Surprise $700 direct deposit from ESD after old waiver request - what's happening?

This sounds like they finally processed and approved your waiver request! The system automatically issues refunds for any payments you made toward the overpayment once a waiver is approved. The timing matches up with how backlogged they are on processing waivers right now (12-14 months). You should receive an official determination letter in the mail within a week explaining the decision. If you've made any payments toward that overpayment, this refund would represent those payments being returned to you. As for not being able to log in, that's a separate issue - their system often locks accounts when there's been a major change to your claim status.

omg u got money back?? they been billing me for $1200 for almost 18 months now. i submitted my waiver but havent heard anything back. didnt know they actually ever approve those things!

THE SAME THING JUST HAPPENED TO ME!! I got $1,245 deposited last week after waiting 14 months for my waiver decision. No letter, no explanation, nothing in my online account. I was afraid to touch the money!! I finally got through to someone at ESD yesterday after trying for DAYS. They confirmed my waiver was approved and that's why I got the refund. The official letter is supposedly "in the mail" (yeah right). Try calling them to confirm but GOOD LUCK getting through!

hey try using Claimyr to get through to ESD - it worked for me when i was in a similar situation with an unexplained payment. the service gets you through to an actual agent. you can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 and their website is claimyr.com. saved me hours of frustration.

its proply jsut a mistake in there system lol dont spend it they will take it back trust me happened to my cousin last yera

I had a somewhat similar situation happen in 2023. I requested a waiver for a $2,300 overpayment, and after about 10 months, I received a determination letter saying my waiver was approved. Two weeks later, I got a deposit for $980 (the amount I had already paid toward the overpayment). The fact that you received money without notification isn't surprising - their communication system and payment system aren't well synchronized. If you've made payments toward your overpayment and then your waiver was approved, they're legally required to refund those payments.

For anyone else experiencing this situation, here's what's happening: When ESD approves an overpayment waiver, two things occur: 1. The remaining balance of your overpayment is forgiven (reduced to zero) 2. Any money you already paid toward that overpayment is refunded to you The refund typically processes through ESD's payment system before the determination letter is generated by their notification system. This creates a situation where claimants often receive money before they receive an explanation. If you can't access your online account, it's likely because your claim status has changed, which sometimes triggers a security protocol requiring re-verification. You can request a new access code by mail through the SAW (Secure Access Washington) system. To confirm your waiver status without waiting for the letter, call ESD at 800-318-6022. Current wait times are extremely long (1-3 hours), so call early in the morning right when they open at 8:00 AM.

I forgot to mention - check your spam/junk mail folder! My determination letter got caught in my email spam filter. Also, after I finally got through to ESD, my online account started working again about 48 hours later. Apparently they have to manually reset something after a waiver approval.