How long does first unemployment check take from Washington ESD?

First payments usually take 2-3 weeks after your claim is approved. Washington ESD processes payments on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so if you just got approved, you might see it next week. Make sure you're checking both your bank account and the Washington ESD website for payment status.

The waiting period can be frustrating but it's normal. Washington ESD has to verify your employer information and process everything through their system. If you're doing direct deposit, that's usually faster than waiting for a paper check in the mail.

If you're having trouble getting through to check on your claim status, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me reach someone at Washington ESD. They have a system that calls for you and gets you connected to an actual person. Check out claimyr.com - they even have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

ugh same boat here!! filed 2 weeks ago and NOTHING yet. this is so stressful when you have rent due. why does everything take forever with washington esd???

Make sure you're logging into your SecureAccess Washington account regularly to check for any alerts or additional information requests. Sometimes there are identity verification steps or other requirements that can delay your first payment if you miss them.

Mine took 18 days for the first payment but after that it was every Tuesday like clockwork. The first one includes your waiting week payment too if you're eligible, so it might be a bigger amount than you expect.

just be patient it comes when it comes. complaining about it doesn't make it faster lol

One thing to watch out for - if your claim goes into adjudication for any reason, it can delay your first payment significantly. That happens when there are questions about your separation from work or other eligibility issues. Hopefully that's not the case for you.

I remember my first unemployment check taking forever too. I think I called them like 50 times before I finally got through to someone who could tell me what was going on. Turns out there was just a backlog and everything was fine.

Also make sure you're continuing to file your weekly claims even if you haven't gotten paid yet. If you miss a week it can mess up your whole claim.

The whole system is just slow honestly. I've been on unemployment twice and both times the first check took about 2.5 weeks. After that it was regular though. Just gotta wait it out unfortunately.

Check your payment method too - sometimes there are issues with direct deposit setup that can cause delays. You can always switch to paper checks if there's a problem with your bank info.

I'm in the same situation but it's been 3 weeks now. Starting to really worry something's wrong. Has anyone had to wait longer than 3 weeks for their first payment?

The waiting is the absolute worst part of unemployment. I remember checking my bank account like 10 times a day waiting for that first payment. It does come though, just takes time.

One more tip - make sure you're meeting all the job search requirements during this waiting period. Washington ESD tracks that stuff and it could affect your payments if you're not compliant.

honestly just try to distract yourself, watching for it every day makes it feel longer. it'll show up when it shows up

For what it's worth, Washington ESD has gotten much better at processing claims compared to a few years ago. The system updates have really improved things. Your payment should come through soon.

I got my first payment exactly 14 days after filing. It was a Tuesday morning and showed up as direct deposit. Keep the faith!

Make sure to check both your bank account AND the Washington ESD payment history page. Sometimes there can be delays between when they send it and when your bank processes it.

Just to add one more perspective - I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it was actually really helpful. Got connected to a Washington ESD agent in like 20 minutes instead of spending hours trying to call. Worth checking out if you need to talk to someone about your claim.