Washington ESD wants me to pay back unemployment benefits - confused about repayment process

Thanks, that's helpful. How do I know if I should appeal vs just pay it? The letter isn't super clear about what I supposedly did wrong.

Look at your work history records and compare them to what you reported on your weekly claims. If there's a discrepancy, the appeal might be worth it. But if you know you underreported earnings, it's probably easier to just work out a payment plan.

How long did it take him to get through? I've been trying to call for days.

like 3 weeks of calling every day before he got someone. the phone system is terrible

Never heard of that service. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?

It's legit - they basically wait on hold for you and then conference you in when they get an agent. Saved me probably 20+ hours of calling myself.

How much does something like that cost? If I'm already owing money to Washington ESD I don't want to spend more unnecessarily.

It's worth checking their site for current info, but for me it was way cheaper than the time I was losing from work trying to call during business hours.

Thank you! This is exactly the kind of specific info I needed. Do you know what the interest rate is?

It's currently 1% per month on the unpaid balance. So if you owe $2,800, that's about $28 in interest charges per month if you don't make payments.

wait they charge INTEREST on overpayments?? that seems wrong, it's their mistake half the time

Unfortunately yes, interest does accrue. That's why it's important to either appeal if you think it's incorrect, or set up a payment plan as soon as possible to minimize additional charges.

I totally understand the stress. The payment plans can be pretty reasonable though - sometimes as low as $25-50 per month depending on your situation. Don't panic before you know all your options.

Really? They'll let you pay that little per month? The notice made it sound like I had to pay it all back immediately.

The notices are scary but they do work with people. You just have to actually contact them to discuss your financial situation.

What kind of payment plan were you able to set up? Just trying to get an idea of what's realistic.

First overpayment was about $1,500 and they let me pay $75/month. Second one was smaller, around $800, and I did $50/month. They seem pretty flexible if you're upfront about your financial situation.

I get the frustration but getting angry won't solve the problem. Have you tried requesting a supervisor or filing a formal complaint?

Of course I've tried that! They just transfer you around in circles. The whole department needs to be overhauled.

If you're getting inconsistent information, document everything - dates, times, names of who you spoke with. That can be helpful if you need to escalate to the ombudsman's office.

But what if I actually didn't do anything wrong? Shouldn't I at least try to appeal?

up to you but appeals take forever and usually don't work anyway

That's not necessarily true. Appeals do succeed when there are legitimate errors. It depends on the specific circumstances.

This is great advice, thank you. What kind of documentation should I gather?

Pay stubs from the period in question, copies of your weekly claim certifications, any correspondence from Washington ESD, and notes about what work you reported and when.

What's a hardship payment plan? Is that different from a regular payment plan?

Hardship plans are for people with severe financial difficulties. They might allow lower monthly payments or temporary suspensions. You usually need to provide financial documentation to qualify.

That might be what happened to me. I did some freelance work and wasn't sure how to report it properly.

Freelance work is tricky because you need to report it when you do the work, not when you get paid. A lot of people mess that up.

See this is exactly what I mean! The system is confusing and then they penalize you for not understanding their complicated rules.

I'm actually considering trying that service. The regular phone lines are impossible to get through on.

Yeah, I mentioned I used them too. Honestly for overpayment issues it's worth it because you need to talk to the right person, not just any agent.

Setting up a payment plan doesn't waive your right to appeal, but it does show you're making good faith efforts to resolve the debt. You can still appeal while making payments.

That's good to know. I was worried I'd be giving up my rights by agreeing to pay.

That gives me hope! How long did you have to wait on hold?

About 2 hours, but I called right when they opened at 8am on a Tuesday. Seemed like a better time than later in the day.

wow only 2 hours? that's actually not bad for Washington ESD

What was wrong with their calculation in your case?

They had counted some earnings twice - once when I reported them and again when my employer reported them separately. Simple mistake but it created a $900 overpayment that wasn't really owed.

That's exactly why it's worth reviewing the calculation carefully before just accepting it. Mistakes do happen in the system.

Yeah, Washington ESD doesn't exactly advertise all the ways they can work with people. You have to ask specifically about payment plans and hardship options.

Good plan! Having all your options explained by an actual agent makes a huge difference. Good luck!

Smart approach. Get the facts first, then decide whether to appeal or just set up payments. Either way you'll be handling it properly.

Keep us updated on how it goes! This thread has been super helpful for understanding the whole process.