Random ESD payment after 1+ year - related to pandemic overpayment waiver?

This is almost certainly related to your approved waiver. When ESD approves an overpayment waiver for money you've already repaid, they refund the amount you paid back (or most of it). The slight difference in amounts ($2,745 vs $3,200) could be related to interest calculations or partial eligibility determinations. This is normal procedure when waivers are approved for already-repaid overpayments. You should receive a detailed breakdown letter within a week explaining exactly what the payment covers.

OMG same thing happened to me!!!! got $1890 randomly deposited last Wednesday and got the waiver approval letter on Monday. was sooo confused because i repaid everything back in 2022!

Make sure to double-check that the deposit actually came from ESD and not a scammer. There's been a lot of unemployment scams where they deposit money then contact you claiming you need to return part of it due to an "error". If anyone contacts you asking to send money back, that's a huge red flag. If it's truly from ESD, it's probably your waiver refund like the other person said, but verify the sender details in your bank statement.

i had an overpayment from 2021 that i paid back and got a waiver approved in late 2023 and got back like half of what i paid.. they said some weeks were still ineligible even with the waiver. did ur letter say FULL waiver or PARTIAL waiver?? that might explain the diffrence in amounts

You should call ESD directly to confirm what this payment is for and get it documented in your claim notes. Their automated phone system is frustrating, but I've had success using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a real person. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Once you get through, ask for an itemized breakdown of the payment and ask them to send you documentation confirming this is your waiver refund. Better to be safe and have everything in writing in case there are any issues later.

Be prepared to wait an eternity for the detailed letter lol. ESD's communication is sloooow. When I got my waiver approved in 2024, the actual explanation letter came almost 3 weeks after the money. But the good news is that once they approve the waiver and send the money, they don't typically reverse that decision unless there was fraud involved (which doesn't sound like your case).

This is exactly what happened with me! The system is actually working for once. When you successfully appeal an overpayment or get a waiver approved, they are required to refund what you paid back (minus any weeks they still deem ineligible). The pandemic benefits had a LOT of errors and confusion, and ESD has been processing these waiver requests for years now. You don't need to worry - this is legitimate and you're entitled to this money since they determined your overpayment wasn't your fault. Congrats on getting your money back!

For tax purposes: If the original benefits were reported on a previous year's taxes, you should check with a tax professional, but generally refunded overpayments should be reported as income in the year you receive them (2025 in your case). However, you might be able to file an amended return for the original year instead. The ESD letter should provide some guidance on this too.

my advice: screenshot EVERYTHING from your eservices account related to this. save the letters. take photos of envelopes. document it ALL. ESD has "lost" my records before and tried to say i owed money i'd already paid. its rare but it happens