Does unemployment pay weekly in Washington - confused about payment schedule

Yes, Washington ESD pays weekly benefits but there's usually a delay for your first payment. You file your weekly claim every week but the actual payment typically comes a few days later. For your first claim, it can take up to a week to process.

Yes, Washington ESD pays unemployment benefits weekly, but you need to file your weekly claim every week to get paid. The payments usually come 1-2 business days after you file your weekly claim, assuming there are no issues with your claim.

I think you might be confusing weekly filing with payment schedule. You have to file a weekly claim every week to certify you're still eligible, but some people get paid bi-weekly depending on their bank.

Here's how it actually works in Washington: You file your weekly claim every Sunday (or whenever your designated day is). Washington ESD processes approved claims within 2-3 business days. So if you file Sunday, you typically see payment by Wednesday. The benefit amount is calculated weekly, not bi-weekly.

Been on unemployment for 3 months now and yes it's weekly payments. BUT - and this is important - you have to file every single week even if you haven't heard back about your previous claim. Missing a week can mess up your whole claim.

your neighbor probably gets paid biweekly from her job or something and got confused with unemployment. UI is definitely weekly in washington state

Make sure you're filing every single week even if you worked a few hours. I made the mistake of skipping a week when I worked one day and it messed up my whole claim sequence.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to verify your payment schedule or resolve any issues, I found Claimyr really helpful. It's a service that helps you get through to ESD agents on the phone - check out claimyr.com. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call myself.

The weekly payment thing confused me too when I first started. You file your weekly claim for the previous week, not the current week. So this Sunday you'd file for last week's dates.

The weekly payment system is designed to help people with regular income flow, which makes sense. Just remember that your first payment might take a bit longer since they verify everything initially. After that it should be pretty consistent.

One thing to watch out for - some banks hold deposits for new accounts or large deposits. Your unemployment payment might hit Washington ESD's end but your bank might hold it for a day or two. Just so you know in case there's a delay.

Just wanted to add that if your claim goes into adjudication or pending status, the weekly payment schedule stops until they resolve whatever issue they're reviewing. Keep filing your weekly claims even if you're not getting paid during adjudication though.

I was so confused about this when I first applied too! The weekly filing thing threw me off because I thought it meant I had to wait a full week between payments. But no, once you get in the rhythm it's file Sunday, get paid Wednesday (roughly).

Also make sure you're doing your job search activities every week. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week and they can audit your search log at any time.

The weekly payments are nice but don't forget they're taxable income. You can have taxes withheld automatically or pay quarterly estimated taxes to avoid a big bill next year.

Just to add - if you ever have issues with payments not showing up or your weekly claim gets stuck, don't waste time trying to call Washington ESD directly. I spent hours on hold before someone told me about Claimyr. They actually get you connected to real agents who can check your payment status. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Washington state doesn't have state income tax so you only worry about federal taxes on unemployment benefits. That's one nice thing about being unemployed here versus other states.

Make sure your direct deposit info is correct in your account. I had an old bank account on file and my first payment got sent to a closed account. Took forever to get that sorted out.

For what it's worth, I've been getting my payments every Wednesday for the past 2 months. Filed every Sunday, paid every Wednesday. Only exception was one week when there was a holiday and it came Thursday instead.

The payment schedule is weekly but don't panic if your first few payments seem irregular. Washington ESD sometimes batches new claims differently or there might be verification steps. Once you're established in the system it becomes very predictable.

anyone else think the washington esd system is confusing as hell? like why can't they just say 'you file weekly and get paid weekly' instead of all this bureaucratic language

Pro tip: set up direct deposit if you haven't already. Makes the weekly payments much more reliable than waiting for checks in the mail.

To summarize for anyone else reading this: Washington ESD unemployment benefits are paid weekly. You file your weekly claim (usually Sunday), and payment typically arrives 2-3 business days later. First payments may take longer due to initial verification processes.

I had to call Washington ESD about a payment delay last month and couldn't get through for days. Finally used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and got connected in like 20 minutes. Totally worth it when you need to actually talk to someone about your payments.

Been following this thread and wanted to confirm - yes it's weekly payments in WA. Don't let anyone tell you different. The key is staying consistent with your weekly claims.

The weekly filing deadline is important too. You have to file by the end of the week (I think Sunday night) or your claim might be considered late.

Been on unemployment twice in Washington and the weekly payment system is pretty reliable once you get used to it. Just don't expect your first payment right away - there's usually a waiting week.

If you're getting partial unemployment because you're working part-time, the weekly system still applies. They just reduce your benefit amount based on how much you earned that week.

The Washington ESD website has a payment calendar that shows when payments are processed each week. Might be helpful to bookmark that page.

One more thing - keep records of when you file and when you get paid. If there are ever discrepancies, you'll want documentation of your filing dates and payment dates.

Does anyone know if holiday weeks affect the payment schedule? Like if there's a federal holiday, does that delay payments?

The weekly payment schedule is definitely better than some states that pay every two weeks. Getting money every week helps with budgeting when you're unemployed.

If you run into any problems with your weekly claims or payments, document everything and don't wait too long to get help. Issues are easier to resolve quickly rather than letting them build up.

Remember that your weekly benefit amount is based on your earnings history, so everyone's payment will be different. Don't compare your amount to other people's amounts.

The weekly filing process becomes routine pretty quickly. I set a reminder on my phone for Sunday evenings and it became automatic after a few weeks.

Just want to emphasize that you need to keep filing weekly claims for your entire benefit year, even if you find temporary work. You might need those benefits again if the temporary job doesn't work out.

The weekly payment system in Washington is pretty straightforward once you understand it. File every week, report your earnings honestly, do your job search, and the money comes regularly. It's not complicated, just consistent.