How long does ESD take to approve overpayment waivers? Anyone get theirs approved?

Mine took exactly 6 weeks to get approved. I filed my waiver request in January 2025 and got the approval letter in mid-February. During that time, I continued to receive the automated collection notices which was super stressful. My overpayment was about $3,900 related to a period where my employer reported different hours than what I claimed. I submitted bank statements, rent receipts, and a detailed explanation of my financial situation. ESD never contacted me during those 6 weeks - it was complete radio silence until I suddenly got the approval letter. My advice is to be patient but keep checking your eServices account at least once a week. Also, save copies of EVERYTHING you submit to them in case they claim they never received something.

i waited like 3 months lol. they dont care how long u wait. the whole system is rigged to make u give up and just pay them tbh

I successfully received an overpayment waiver approval after waiting approximately 8 weeks. Here are some key points about the process that might help you: 1. The official processing time is 4-12 weeks according to ESD guidelines, but this can vary based on current workload and staffing. 2. Continue documenting your financial situation while you wait. If you experience any significant changes (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), submit those updates as supplemental information. 3. The automated collection notices will unfortunately continue until a decision is made. This is a system limitation - the collections department operates independently from the waiver department. 4. Check your spam/junk folders regularly as some ESD correspondence can end up there. 5. If you approach the 10-week mark without a response, it's reasonable to contact them for a status update. In my case, I received no communication during the waiting period, and then suddenly received the approval letter. My waiver was granted based on financial hardship and the fact that my overpayment occurred due to an employer reporting error rather than any intentional misrepresentation on my part.

Has anyone tried calling the ESD directly about their waiver status? I've been trying for days but can't get through to a real person. Just curious if calling actually helps speed things up or if it's just wasting time sitting on hold for 2+ hours only to get disconnected.

I received my waiver approval after 7 weeks of waiting. During this time, I was really worried because I kept getting those automated collection notices too. What helped me was sending a secure message through eServices asking for a status update at the 6-week mark. I don't know if that actually sped anything up, but I got my approval letter the following week. A couple tips that might help: - Make sure you've provided clear documentation of financial hardship. This was crucial for my approval. - If you have any changes to your financial situation while waiting, submit those as additional evidence. - Keep an eye on your mail AND your eServices account, as notices sometimes show up in one place before the other. - If you're approaching 8+ weeks of waiting, it's reasonable to send a status inquiry through the secure message system. Hang in there! The waiting is definitely stressful, but many legitimate waiver requests do get approved.

I dont understand why ESD takes MONTHS to process these waivers when they can slap you with an overpayment notice and demand payment in 30 days!!!!! The double standard is INSANE. They expect us to respond immediately but they can take forever? I waited 9 weeks for my waiver decision and nearly had a nervous breakdown checking my mail every day. The system is BROKEN!!!!!

My brother-in-law just went through this last month. His waiver only took about 4 weeks to approve, but I think his case was pretty straightforward since the overpayment was clearly ESD's mistake. They calculated his benefit wrong initially then tried to reclaim $4,200 a year later. Anyway what I'm trying to say is that sometimes it can be faster I guess?

Just wanted to follow up since my earlier comment. One thing I forgot to mention is that while you're waiting for the waiver decision, make sure you respond to ANY correspondence from ESD, even if it seems unrelated to your waiver. Sometimes they need additional info but don't specifically connect it to your waiver request in their communications. Also, document every interaction with ESD - date, time, who you spoke with, and what was discussed. This documentation can be incredibly helpful if you need to file an appeal or if there's any confusion about what information you've already provided. Stay patient and persistent. The process is designed to be thorough, which unfortunately means it can be slow.