this through eServices as an additional document for your waiver request. Title it "Financial Hardship Statement - [Your Name] - [Claim ID]"