ESD reduced my benefits by $235 due to 'intercept' - what does this even mean?

An intercept usually means they're taking money to pay something else you owe. Most common reasons: 1) child support payments 2) overpayment from a previous UI claim 3) taxes you owe to IRS or state 4) student loan debt. Check your "Notices" section in eServices - there should be a letter explaining the intercept somewhere.

ya this happned to me last year. it was for child suppot in my case. you can call ESD but they just gonna tell you to call DSHS since theyre the ones who handle the intercepts not ESD

The 'intercept' is definitely a withholding to pay some type of debt. ESD is required by law to withhold certain amounts when they receive orders from authorized agencies. For child support intercepts, you'll need to contact the Division of Child Support (DCS) directly at 1-800-442-KIDS. Don't waste time with ESD - they just process the intercept but don't control it. If you have full custody, there's likely a mistake in DCS records. You'll need to provide them with your court order showing you have custody. In the meantime, you can request a hearing to dispute the intercept, but the money will continue to be withheld until resolved.

I had a similar thing happen and could NOT get through to anyone at DCS. Spent hours on hold and got disconnected every time. Super frustrating when they're taking your money and you can't even talk to someone!!!!

intercepts can also happen for overpayments from old claims. my roomate had money taken bcuz he got benefits 3 years ago and they decided he didnt qualify or somthing.

This EXACT thing happened to me in January!! I have full custody of my kids but my ex-wife somehow had old paperwork on file. The system is BROKEN and they don't care who they hurt! I had to bring my court documents IN PERSON to the DSHS office to get it fixed. Took almost a month to stop the intercepts and then another THREE MONTHS to get my money back. The whole system is designed to make it impossible for regular people to navigate.

One important thing to note: while you're disputing this, continue filing your weekly claims normally. Don't stop filing just because of the intercept issue. If you stop filing and then get this resolved, you won't be able to go back and claim weeks you missed.

I work in a legal aid office, and we see this pretty frequently with ESD benefits. Here's what you need to do: 1. Contact DCS immediately at 1-800-442-KIDS 2. Request a hearing to contest the intercept 3. Get a copy of your custody order and any documentation showing your children live with you 4. Ask for a statement showing what child support case this is connected to If you can't resolve it quickly with DCS, you may want to contact the Northwest Justice Project's CLEAR line at 1-888-201-1014. They provide free legal help for low-income individuals and see these cases frequently.

when u call tell them u want an "immediate review" of the case. thats the magic words that got them to look at my stuff faster

anyone else think its crazy they can just TAKE your money without even properly notifying you first?? The system is rigged against us!

Make sure to update us on how this gets resolved! These situations are unfortunately common and it helps others to know what worked for you.

This is absolutely infuriating! I went through something similar last year and it's like they design these systems to be as confusing and stressful as possible. The fact that you have to hunt through old notices to figure out why they're taking your money is ridiculous. When I had my intercept issue, I found that going to the local DSHS office in person was way more effective than trying to call. The phone system is a nightmare, but the in-person staff actually seemed to care and could pull up your case immediately. Bring literally every piece of paperwork you have - custody orders, school enrollment records, medical records showing the kids on your insurance, anything that proves they live with you. Also document everything - take photos of all the paperwork you bring and get names of who you talk to. Good luck and don't let them wear you down!