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Melody Miles

How does Washington ESD unemployment pay out - confused about payment timing

I just got approved for unemployment benefits after waiting 3 weeks for adjudication to clear. My claim shows active now but I'm confused about how the actual payments work. Do they pay weekly or bi-weekly? When do the payments actually hit your account after you file your weekly claim? I set up direct deposit but not sure if that makes it faster. Also wondering if the first payment includes back pay for the waiting period or if that comes separately. Anyone know how Washington ESD handles the payout process?

Washington ESD pays weekly benefits but there's usually a 2-3 day processing delay after you file your weekly claim. If you file on Sunday, expect payment by Wednesday typically. Direct deposit is definitely faster than debit card.

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Good to know about the timing! Do you know if the first payment includes retroactive pay for the adjudication period?

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Yes, once approved you should get back pay for any weeks you were eligible during adjudication. It might come as separate payments though.

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been on unemployment for 2 months now and payments are pretty consistent. file sunday get paid wednesday like clockwork. just make sure you dont miss filing a week or it messes up the whole cycle

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What happens if you accidentally miss filing a week? Can you go back and file it?

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yeah you can file for previous weeks but sometimes it flags your claim for review which delays everything

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I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check on my payment status when there was a delay. Kept calling the main number but could never get past the busy signal. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Made the whole process way less stressful.

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How much does that service cost? Seems like we shouldn't have to pay extra just to reach Washington ESD.

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I get the frustration but honestly it was worth it to finally talk to someone and get my payment issue resolved quickly.

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Wait, is this legit? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about my delayed payment.

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PAYMENT SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN: - File weekly claim by Sunday 11:59 PM - Processing occurs Monday-Tuesday - Direct deposit hits Wednesday (usually) - Debit card loads Thursday - Holiday weeks may delay by 1 day Back pay gets processed once adjudication clears but might take an extra week to appear.

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This is super helpful! So if I filed my weekly claim yesterday (Sunday), I should see payment Wednesday?

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Correct, assuming no issues with your claim. Check your account Tuesday night to see if it shows 'paid' status.

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ugh the whole system is so confusing!! why cant they just pay automatically instead of making us file every week? and why does it take so long to process? other states do it faster

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The weekly filing is required by federal law to verify you're still unemployed and looking for work. It's not just a Washington thing.

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still annoying though. what if you forget to file one week?

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Pro tip: set up direct deposit if you haven't already. The debit card option has fees for ATM withdrawals and the cards sometimes get delayed in the mail.

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I did set up direct deposit when I first applied. Should I double-check that it's still active in my account?

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Yeah definitely verify in your SecureAccess Washington account. Sometimes the bank info gets cleared during adjudication.

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I've been waiting 2 weeks for my payment after filing and it still shows 'under review'. Called Washington ESD probably 50 times and either get busy signal or get disconnected after waiting on hold for an hour. This is ridiculous.

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That's exactly the situation I was in! The Claimyr service I mentioned earlier helped me get through to an agent who could actually see what was holding up my payment. Turned out to be a simple verification issue.

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I'm getting desperate enough to try anything at this point. My rent is due next week.

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Does anyone know if Washington ESD sends any kind of notification when payment is issued? Like an email or text?

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They don't send automatic notifications. You have to check your account or bank to see when payment hits.

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You can set up text alerts through your bank for deposits though. That's what I do to track when my unemployment comes in.

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just want to mention that if you worked part time during a week you still need to report those earnings when you file your weekly claim. they'll adjust your payment amount but you still get something usually

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Good point! I haven't worked any part-time yet but good to know for the future.

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yeah and be honest about it because they cross-check with employers and if you get caught not reporting it can mess up your whole claim

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The waiting period thing is confusing. I thought there was a one week waiting period but got paid for my first week. Anyone know if that changed?

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Washington eliminated the waiting week in 2021. So you should get paid for your first eligible week now.

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Oh good! I was worried I'd have to pay something back.

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MAKE SURE YOU FILE BY THE DEADLINE! I missed filing by like 2 hours once and it created a whole mess. Had to call and explain what happened.

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What time is the deadline exactly? I thought it was midnight Sunday.

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It's 11:59 PM on Sunday. So technically before midnight but close enough to cause confusion.

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my sister used that claimyr thing when her payments got stopped for some random review. said it was way easier than trying to call washington esd directly. might be worth checking out if you're having issues

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How quickly did she get through to someone? I'm willing to try anything at this point.

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she said it was same day and the agent was actually helpful instead of just reading from a script

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Question about direct deposit - does it show up as 'Washington ESD' on your bank statement or something else?

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Mine shows up as 'ESD UI BENEFITS' or something similar. Easy to identify.

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Thanks! Just wanted to make sure I'd recognize it when it hits my account.

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been collecting unemployment for 4 months now and the payment timing is very predictable once you get used to it. file sunday get paid wednesday. only time it was different was during thanksgiving week when everything got delayed a day

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Good to know about holiday delays. I'll keep that in mind for future weeks.

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yeah they usually post notices about holiday schedules on the washington esd website

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PSA: if you're having trouble with payments being delayed or stopped, document everything. Take screenshots of your weekly claim confirmations and save any emails from Washington ESD. You'll need them if you have to appeal anything.

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This is excellent advice. I always screenshot my weekly filing confirmation just in case.

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Exactly! Better to have the documentation and not need it than need it and not have it.

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does the payment amount ever change week to week or is it always the same?

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Your weekly benefit amount stays the same unless you report earnings from part-time work, which reduces the payment proportionally.

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ok good, was worried it might fluctuate randomly

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I'm on standby status and confused about whether I still need to file weekly claims. Anyone know how that works for payment timing?

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Yes, you still file weekly claims on standby status. The payment timing is the same - file Sunday, get paid Wednesday typically.

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Thanks! I was worried I'd mess something up by not filing.

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if anyone is still having trouble reaching washington esd about payment issues, that claimyr service really does work. i was skeptical at first but got connected to an agent in minutes instead of spending hours on hold

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Ok you've convinced me. Going to check out their website now.

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good luck! hope it helps you get your payment situation sorted out

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Just want to add that if you switch from debit card to direct deposit, it can take a week or two for the change to take effect. Don't panic if your payment method seems off during the transition.

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Good to know! I set up direct deposit from the beginning so hopefully won't have that issue.

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Smart move. Direct deposit is definitely the way to go.

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thanks everyone for all the info! feeling much more confident about the payment process now. will file my weekly claim sunday and expect payment wednesday. appreciate all the help!

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You're welcome! Feel free to ask if you run into any issues with the process.

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good luck with everything! the weekly routine becomes second nature after a few weeks

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