Try calling exactly at 4:25pm. That worked for me twice because most people don't realize they're open until 5pm and stop calling after lunch. The queue usually clears out a bit by then.

Any luck getting through? I'm curious if any of these suggestions worked for you.

Im sorry ur dealing with this! I had something kinda similar happen with my cosmetology license last year and what helped was getting a letter from my previous employer stating that they would rehire me once my license was renewed. ESD accepted this as proof that I was just temporarily unable to work due to administrative processing and not due to any fault of my own.

After your adjudication interview, if they still deny your benefits, remember you have the right to appeal the decision. The appeal would go to the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), where an Administrative Law Judge would review your case. You have 30 days from the date of the determination letter to file an appeal. While it takes time, the appeal process often results in reversals of incorrect ESD determinations, especially in complex cases like yours where you're clearly making good faith efforts to maintain your eligibility to work.

There's some confusion in this thread about how the calculation works. Here's the exact formula ESD uses: 1. They subtract $5 from your gross earnings 2. They subtract 75% of the remaining amount from your weekly benefit For example: If you earn $100 in a week and your weekly benefit is $500: $100 - $5 = $95 $95 × 75% = $71.25 $500 - $71.25 = $428.75 (your adjusted benefit) Total income: $100 + $428.75 = $528.75 So you actually end up with MORE total income than just receiving unemployment alone. Just make sure you always report accurately and maintain your job search activities.

Thank you all SO much for your advice! I'm going to accept the on-call position and make sure I report everything accurately. I'll keep searching for full-time work and completing my job search activities every week. It's a huge relief to know I can earn some extra money without losing all my benefits. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to share your experiences and knowledge!

One more thing to be aware of - if your overpayment was due to an agency error (which many pandemic ones were), you might be eligible for an additional waiver of the interest and penalties. This isn't automatic - you need to specifically request a "waiver of fees and interest under RCW 50.20.190(4)" in writing. The standard waiver program doesn't always include this. Could explain some of the difference in your refund amount.

Update: I finally got through to ESD after trying for two days straight. The agent explained that the $1,400 difference was broken down as: - $515 in administrative fees (which aren't waived) - $685 in federal tax withholding (10%) - $200 in interest that had accrued before I started repayment She said I'll receive a detailed breakdown in the mail within 2 weeks, and the actual refund should be deposited within 30 days. Thanks everyone for your helpful advice - it gave me the right questions to ask!

just wait it out. my claim fixed itself after like 3 weeks of being stuck lol. esd eventually processes the backlog even if you cant reach anyone

UPDATE: I did not manage to reach a live representative on the number in my post, however based on the advice in the comments I was able to find an option that asked me if I want to restart my claim and I pressed "yes". It asked me to create a PIN, and voila, my claim is now automatically restarted. I no longer have the old weeks blocking my current claims. It did ask me if I was available for work for the first week during which I was travelling and I replied no. That was all. I could swear that option was NOT available previously in the automated system. It somehow appeared the 10th or 15th time I called...