Does unemployment pay on holidays in Washington ESD system?

So if Tuesday is the holiday, I should expect payment on Wednesday instead?

Exactly. It's usually just a one day delay but can be stressful if you're counting on that money for bills.

I looked on their site but couldn't find a clear holiday calendar. Do you have a direct link?

It's buried in their FAQ section under payment information. Sometimes it's easier to just call and ask.

Good luck getting through on the phone though! I tried calling Washington ESD last week and was on hold for 2 hours before giving up.

Never heard of that before. Does it actually work or is it some kind of scam?

It's legit. They basically handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent picks up. Saved me hours of frustration.

Might have to try that. I've been trying to reach someone at Washington ESD for weeks about my adjudication status.

That's really helpful! So basically any federal holiday pushes payments back one day?

Yes, but only if the holiday falls on your normal payment day. If your payment day is Wednesday and the holiday is Monday, you're not affected.

I feel your frustration but government systems always move slower than private banks. At least it's usually just a one day delay.

one day can make a huge difference when ur broke and waiting for unemployment money

This exactly. When you're living paycheck to paycheck, even a one day delay can mess up your whole budget.

That's smart. I should probably do the same thing. Do you know if Washington ESD sends any notifications about holiday delays?

Not that I've seen. They assume you know federal holidays affect everything government related.

Correct. The weekly claim filing deadline doesn't change for holidays. Only the payment processing gets delayed.

Thanks for confirming. I was worried I'd miss my filing window if the holiday messed up the schedule.

Standby claims follow the same payment schedule as regular UI claims. Holiday delays apply to all Washington ESD benefit payments.

Good to know. My union rep wasn't sure about the holiday thing.

Yeah, some holidays create longer delays if they fall right before weekends or if there are multiple holidays in one week.

That must have been tough right before a holiday when expenses are usually higher.

I never thought about the bank side of it. So there could be delays on both ends?

It's possible but not common. Most banks process ESD deposits pretty quickly once they receive them.

Really? I thought direct deposit was supposed to be faster.

For regular payments yes, but around holidays the debit card seems to get updated first. Might just be my bank though.

How much does that service cost?

They focus more on the value of getting through quickly rather than the cost. Check out their site at claimyr.com for details.

That's reassuring to know it's predictable. Thanks for checking your records!

Wish Washington ESD would just send automated reminders about holiday delays though.

Job search requirements typically have weekly deadlines that don't change for holidays. But if you're having trouble submitting online due to system maintenance, that's different.

Got it. So I should still meet my normal work search deadlines regardless of holidays affecting payments.

This is exactly why services like Claimyr are helpful - you can get clear answers directly from Washington ESD staff instead of trying to decode their website. The video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ shows how easy it is to use.

I might have to try that. Spent way too much time trying to figure out their payment calendar.

That's good to know. I was worried it could be delayed for a whole week or something.

Two days max in my experience too. The system is slow but not that slow.

Glad we could help! Holiday payment delays are one of those things they don't really explain clearly when you first start getting unemployment.

Yeah, there's a lot of stuff about the unemployment system that you only learn through experience or by asking other people going through it.

That's a good rule of thumb. Federal employee schedule = Washington ESD processing schedule.

Makes sense since Washington ESD is a state agency but follows federal banking holidays for processing.

Good to hear another positive review. Might be worth trying when I have my next payment question.

Same, the regular phone system is basically unusable during busy times.