ESD randomly refunded my overpayment from 4 years ago - should I be worried?

This is actually more common than you'd think! ESD periodically reviews old cases, especially when there have been policy changes or legal precedents that affect previous determinations. If they found your separation should have been approved under current standards, they're legally required to refund the money. My advice - don't spend it yet, but do get documentation. Print out the letter and take screenshots of your ESD account showing the determination. Then send a secure message through your ESD portal specifically asking them to confirm this refund is legitimate and final. That documentation will protect you if anything happens in the future. In my experience, once ESD makes a formal determination like this (especially in writing), they rarely reverse it unless there was actual fraud involved.

OMG dont spend a dime!!!!! ESD is NOTORIOUS for these kinds of mistakes!!! My cousin had almost the exact same thing happen in 2022 and ended up having to pay back $3800 plus INTEREST a year later when they "discovered their error" 😡 The whole system is a mess

I worked as an employment counselor for years and can tell you that while these situations are rare, they do happen - especially when ESD reviews old cases after legal precedents change how they interpret separation rules. Here's what I recommend: 1) Keep documentation of EVERYTHING - the letter, screenshots of your account, transaction records 2) Send a formal message through your ESD portal referencing the specific case/document number from the letter 3) Request written confirmation that this refund is final and not subject to future reconsideration 4) Don't spend the money for at least 90 days - if there was a system error, it typically gets caught within that window After those steps, if you receive written confirmation and the 90 days pass without issue, the money is likely legitimately yours. ESD doesn't randomly send out thousands of dollars - this was an intentional decision made through their review process.

i had something similar but half the amount lol. i just kept the money and nothing happened. that was like 2 years ago. if they gave it to you its yours man just wait a bit to be safe maybe

You need to reach an actual ESD agent to clarify this situation. I was in endless phone queues trying to resolve my adjudication earlier this year until I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They basically hold your place in line and call you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Once you get through, ask specifically for a letter of determination confirming the reversal is permanent. That way if they ever try to claim it was a mistake, you have official documentation. Also ask them to note in your file that you attempted to verify the refund's legitimacy.

The EXACT same thing happened to me!!!! Except I only got HALF of what I paid back in 2021!!! I've called like 47 times (not exaggerating) and FINALLY got through yesterday. The rep said something about a "blanket overpayment forgiveness initiative" that was approved by the legislature for certain types of separation disputes from 2018-2022. They're processing thousands of these refunds right now. The rep couldn't tell me why I only got half back though... so frustrating!!! She just kept saying to "be patient" and that there might be more coming 🙄

This is why i HATE the unemployment system. some people get random refunds while others struggle for months just to get benefits they deserve. no rhyme or reason to any of it.

Based on what others have shared about the "blanket overpayment forgiveness initiative," this makes perfect sense now. The Washington legislature did approve a measure last year to review certain types of separation disputes where employer testimony was the primary deciding factor. If yours fell into that category, you're legitimately entitled to this refund. As for what to do: I recommend keeping the money in a separate savings account for 6 months. If ESD doesn't contact you by then requesting it back, it's almost certainly yours to keep. By that time, you should also have received a 1099-G for tax purposes if the refund is considered taxable income (which it likely is). The most important thing is that you've already tried to verify this with ESD, which shows you're acting in good faith if there ever was an issue down the road.

Just a final thought - while waiting for verification, check if you can access any adjudication notes in your online ESD account. Sometimes the decision documentation contains important details about why they reversed their decision. Look specifically for terms like "administrative review," "legislative relief," or "class action settlement" - all of these would indicate a systematic reversal rather than an error. Also, starting in 2025, ESD is required to provide clearer documentation when they reverse previous decisions, but since your refund is happening under the old system, you might need to dig a bit for the full explanation.