EDD direct deposit payment delays - been 4 days and still nothing in my account
Hey everyone, this is my first time getting unemployment benefits through direct deposit instead of the Money Network card. EDD website shows my payment was issued on Monday morning, but it's now Thursday night and still nothing in my checking account! The status says 'paid' but my bank account definitely disagrees. Called my bank and they don't see any pending deposits either. Starting to worry something went wrong with my direct deposit info. Anyone know how long this normally takes? My bills are due next week and I'm starting to stress about this delay.
27 comments


Mei Wong
Direct deposit from EDD typically takes 1-3 business days after the payment shows as 'issued' in your UI Online account. Since today is the 3rd business day, I'd give it until tomorrow before getting too worried. A few things to check: 1) Verify the account number and routing number are correct in your UI Online profile, 2) Make sure your name on the EDD account exactly matches your bank account name, and 3) Check if your bank might be holding the deposit for verification since it's your first direct deposit from EDD. If nothing shows up by tomorrow afternoon, then you should contact EDD.
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GalaxyGlider
•Thanks for the quick reply! I double-checked my account info in UI Online and everything looks correct. My name matches exactly what's on my bank account too. This waiting game is killing me...I guess I'll give it until tomorrow afternoon like you suggested before I panic completely.
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Liam Sullivan
mine usuly hits my acct next day after it says paid! somethings not right if its been that long
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GalaxyGlider
•Seriously? Next day?? Now I'm really worried. Did you have to do anything special to get it that fast?
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Amara Okafor
The SAME exact thing happened to me last month!! UI Online showed 'paid' for a whole week while my bank account sat empty. I was freaking out! Turns out my bank (Wells Fargo) was holding the first EDD deposit for 'security review' or something stupid like that. They never even notified me! Have you called your bank and specifically asked if they're holding any deposits for review?
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GalaxyGlider
•Oh wow, that could be it! I bank with Chase and when I called, I just asked if they saw any pending deposits. I didn't specifically ask about holds or security reviews. I'll call them back first thing tomorrow. Thanks for the tip!
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Giovanni Colombo
Direct deposit timing can vary based on several factors: - First-time direct deposits from EDD often take longer (3-5 business days) - Some banks hold government deposits for verification - If you certified on a weekend, add an extra day - Bank holidays can delay processing If you need to reach EDD to verify your banking information is correct, I'd recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an agent quickly. They have a service that helps you bypass the long hold times. I used them when I had a similar issue with my direct deposit not showing up, and they got me connected to EDD in about 20 minutes instead of spending days trying to get through. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km
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GalaxyGlider
•Thanks for all that info! I didn't realize first-time deposits take longer - that makes me feel a bit better. If I don't see anything by tomorrow afternoon, I'll check out that Claimyr service. Spending hours on hold with EDD sounds like torture.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
THE EDD SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY BROKEN!!!! I switched to direct deposit in January and my first payment took TWELVE DAYS to hit my account even though the website said 'paid' the whole time. No explanation, no apology, NOTHING from EDD! When I finally got through to someone they just said 'oh yeah first payments can take longer' like it's totally normal to leave people hanging without money for weeks. I hate how they treat us like we're criminals for needing unemployment!!
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StarStrider
•this happened to my cousin too, they make us wait for OUR MONEY while they sit in their cozy offices not answering phones
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Dylan Campbell
When I first switched to direct deposit last year, my payment took 5 business days to arrive. Every payment after that came in 1-2 days like clockwork. I think the first one always takes longer for some reason - probably some verification thing on their end. If you're worried, you could always switch back to the Money Network card. Those payments seem to post faster in my experience.
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GalaxyGlider
•That's actually really reassuring to hear! Maybe this is just a first-time thing then. I'll stick with direct deposit for now since it seems like future payments should be faster. The Money Network card was such a hassle for me - half the places I tried to use it had issues with it.
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Liam Sullivan
did you check your account info is right in the system? my friend put wrong routing # and money went nowhere for weeks
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GalaxyGlider
•Just triple-checked and my routing and account numbers are definitely correct. That would have been an easy fix!
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Mei Wong
Quick update check - has the money arrived yet? If it's been 5 business days and you still don't see it, you should definitely contact EDD to make sure there isn't an issue on their end.
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GalaxyGlider
•Just checked and IT'S THERE!!! Finally showed up this morning! Looks like it took exactly 4 business days. Thanks everyone for helping me not completely freak out during the wait!
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Emma Olsen
So glad to hear it finally came through! This is exactly why I always tell people not to panic until it's been at least 5 business days with direct deposit. The first payment from EDD almost always takes longer than expected - I think it's some kind of verification process they do behind the scenes. Now that you're in the system, your future payments should arrive much faster, usually within 1-2 business days. It's frustrating that EDD doesn't explain this delay upfront, but at least you know what to expect going forward!
