When do you have to pay unemployment benefits back to Washington ESD?

There are several situations where Washington ESD requires repayment. Most common is overpayments - if you received benefits you weren't entitled to, like if you worked but didn't report it properly on your weekly claims. Also if you quit your job instead of being laid off and they find out later.

unemployment isnt free money its insurance you paid into while working. but yeah they can make you pay it back if you got it fraudulently or there was an error

I had to deal with this exact situation last year. Got an overpayment notice for $3,200 because of a dispute about whether I was fired or quit. Had the hardest time getting through to Washington ESD to explain my side. Finally used Claimyr to get connected to an actual agent who helped me file an appeal. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

THE WASHINGTON ESD SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO SCREW PEOPLE OVER!!! They pay you benefits then months later claim there was an error and demand everything back with interest. It's a racket designed to trap poor people in debt cycles!!!

Common reasons for repayment: 1) Working while claiming benefits without proper reporting 2) Quitting vs being fired disputes 3) Identity theft/fraud on your account 4) Washington ESD computer errors 5) Not meeting job search requirements. Always keep documentation!

wait so they can just randomly decide you owe money back even if you did everything right?? this is making me nervous about applying for unemployment

My sister had to pay back unemployment because she didn't do her job searches properly. Washington ESD audited her and found she wasn't actually applying to jobs, just browsing job websites. They made her pay back 6 weeks of benefits.

Another thing - if you move to another state while collecting Washington unemployment, you need to report that. My cousin got hit with an overpayment because he moved to Oregon but kept collecting Washington benefits without telling them.

Been getting unemployment for 4 months now and this thread is making me paranoid. I report everything exactly as required and keep detailed records but still worried they'll find some technicality to demand money back.

Pro tip: if you get an overpayment notice, don't panic. You have 30 days to file an appeal. I successfully appealed mine by showing that Washington ESD's initial determination about my job separation was wrong. Got help from an agent through Claimyr when I couldn't get through on the phone.

they also make you pay back if you get retroactive pay from workers comp or disability that covers the same time period as your unemployment. happened to my dad

Interest and penalties can really add up too. My neighbor ignored his overpayment notice thinking it would go away and ended up owing almost double the original amount. Always respond to Washington ESD notices even if you disagree!

The whole system needs reform. People lose their jobs through no fault of their own, get benefits they're legally entitled to, then months later get hit with demands for repayment over technical violations or disputed job separations. It's adding insult to injury when people are already struggling financially.

Thanks everyone for all this info. I feel better knowing what to watch out for. Sounds like as long as I keep reporting everything accurately and maintain good records, I should be okay. Will definitely respond quickly if I ever get any notices from Washington ESD!

One more thing - if you do have to repay benefits, Washington ESD usually offers payment plans. Don't try to hide from it, work with them to set up something manageable.