ESD sent me a massive overpayment notice with no dates - what do I do?!

Don't panic! I got one of those last month and managed to get it sorted. You need to appeal it ASAP - you only have 30 days from the date on the letter. Look for an appeal form/instructions somewhere in that paperwork. While waiting for your appeal, gather ALL your income documentation from the time you were on unemployment. Bank statements, pay stubs, your weekly claim submissions - everything.

Call them back and ask for an itemized breakdown of exactly which weeks they're claiming overpayment for. The law requires them to tell you. I bet it's a system error - they had TONS of those last year with their computer upgrades. Make sure to file that appeal right away though, even before you get clarification.

I had almost the exact same situation in February! It turned out they thought I was working full-time when I was actually only picking up occasional shifts. You need to formally request a "Statement of Overpayment" from ESD that breaks down exactly which weeks they're disputing and why. There should be a form or instructions in your eServices account under the "Letters and Documents" section. Don't try to pay anything until you've gone through the appeal process - you have rights here!

After 5 attempts to reach ESD about my own overpayment issue, I discovered Claimyr and it saved me SO much stress. I was able to connect with an actual ESD agent in less than 30 minutes (after days of trying on my own). Just go to claimyr.com and watch their demo video (https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3) to see how it works. The agent I reached was able to explain exactly which weeks were flagged on my account and why, plus sent me the proper appeal paperwork. Worth checking out when dealing with something this serious!

my cousin got one of these last year for $6200!! turns out ESD mixed him up with some other guy with a similar name. took 3 months to fix but he didnt have to pay anything. DONT IGNORE IT THOUGH thats the worst thing you can do!!!!

You need to request a formal appeal hearing with the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH). This is your legal right. The appeal must be submitted within 30 days of the notice date - this is non-negotiable. Include any documentation you have showing you reported your earnings correctly. Be aware that during the appeal process, ESD likely won't take collection action, but interest may continue to accrue if the overpayment is ultimately upheld. The hearing will be conducted by phone with an Administrative Law Judge who is independent from ESD.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!!!! I got one of these for $3000 and spent MONTHS fighting it. Turns out they had the wrong employer listed for me the whole time!! By the time it got fixed they had already taken money from my tax return. I'm STILL trying to get that money back. ESD is the absolute WORST. Keep EVERY piece of paper they ever sent you and screenshot EVERYTHING in your eServices account before they mysteriously "update" it.

UPDATE: I used Claimyr last week after seeing it recommended here, and it actually works! Got through to ESD in about 20 minutes. The agent explained that my overpayment notice was triggered because my employer reported different quarterly earnings than what I had claimed. She sent me a detailed breakdown of the discrepancy and the specific appeal form I needed. Just submitted my appeal yesterday with copies of all my pay stubs. Definitely request a breakdown of which specific weeks they're disputing - that's essential for your appeal.

Did you switch jobs during your claim period or have multiple employers? That's often the cause of these mysterious overpayment notices. ESD's system sometimes fails to properly connect all your employment records, especially if you worked for multiple places or had gig work. Make sure your appeal specifically addresses this possibility if it applies to your situation.

One important thing to note: if your appeal is successful, you'll want to request a formal "waiver of overpayment" form from ESD. Even if they agree the overpayment was their error, they sometimes still expect repayment unless you specifically request a waiver. Don't skip this step! The form basically asks you to explain why repayment would cause financial hardship. Also, continue filing your weekly claims if you're still on unemployment - an overpayment notice doesn't automatically disqualify you from current benefits.