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Fatima Al-Farsi
•Exactly! I wish EDD would just put a simple notice on their website saying "First-time direct deposits may take 3-5 business days" or something. Would save so many people from stressing out like I did. At least now I know what to expect and can help others who go through the same thing. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it really helped me stay calm during the wait!
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Eloise Kendrick
This is such a common issue with EDD direct deposits! I went through the exact same panic when I first switched from the debit card. What really helped me was setting up text alerts with my bank so I'd get notified the moment any deposit hit my account. Also, pro tip: EDD processes payments in batches, so if you certified late in the week, it might get pushed to the next batch which can add extra days. The uncertainty is the worst part, but like others have said, first-time direct deposits almost always take 3-5 business days. Hang in there!
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Javier Gomez
•That's a great tip about the text alerts! I'm definitely going to set those up with my bank so I don't have to obsessively check my account balance every hour like I was doing this week. And good point about the batch processing - I did certify pretty late on Sunday, so that probably added to the delay. It's crazy how much stress this whole process causes when you're already dealing with being unemployed. At least now I know this is totally normal and can stop worrying about future payments!
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Aisha Mahmood
I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My payment shows "paid" as of Tuesday but it's Friday and still nothing in my account. Reading through all these comments is making me feel so much better - I had no idea first-time direct deposits took this long. I was literally considering driving to the EDD office thinking something was seriously wrong! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences. Guess I'll wait it out over the weekend and see if it hits Monday. This whole unemployment process is stressful enough without having to worry about payment delays on top of everything else.
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Mei Zhang
•I totally understand that stress! I'm pretty new to this community but have been reading through everyone's experiences and it's really reassuring to see how common this delay is. The fact that so many people have gone through the exact same thing with first-time direct deposits taking 3-5 business days makes me feel like this is just how EDD's system works, not a sign that something's broken. Definitely don't drive to the EDD office yet - sounds like you're right in the normal timeframe! Hopefully it shows up for you on Monday. This whole unemployment thing is overwhelming enough without these mystery waiting periods.
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James Johnson
I'm dealing with the same anxiety right now! My first EDD direct deposit shows "paid" since Wednesday but still nothing in my Chase account as of today (Friday). Reading all these comments has been such a relief - I had no idea this 3-5 day delay for first-time deposits was so common. I was starting to think I messed up my banking info or something! It's frustrating that EDD doesn't give you a heads up about this delay when you switch from the debit card. At least now I know this is normal and not to panic until it's been a full week. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is a lifesaver when you're navigating all this unemployment stuff for the first time!
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Sofia Perez
•I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm literally in the exact same boat - my first direct deposit has been showing "paid" since Monday and it's now Friday with nothing in my account. I was getting ready to call EDD in a panic, but reading everyone's experiences here has been such a huge relief. It sounds like this 3-5 business day wait for first-time deposits is totally normal, even though EDD never mentions it anywhere. I bank with Bank of America and was starting to wonder if they were holding it for some reason. Now I feel much better knowing this is just how their system works. Definitely going to wait until early next week before I start worrying. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - you've saved me from a lot of unnecessary stress!
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Olivia Clark
This is such a helpful thread! I'm new to this community and currently going through my first EDD direct deposit experience too. It's been 3 business days since my payment showed "paid" and I was starting to get really anxious about it. Reading everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - it sounds like this 3-5 day delay for first-time direct deposits is completely normal, even though EDD doesn't warn you about it anywhere. I wish they would just add a simple note on their website explaining this! It would save so many people from the stress and worry. I'm going to wait until Monday before getting concerned, and I'll definitely set up those text alerts with my bank that someone mentioned. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - this community is amazing for helping newcomers navigate all the confusing parts of the unemployment process!
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Ella Cofer
•Welcome to the community! I'm new here too and just went through this exact same experience last week. The anxiety is so real when you're waiting for that first payment! I ended up calling my bank multiple times thinking something was wrong, but it turned out to be completely normal. What really helped me was reading through threads like this one - seeing how many people go through the exact same thing made me realize it's just part of EDD's process. Those text alerts are definitely a game changer too! Now that I'm past my first payment, I feel so much more confident about the whole system. Hang in there - sounds like you're right on track for Monday!
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Xan Dae
•Welcome to the community! I'm pretty new here myself and just went through this exact same anxiety a few weeks ago with my first direct deposit. It's amazing how common this experience is - I had no idea until I found this thread! The 3-5 day wait for first-time deposits seems to be the norm, which is so frustrating that EDD doesn't mention anywhere. I ended up setting up those text alerts with my bank after reading about them here, and it's been a huge help for peace of mind. You're definitely not alone in this - sounds like you're right in the normal timeframe. Hopefully you'll see it hit your account on Monday!
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