How to opt out of ESD pandemic overpayment waiver review? Already paid small amount

They're sending these emails to everyone who had an overpayment during the pandemic years. I tried calling them about the same thing (mine was $115 that I already paid). The agent basically said there's no way to 'opt out' of their review because it's mandated by some new law. BUT what they told me was that since you already paid it, the worst that happens is they review and decide you don't qualify for a waiver... which changes nothing since you already paid anyway. If it helps your anxiety, you could try filtering their emails to a folder you never look at!

DON'T IGNORE THIS!!! You should absolutely fill out that waiver!! They are basically giving free money back to people who had pandemic overpayments. My roommate got back $4,600 last month just by filling out that form. Even if you only get $30 back, thats FREE MONEY for like 10 minutes of work. This is actually the ONE TIME esd is trying to help people!!

I understand your frustration with ESD. To directly answer your question: there is no formal 'opt-out' process for the waiver review. The pandemic overpayment reviews are happening due to federal requirements, and ESD is obligated to review all cases that meet certain criteria. However, you have a few practical options: 1. You can simply ignore the communications - not filling out the waiver just means they'll review based on existing information 2. You could contact ESD through their secure message portal stating you wish to decline consideration for the waiver 3. If they determine you're eligible for a refund despite not responding, you're not obligated to cash any check they might send Since you've already paid and it was a small amount, this will likely conclude after their June review date with no further action needed from you.

omg i feel this in my SOUL. esd gave me ptsd no joke. i had an 'overpayment' of $7,200 that took me 8 months to resolve and they eventually admitted was their error!!! but the process was so horrible i literally had panic attacks whenever i saw their name on caller id. i eventually had to have my therapist write a letter because of the psychological impact. for what its worth, i also got those waiver emails and just ignored them and nothing bad happened. they eventually just stopped.

If you're stressed about contacting ESD directly, you might want to try using Claimyr to get through to an actual person at ESD quickly. I had a similar issue where I wanted to specifically ask them to mark my file as 'do not review' (which they can actually do despite what others have said here). Using Claimyr got me through to an agent in about 15 minutes instead of spending days calling. You can see how it works at https://claimyr.com or watch their demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. This way you can directly request what you want rather than hoping the automated review goes smoothly.

Just wanted to add some clarification on the legal side of this: The pandemic overpayment review is happening due to the Relief for Taxpayers Act that passed in 2024. ESD is legally required to review ALL pandemic-era overpayments, even small ones like yours. There's no way to opt out of the review itself, but you can definitely decline any refund they might determine you're eligible for. Based on my experience as a benefits navigator, I'd recommend sending a secure message through your eServices account that simply states: "I acknowledge the pandemic overpayment review process, but formally decline any waiver or refund that may result from this review. Please note this decision in my file." That creates a record of your preference while minimizing your interaction with them.

lol everyone in these comments acting like ESD is actually organized enough to follow through on anything. I got the same emails 9 months ago, ignored them all, and literally nothing happened. Their systems are so messed up they probably have no idea who's responded and who hasn't. I wouldn't waste a minute of mental energy on this.