Do holidays affect Washington ESD unemployment payments 2023 - confused about timing

So if I filed Sunday and Monday was a holiday, would it be Tuesday instead of the usual Monday processing?

Usually yes, but sometimes it takes an extra day for the banks to catch up too. I'd expect Tuesday or Wednesday to be safe.

Ugh that's exactly what I was worried about. Did you get any notification from Washington ESD about the delay?

Nope, no heads up at all. Just had to wait and check my account obsessively lol

Wait really? I've been trying to call for weeks with no luck. Does this actually work?

Yeah it worked for me. I was skeptical too but I was desperate to get answers about my claim status during the July 4th delay.

Sounds too good to be true but I might try it. The regular Washington ESD number is absolutely useless.

That's really helpful, thank you! Do you know if Washington state holidays also affect it or just federal ones?

I think it's mostly federal holidays that matter since the banking system follows those. But Washington ESD offices are closed on state holidays too so that might affect customer service.

I feel you on this. It's like they forget we have bills that don't take holidays.

EXACTLY! My rent doesn't care if it's Labor Day weekend, it's still due on the 1st!

Oh no, I didn't even think about the end of year holidays. That's going to be rough.

Yeah plan ahead if you can. Maybe save a little extra from earlier payments to cushion the holiday delays.

Good advice! I usually just check my bank account but I should be monitoring the ESD side too.

Yes! The ESD portal shows processing status before your bank does. Super helpful for planning.

Like I mentioned above, I used Claimyr to get through. Before that I was stuck in phone hell for weeks.

I saw that but wasn't sure if it was legit. The Washington ESD phone situation is so bad I'm willing to try anything at this point.

Maybe but they could at least warn us about it instead of leaving us guessing.

True, better communication would help a lot. A simple email saying 'expect delays due to holiday' would be nice.

I have a credit union, do they usually process faster?

In my experience yes, but every bank is different. Call and ask about their holiday processing schedule.

That's really smart! I should start tracking this stuff better.

It helps with budgeting when you know the delays are coming. Plus you can spot if something is actually wrong vs just a holiday delay.

That sucks, I'm sorry. The timing is always the worst when you need the money most.

Thanks. Now I try to keep a small emergency fund for holiday delays but it's hard when the payments are barely enough as is.

That's actually a great idea. Most payroll companies do this for employees.

Right? It's such a simple thing that would help millions of people plan better.

Yes! That's exactly my situation this week. Monday holiday means Tuesday or Wednesday payment.

Hang in there, it should hit your account soon. Holiday delays are temporary even though they feel endless.

Did they charge you a lot to use it?

I'd rather not say the exact amount but it was worth it to get a real answer instead of guessing about my payments.

8 months? That's rough. Are you still looking for work or is this a longer-term situation?

Still looking but the market is tough. The job search requirements for Washington ESD keep me busy at least.

It affects all payments as far as I know. Regular UI, standby, doesn't matter - holidays delay everything.

Got it, thanks. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something about my claim type.

Yeah Black Friday messes with banking schedules even though government offices are usually open.

Exactly! It's like an unofficial holiday for financial processing.

I think you still have to file by the Sunday deadline regardless of holidays. The filing system stays open even when offices are closed.

OK that makes sense. Filing vs payment processing are different systems.

Right? I thought I was doing something wrong when my payment was late. Good to know it's just holiday delays.

Same here! Forums like this are so much more helpful than the official Washington ESD website sometimes.

Perfect summary, thank you! This gives me peace of mind about this week's payment.

You're welcome! Holiday delays are just part of the unemployment experience unfortunately.

That's a really smart strategy with the phone reminders! I never thought to actually calendar the federal holidays to prepare for payment delays. You're right that Washington ESD gives zero heads up about this stuff - it's like they expect us to just magically know when our money will be delayed. I'm definitely going to start doing this, especially with the upcoming holiday season. Thanks for sharing what you've learned!

I totally feel your stress about this! The uncertainty is honestly the worst part when you're already dealing with financial pressure. What I've found helpful is checking my Washington ESD account online the morning after I file my claim - you can usually see if the payment is "processed" or "pending" which gives you a better idea of timing than just waiting for your bank deposit. Also, if you haven't already, it might be worth calling your bank to ask about their specific holiday deposit schedule since some process faster than others even during delays. Hang in there - Tuesday/Wednesday sounds about right based on what everyone else is saying!

You're so welcome! This community really does help when Washington ESD leaves us guessing about everything. I was in the exact same boat a few months ago - payment didn't show up on Monday and I was convinced I'd messed up my claim somehow. It's honestly crazy that they don't just send a simple email saying "Hey, expect delays due to the holiday" but I guess that would be too helpful, right? The tracking and calendar reminder system has been a game changer for my stress levels. Good luck with your payment - based on everyone's experiences here, Tuesday seems pretty likely! Keep us posted on when it hits!

I'm so glad this thread helped you too! It's honestly ridiculous that we have to rely on each other to figure out basic stuff like payment timing when Washington ESD could easily post this information on their website. I've been unemployed for a few months now and the holiday delays still catch me off guard sometimes. One thing I learned the hard way is to always keep a small buffer if possible - even just $20-30 saved from previous payments can make a huge difference during these holiday weeks. I know it's easier said than done when every dollar counts, but those extra days without payment income can really hurt. Hope your deposit comes through tomorrow! The waiting is always the worst part.