Just wanted to add some clarification on the legal side of this: The pandemic overpayment review is happening due to the Relief for Taxpayers Act that passed in 2024. ESD is legally required to review ALL pandemic-era overpayments, even small ones like yours. There's no way to opt out of the review itself, but you can definitely decline any refund they might determine you're eligible for. Based on my experience as a benefits navigator, I'd recommend sending a secure message through your eServices account that simply states: "I acknowledge the pandemic overpayment review process, but formally decline any waiver or refund that may result from this review. Please note this decision in my file." That creates a record of your preference while minimizing your interaction with them.

lol everyone in these comments acting like ESD is actually organized enough to follow through on anything. I got the same emails 9 months ago, ignored them all, and literally nothing happened. Their systems are so messed up they probably have no idea who's responded and who hasn't. I wouldn't waste a minute of mental energy on this.

For anyone dealing with "Able and Available" adjudication specifically: make sure to upload any documentation you have to your eServices account under "Upload a Document." If your issue was related to illness, upload a doctor's note. If it was about travel, upload itinerary showing you've returned. This won't replace talking to a rep, but it can speed things up once you do connect with someone. I was in adjudication for "Able and Available" for 4 weeks in February. When I finally got through, the agent told me she could see my uploaded documents and that helped expedite my claim resolution. My payments started coming through about 3 days after that call.

Update on my experience: After using Claimyr to get through to ESD, they resolved my adjudication issue in one call. The agent told me they're currently experiencing a 25-day backlog for adjudication cases that don't get escalated by phone. So definitely worth trying to reach them directly rather than waiting for them to process your case in order.

Just checking back - were you able to get through to ESD? I hope some of these suggestions helped!

Actually yes! I tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned and got through to an agent yesterday. They told me my adjudication was held up because they needed proof of my last day worked, which I thought I'd already submitted. The agent helped me upload it correctly and said my claim should be processed in 72 hours. Fingers crossed! Thanks everyone for the advice.

For future reference, I always plan for a 1-2 day delay on any holiday week. ESD doesn't do a great job communicating this, but after being on unemployment for a few months I've learned to budget accordingly. The worst delays tend to be around major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas - those can sometimes push payments out by 3-4 days. I recommend keeping a small emergency buffer if possible for these situations. And definitely file your weekly claim as early as possible on Sunday to get the process started sooner.

Is your claim in adjudication or regular UI status? That can affect timing too. My sister's payments are always delayed by at least an extra day when there's some adjudication item pending, even a minor one. Might be worth checking if there's anything else going on with your claim besides just the holiday timing.

If you ever need to speak directly with ESD about payment timing or other issues, I'd recommend trying Claimyr. I was stuck in payment pending for weeks and couldn't get through on the regular ESD phone line. Claimyr got me connected to an actual ESD agent in about 20 minutes. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Much better than spending days hitting redial!

Adding one more important detail: If you have urgent financial needs and your payment will be delayed due to a holiday, you might qualify for a hardship payment. You would need to call ESD and explain your situation (rent due, etc.). This isn't guaranteed, but in some cases, they can expedite payment processing. Keep in mind that hardship considerations are case-by-case, and you'll need to provide specific details about your financial emergency.