EDD first payment method confusion - direct deposit vs check for initial payment?

I just went through this in January! The first payment CAN come as direct deposit if you set it up before they process your first payment. The old system used to default to paper checks or debit cards, but since they updated UI Online last fall, direct deposit works right away if you set it up in time. Just double-check your UI Online account to make sure your banking info shows as "verified" not just "pending verification.

mine came on the money network card even tho i set up direct deposit!!! had to wait like 7 days for the stupid card in the mail. so annoying

Your coworker is operating on outdated information. The EDD switched their primary payment system in October 2024. Here's how it works now: 1. If you set up direct deposit BEFORE your first payment is processed, it will go directly to your bank account 2. If you don't set up direct deposit in time, you'll get a Money Network debit card by default 3. The system typically takes 24-48 hours to verify your bank information 4. You can check the status of your payment method in your UI Online account under "Payment Methods" Make sure you've entered your bank information correctly - wrong account/routing numbers are the most common reason direct deposits fail. If it fails, they'll automatically mail you a Money Network card, which can take 7-10 business days.

I got my first payment direct deposit two weeks ago! Only took 3 days after certification. Good luck!

I've been trying to reach EDD for THREE WEEKS to fix my direct deposit issue and can't get through!!! They keep saying "we're experiencing high call volume" and hanging up on me. My bank info was showing as verified but the payment never came, and now I'm stuck with a payment status that says "outstanding" for almost a month! Anyone know how to actually talk to a HUMAN at EDD??

this whole system is GARBAGE!! I certified on time every week and still had to wait A MONTH for my first payment!!! they still sending me checks even tho I set up direct deposit TWICE!!! EDD is broken beyond repair

Let me clarify something important: EDD payments work on a cycle. If your payment is already being processed when you set up direct deposit, it won't affect that payment - it will only apply to future payments. This causes confusion because people think their direct deposit didn't work, when actually it just wasn't set up in time for that particular payment cycle. To directly answer your question - your first payment CAN be direct deposit if your timing is right. In my experience helping claimants navigate this, about 70% get their first payment via their selected method if they set it up within 48 hours of their claim being approved. Check your UI Online homepage for the payment status - it will tell you if the payment has been issued and through which method.

Update us when you get your payment! I'm curious if it worked out with the direct deposit.

That's awesome news @Ava Garcia! Thanks for following up with the results. This thread is going to be super helpful for future claimants who are confused about the payment methods. It's great to have confirmation that the new system really does work when you get the timing right. Congrats on getting your payment sorted out!

This is such valuable information! I'm currently waiting for my claim to be approved and was dreading the thought of waiting weeks for a paper check. Reading through everyone's experiences here gives me hope that if I set up direct deposit immediately after approval, I might actually get my first payment quickly. The timing aspect that @Amina Toure explained makes total sense - it's all about getting your banking info verified before they start processing that specific payment cycle. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences, especially @Ava Garcia for the follow-up confirmation that it actually worked!

This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm going through the same process right now - my claim was just approved yesterday and I immediately set up direct deposit after reading all these experiences. It's reassuring to know that the timing really does matter and that the new system actually works when you get everything set up quickly enough. @Ava Garcia thank you so much for following up with your success story - that gives me hope that I might see my payment hit my account directly instead of waiting for a card or check in the mail. Fingers crossed the timing works out for me too!

Just wanted to add my recent experience to help others! I went through this exact same situation in February 2025. My claim was approved on a Wednesday, I set up direct deposit that same evening, and my first payment hit my bank account the following Tuesday - so about 6 days total. The key really is getting that direct deposit set up ASAP after approval. I was so worried about waiting weeks for a physical card or check, but the updated EDD system actually works pretty well when you get the timing right. For anyone reading this who's in the same boat - don't panic, just get your banking info entered and verified as quickly as possible after your claim approval!

I'm currently going through this exact process right now - my claim just got approved this morning and I immediately came to this thread after seeing so much conflicting information online! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring. The timeline breakdown from @Diego Fisher and success story from @Ava Garcia gives me hope that I won't be stuck waiting weeks for a physical payment. I just finished setting up my direct deposit about an hour ago and it's already showing as "verified" in my UI Online account, so fingers crossed I'm within that critical timing window everyone mentioned. This thread should honestly be pinned somewhere - it's way more helpful than the official EDD website for understanding how this actually works in practice. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their real experiences!

This thread has been absolutely incredible! As someone who just started the EDD process last week, I was terrified about the payment confusion after hearing horror stories from friends. But reading through everyone's real experiences here - especially the success stories from @Ava Garcia and @Diego Fisher - has completely changed my perspective. The timeline breakdown showing that the new system actually works when you get direct deposit set up within that 24-48 hour window is exactly the kind of practical information I needed. It's amazing how much more helpful real community experiences are compared to trying to decipher the official EDD website. I'm bookmarking this thread to reference when my claim hopefully gets approved. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their journeys - you're literally helping people pay their rent and bills by clearing up this confusion!

This entire thread should be required reading for anyone starting an EDD claim! I just went through the approval process last month and wish I had found this information earlier. What really stands out to me is how the community here provided clearer, more actionable guidance than any official EDD resource I could find. The key takeaway seems to be: set up direct deposit IMMEDIATELY after approval (within 24-48 hours) and verify it shows as "verified" not "pending" in your UI Online account. The success stories from @Ava Garcia and @Diego Fisher prove the updated system actually works when you get the timing right. For anyone still reading this thread who's waiting for their claim approval - screenshot these timeline details because they're gold!

This thread has been such a game-changer for understanding the EDD payment process! As someone who's been lurking in this community for a while but never posted, I finally had to jump in and say thank you to everyone who shared their real experiences. I'm currently in week 3 of waiting for my claim approval, and reading through all the success stories here - especially from @Ava Garcia, @Diego Fisher, and seeing @Libby Hassan's optimistic setup - has given me so much hope. The timing breakdown everyone provided is incredibly valuable: get direct deposit set up within 24-48 hours of approval, make sure it shows "verified" status, and you have a great chance of getting that first payment deposited directly instead of waiting weeks for cards or checks. This is exactly the kind of practical, community-driven information that makes all the difference when you're stressed about paying bills. Definitely saving this thread as my action plan for when (hopefully!) my approval comes through!