Surprise ESD overpayment waiver received but I already paid it back in 2020 - can I get reimbursed?

I actually had something similar happen last month! ESD is doing some kind of review of old overpayment cases from the pandemic. Mine was only $1,850 that I'd paid back in early 2021, but I got the same kind of letter saying it was waived. I had to call them (nightmare) but once I finally got through, they confirmed they would be issuing me a refund. It took about 3 weeks after that call for the money to hit my account. They said they're working through a backlog of these cases but aren't automatically processing refunds unless they can confirm you paid previously.

congrats on the waiver! i got somethng similar but for a differenct year. still waiting on them to process it tho

This is actually part of the Unemployment Insurance Modernization Initiative that Washington started in late 2024. They're reviewing all pandemic-era overpayments to determine if they were caused by agency error or if they qualify for waivers under the expanded criteria. If you've already repaid an overpayment that's now being waived, you are entitled to a refund, but you need to specifically request it - it's not automatic. Call the ESD overpayment unit directly at 866-697-4831 rather than the main line. Make sure you have your claim ID, the determination letter reference number, and proof of your previous payment (bank statements or ESD payment confirmations). Be prepared for a wait though - they're processing thousands of these cases currently.

i think ur lucky!! they NEVER waived mine and i had to pay every penny back even tho it wasnt my fault. the esd system is so random with who gets help and who doesnt. i spent months calling them and got nowhere.

Getting through to ESD is basically impossible these days. I spent THREE WEEKS trying to reach someone about my claim status. The regular phone lines are a joke - you wait on hold for hours just to get disconnected. I finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual ESD agent in about 40 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Definitely worth it for situations like yours where you need an actual human to look at your account details and process a refund. Otherwise you might be waiting months for them to figure it out on their own.

Here's what's happening: ESD is conducting a systematic review of all 2020-2021 overpayment determinations following the USDOL directive 22-21. Many overpayments that were previously collected are now being retroactively waived if they meet certain criteria (non-fraud overpayments, agency error, etc.) By law (RCW 50.20.190), if your overpayment is waived after you've already repaid it, you are entitled to a refund with interest. However, ESD's system isn't automatically processing these refunds - you need to specifically request it. Call the Collections Unit at 866-697-4831 and specifically request a "refund of waived overpayment previously collected." Be prepared to verify your identity, provide your claim ID, and reference the determination letter number. They should be able to verify your payment history in their system. Documentation that may help: - Original overpayment notice from 2020 - Proof of your payments (bank statements) - The new waiver determination letter - Your claim ID and SSN for verification The refund typically takes 4-6 weeks to process once approved.

UPDATE: I finally got through to ESD this morning! I used that Claimyr service that someone recommended and it actually worked - got me through to an agent in about 30 minutes instead of endless hold. The agent confirmed that I'm eligible for a full refund of the $4,700 I paid back in 2020, plus interest! She said they've been reviewing thousands of pandemic-era overpayments and many are being waived retroactively. The refund will take 3-5 weeks to process and will come either as a direct deposit (if they still have my bank info) or a paper check. For anyone else in this situation - you MUST call them to request the refund. They don't process these automatically even after sending the waiver letter. Make sure you have your claim ID number and the waiver determination letter reference number when you call. Thanks everyone for your help!