Washington ESD non fault overpayment - do you have to pay back unemployment benefits?

That's so unfair! How can they make me pay for their mistake? What kind of waiver are you talking about?

I know it seems unfair, but you can apply for an overpayment waiver if repaying would prevent you from meeting basic living expenses. You'll need to submit financial documents showing your income and expenses.

Did you end up having to pay it back? I've been trying to call too but the lines are always busy.

yeah i'm still making payments on it. set up a payment plan through their website since i couldn't reach anyone by phone

Interesting, I hadn't heard of that service before. How much does it cost?

I don't remember the exact cost but it was worth it for me since I was spending hours trying to call myself. Much easier than dealing with busy signals all day.

sounds too good to be true tbh, how do you know its legit?

Where do I find the waiver application? Is it on their website somewhere?

Yes, you can find the overpayment waiver request form on the Washington ESD website under forms and publications. You'll need to provide detailed financial information.

I feel the same way but unfortunately that's how the system works. At least with non-fault there's no interest or penalties.

still ridiculous that they can claw back money months or years later for their own mistakes

How long did the appeal process take? I'm worried this will drag on forever.

About 3 months total from initial waiver request to final approval. Worth the wait though since I didn't have to repay the $3,200 overpayment.

Good point. The letter was pretty vague about how they calculated it. Should I request this info before filing the waiver?

Yes, get the calculation details first. Sometimes you can dispute the overpayment amount itself if their math is wrong.

That's not good advice. Washington ESD can intercept tax refunds, garnish wages when you do get a job, and even put liens on property. Better to deal with it properly.

ok fine but still seems unfair they can do all that for their own mistake

That sounds really helpful. I'm definitely going to look into that service since I can't get through on my own.

I was skeptical about Claimyr at first but ended up trying it when I was desperate. Actually worked and I got connected to a Washington ESD agent within a few hours.

That's discouraging but I guess I have to try. Better than just accepting it without fighting.

Even if the waiver gets denied you can still set up a payment plan to make it more manageable. They'll work with you on that.

Yikes, that sounds awful. I definitely don't want to deal with collection agencies on top of everything else.

Yeah it was a nightmare. Washington ESD will send it to collections if you don't respond to their notices.

In Washington, there's generally no statute of limitations on collecting unemployment overpayments. They can pursue collection indefinitely.

That's harsh but good to know. Thanks for the clarification.

Right? It's been over a year since I received those benefits and now suddenly they want them back. The timing is terrible.

exactly! like if you're gonna make a mistake at least catch it quickly instead of letting people think they can keep the money

How do I figure out which type mine is? The letter just says 'non-fault overpayment' but doesn't go into detail.

You'd need to speak with a Washington ESD agent to get the specific details about your case. That's where services like Claimyr might help since getting through by phone is so difficult.

Good thinking. I still have all my paperwork from when I filed. I reported everything accurately so this really is their mistake.

That should definitely help your case. Make copies of everything before you submit your waiver application.

Tell me about it. I've been trying to get answers for weeks now and I'm no closer to understanding my options.

That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. Sometimes you just need to talk to an actual person to get real answers instead of trying to figure it out from their confusing letters.