Washington state to waive many pandemic-era overpayments

The Employment Security Department is set to waive more claimant overpayments from the pandemic era — between Feb. 2, 2020, to Sept. 4, 2021.

Employment Security believes more than half of people with a pandemic-era overpayment will be eligible for a waiver. People who apply for this waiver are even more likely to qualify.

Employment Security will waive overpayments for people who qualify. People with these overpayments can help by providing more information. Employment Security will check to make sure they’re eligible for a waiver. People who already paid back some or all of their overpayment may get a refund if their overpayment is waived.

To make sure refunds go to the right place, Employment Security needs affected people to update their bank account information.

Submitting an overpayment waiver application

Follow the steps below to complete an overpayment waiver application.

Online:

1. Log onto eServices by visiting secure.esd.wa.gov.
2. Click on “Apply for unemployment benefits or manage your current and past claims.”
3. In eServices, find the “I want to” column in the upper right corner.
4. Select “Submit pandemic era overpayment waiver request.”
5. Carefully read the contents of each screen and answer the questions in the form.

Employment Security has videos to help people log into eServices and to fill out an overpayment waiver application.

By phone:

For people who cannot request a waiver online, Employment Security’s agents can help them complete and submit the form by phone. They can call (800) 318–6022 (8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays) and follow the prompts for help with overpayments.

Learn more about overpayment waivers on the Employment Security Department’s website.