WA state is trying to take back million of dollars in benefits from people who lost work during the pandemic

Many of us have had to turn to the unemployment system to make ends meet over the past two years. But instead of ensuring timely, reliable benefits, WA state leaders have let huge backlogs continue—and now, they’re sending out collections notices in an attempt to take back millions of dollars in emergency benefits they’ve already paid out.

Thousands of us are getting these so-called “overpayment notices” in the mail. Suddenly, we’re on the hook to pay back benefits we used up a long time ago to survive, benefits which were meant to support us through a crisis, and which were never meant to be a loan. We can’t afford to pay those benefits back.

>>>Tell WA state officials: workers need a blanket waiver on all “overpayment notices” during the pandemic. <<<

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Erin H., Yelm

“At the time when COVID hit I was a substitute bus driver. My job ended on March 13th of 2020 when the governor said that the state would be shut down for 2 weeks. My experience with unemployment has not been a good one….I waited and waited until June 18th, when I was finally paid out all the weeks that I had been waiting for.

Then, in November 2020, I received an overpayment letter for $7,050 that stated I was no longer eligible for PUA for the year I was getting benefits….The emotions that I had to go through were so overwhelming…I am being told 7 months later that I have been overpaid and now I have to pay it all back…”

>>> Read and share Erin’s full story. <<<

Chakira W., Kent

“I was working as a customer service representative at the beginning of the pandemic. I filed for unemployment in March 2020 but had to wait over 6 months to receive my benefits. In August 2021 ESD sent me a letter saying I owe them $22,000 because I was not eligible for benefits (after they said I was.) I have called ESD several times to try to get answers and filed an appeal that I’m still waiting to hear back on.

It causes me so much stress owing something I cannot afford to pay on top of my rent, bills, everything…”

>>> Read and share Chakira’s story. <<<

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Dora P., Lakewood

“I was a caregiver when I became unemployed and applied for benefits in January 2021. It took 12 weeks from the time I first applied to receive any payment…Then in April 2021, I received an overpayment notice for $9,800 without even telling me the reason for it. I filed an appeal to address the overpayment, but ESD garnished $743 from my checking account…Due to the pandemic, I lost my home, caught COVID, and lost 5 family members to COVID-19…I am just exhausted and stressed from it all…”

>>> Read and share Dora’s full story. <<<

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We’re coming together to share our stories and demand the state stop trying to take back our benefits. We're collecting all of our stories here.

And there are thousands more cases like ours, far too many for the state to fix this crisis on a one-by-one basis. These overpayment notices can be almost impossible to get reversed on our own. That's why we need state leaders to issue a blanket waiver to stop these “overpayment notices” during the pandemic—and we need your help to make sure they act.