ESD taking forever on pandemic overpayment refund - already 6 months pending!

I went through something similar with an overpayment refund. Unfortunately, ESD's processing times for overpayment reviews are notoriously slow - especially for pandemic-era claims. The department is still working through a backlog of appeals and reviews from that period. Have you tried contacting your state representative? They sometimes can help expedite these cases. In my situation, it took about 8 months to get my refund, but I did eventually receive it with interest.

omg the SAME thing happened to me!!!! ESD is a total nightmare they kept saying they never got my documents even tho i sent them like 5 times and had screenshots proving it. i ended up paying back like $7k and then they admitted they made a mistake last year. took them 9 months to refund me tho. good luck

You need to specifically request an escalation on your case. Call early in the morning (right when they open at 8 AM) and use these exact words: "I need to speak with a claims specialist about escalating my overpayment refund review." Don't just ask about the status - that won't help. Also, make sure you have your overpayment case number and documentation showing you paid it back. If they say they can't escalate, ask to speak with a supervisor. Be persistent but polite. The system is designed to wear you down.

If you're struggling to reach ESD by phone, I'd recommend checking out Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have a service that helps you get through to ESD quickly instead of dealing with busy signals and hangups. I was in a similar situation with an overpayment appeal and was getting nowhere for weeks. Used their service and got through to an actual claims specialist who could help. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Definitely worth it when you're desperate to talk to someone at ESD.

hold up why did u pay back the money if u were actually unemployed??? i wouldve appealed that decision. sounds like they might have messed up your claim twice now

I work with a non-profit that helps people navigate ESD issues. Here's what you need to know about pandemic-era overpayment refunds: 1. ESD has a separate department handling these cases, and they're severely understaffed 2. Each case requires manual review by at least two specialists 3. The average processing time is currently 7-9 months 4. You CAN request hardship escalation if you're facing eviction or utility shutoff To request hardship escalation, you need to submit Form ESD-1267 (Financial Hardship Review) along with documentation of your hardship (eviction notice, past-due bills, etc.). This can potentially cut the wait time to 4-6 weeks. Don't just keep calling the general line - be specific about requesting the hardship review process.

Quick update on my earlier comment - when I went through this, I found that writing a detailed letter to the Office of Special Investigations (OSI) at ESD sometimes helps. Include your claim ID, the dates of overpayment, proof you paid it back, and any case numbers from your hearings or appeals. Send it certified mail so they can't claim they never received it (ESD seems to "lose" a lot of documents). Also, keep calling at different times - sometimes mid-afternoon (around 2-3 PM) has slightly better luck than mornings when everyone is calling.

After I finally got through to ESD using that Claimyr service I mentioned, the claims specialist told me they could flag my refund for expedited review due to financial hardship. But they said I needed to specifically ask for this - they don't offer it unless you directly request it. The specialist also advised sending any supporting documents through the secure message portal on your eServices account rather than by mail, as digital documents are easier for them to track. Make sure to reference your original overpayment case number in every communication.

btw when i finally got my refund they included interest!!! not much like $180 on my $7k but better than nothing i guess. just thought ud want to know

UPDATE: I wanted to let everyone know I finally made progress! I used Claimyr this morning and actually got through to a real person at ESD in about 15 minutes. The claims specialist confirmed my refund was still just sitting in the review queue with no action. She flagged it for hardship review after I explained my situation with rent and submitted the hardship form. She said I should hear something within 2-3 weeks now instead of months. HUGE relief! Will update again when/if I actually get the money. Thank you all for the advice!