Bank rejected my ESD payment - how to get it reissued or switch to debit card?

omg this happened to me back in january!! my credit union rejected it because they thought it was 'suspicious activity' or something. so dumb. i had to call esd like 20 times before i got through. they told me it takes like 3 business days for the rejected payment to get back to them, then another 3-5 days to reprocess it. sooo annoying.

This is actually a fairly common issue. When a bank rejects an ACH deposit from ESD, the money does indeed get returned to ESD's account. Here's what typically happens: 1. ESD will receive the returned funds in 2-4 business days 2. Their system will automatically flag your account for payment issue 3. You'll need to contact them to update your payment method You definitely can switch to the ReliaCard (ESD debit card). It's actually more reliable than direct deposit sometimes because you bypass the bank verification issues. To switch payment methods, log into your eServices account, go to Settings, then Payment Method, and select the debit card option. The card itself takes about 7-10 days to arrive by mail, but once ESD reprocesses your payment, it will be loaded onto the card within 48 hours of approval.

I had this exact issue in March 2025! My payment was rejected by my bank (Wells Fargo) due to an account number verification failure. Here's what worked for me: 1. I called ESD at 833-572-8400 first thing Monday morning (7:00am is best time) 2. They confirmed they received the returned funds 3. I requested to switch to the ReliaCard option 4. They reissued the payment to the card The entire process took about 9 days from rejection to having money on the card. The good news is that the card arrives separately from the funds, so you might get the card before the money is reloaded. Try using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to ESD faster - it helped me bypass the phone queue. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Saved me hours of redial frustration.

THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME IN DECEMBER!!! ESD is SO FRUSTRATING to deal with!!! They don't automatically reissue ANYTHING - you have to CALL and BEG them to fix their mistakes! This system is DESIGNED to make people give up on getting their benefits. I had to call literally 47 times before someone picked up. The ReliaCard takes FOREVER to arrive too - they quoted me 5-7 days and it took almost THREE WEEKS!!!

hey just wondering, did you recently change banks or have any issues with your account? sometimes banks reject government deposits if the name on the account doesn't exactly match what ESD has on file. happened to me when i got married and changed my name but didn't update it everywhere.

To address the questions in the thread: 1. Yes, name mismatches (even minor ones like missing a middle initial) can cause banks to reject payments. 2. Regarding the claim that you need to file a new weekly claim - that's incorrect. ESD doesn't require you to file a new weekly claim if a payment is rejected by your bank. They only need to update your payment method. 3. About the ReliaCard timeline: Standard processing is 7-10 days, but during high volume periods it can take longer. However, three weeks is unusual and likely involved postal delays. 4. Most importantly: While waiting for the card, you should continue filing your weekly claims on time. Any approved weeks will be loaded to your card once it's active. The fastest resolution is definitely to call ESD directly and explain that your bank rejected the payment. They can expedite the reissue process.

Yes, there is a way to potentially expedite the process. When you call ESD, specifically request that they mark your ReliaCard for "expedited delivery" due to financial hardship. They don't advertise this option, but they can do it in certain circumstances. Also, once your card has been mailed, you can actually register for the ReliaCard mobile app before you physically receive the card. Sometimes the funds appear in the app account before the physical card arrives, and you can use virtual card details for certain online payments. Definitely mention the urgency of your situation when you call. The representatives do have some flexibility to help with true hardship cases.

UPDATE: I finally got through to ESD today! For anyone with a similar issue in the future: They confirmed my payment was returned to them yesterday. The agent was actually really helpful (surprised me after reading horror stories). They're reissuing the payment to a ReliaCard which should arrive in 7-10 business days. They said they can't expedite the card delivery (contrary to what someone suggested above), but once the card arrives, the payment should be on it right away. I also updated the name format to exactly match my bank account just in case I want to switch back to direct deposit later. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!

Glad you got through and got it sorted out! That's a relief. Just a heads up though - when you get your ReliaCard, make sure to activate it right away and set up the mobile app. Sometimes there can be a delay between when the card arrives and when your funds actually get loaded onto it, so having the app helps you track when the money hits. Also, keep your direct deposit info updated in case you want to switch back later - the ReliaCard has some fees for ATM withdrawals that can add up if you're not careful about which ATMs you use.