How Thanksgiving holiday affects ESD payment timing - need planning advice

ESD treats Thanksgiving as a bank holiday, which means the payment processing is delayed by a day. If you normally get paid on Wednesday, expect it Thursday. If you typically get Thursday payments, it'll likely arrive Friday. Filing at midnight Saturday won't make a difference - their system works in batches, not individual processing. You should call your bank ASAP about those Friday auto-drafts and see if you can move them back a couple days. Many banks will adjust automatic payment dates if you explain the situation, especially around holidays.

I've been dealing with this holiday delay problem for months now. The ESD payment system is SO frustrating. Last year during Thanksgiving my payment was actually delayed until the following MONDAY which caused a cascade of overdraft fees. Their website claimed it was a "processing issue" but I think they're just understaffed. If you're really in a tight spot, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual ESD agent who might be able to expedite your payment. I was skeptical but their service connected me to an ESD rep in less than 30 minutes when I was desperate to resolve a holiday payment issue. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Hope that helps and good luck with those auto-drafts!

Holiday payment schedule for ESD works like this: - If you file on Sunday (normal time), payments process Monday - With Thursday being a holiday, that pushes processing by one day - Direct deposits typically post 2 business days after processing - So Sunday filers should expect Friday deposits this week The official ESD website confirms all state offices are closed Thursday for Thanksgiving. But their automated systems still run - they just don't have staff processing exceptions or handling manual reviews. If your claim is straightforward with no pending issues, you should get paid Friday. If there are ANY flags on your account requiring manual review, it could be next week.

omg this happns to me EVERY holiday!!! its so annyoing. i always end up paying like $35 overdraft fees bcuz ESD cant get their act together. they shud tell ppl about these delyas BEFORE the holiday not after when its 2 late.

I went through this exact situation last year. Here's my practical advice: 1. File your weekly claim as early as possible Sunday (system opens at 12:01am) 2. Call your bank IMMEDIATELY to adjust any Friday auto-payments 3. If you have a credit card, consider making minimum payments there to free up cash for critical bills 4. Check your bank's overdraft protection options - some will cover overdrafts from savings automatically As for timing: In my experience, Thanksgiving creates a 1-2 day delay. Last year my payment that would normally hit Wednesday came Friday morning around 2am. The year before it was Thursday afternoon. The most important thing is having a backup plan for those Friday drafts. Don't just hope the timing works out!

My brother works at a bank and he told me that ACH deposits (which is what ESD uses) don't process on federal holidays AT ALL. So even if ESD approves your payment on Wednesday, the banking system won't move the money until Friday at earliest. Banks are closed Thursday but the federal reserve system that handles these transfers is closed BOTH Thursday AND Friday after Thanksgiving! You might not see that money until MONDAY!!!!

I had the same problem last year. my payment didnt come til friday and i usuly get it on tuesday!!! i ended up having to borrow $100 from my sister bc my rent check bounced. so annoying that they dont warn ppl about this stuff.

Update: I called my bank this morning and they were actually super helpful! They moved my auto-drafts to Monday and waived the change fee since it's holiday-related. Also filed my claim right at midnight and got the confirmation email already. Thanks for all the advice everyone! Guess I'll find out Friday if the money shows up or not. Fingers crossed!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been on unemployment for almost a year now - the holiday payment delays are definitely real but not as bad as some people make them out to be. I keep a simple spreadsheet tracking my payment dates and here's what I've noticed: Thanksgiving week: Usually 1 day delay (Wednesday becomes Thursday, Thursday becomes Friday) Christmas/New Year: Can be 2-3 days depending on how the weekends fall Memorial Day, Labor Day, July 4th: Usually just 1 day The key is never cutting it close with bills during holiday weeks. I always assume worst case scenario and plan accordingly. Also pro tip - if you're really desperate, some credit unions will give you a small emergency loan against your expected unemployment deposit. Saved my butt last Christmas when ESD had a "system glitch" that delayed payments an extra 3 days. Hope everything works out for you! The stress is real but you'll get through it.