How long does it take Washington ESD unemployment to pay after approval?
My Washington ESD claim just got approved yesterday after being in adjudication for almost 6 weeks. I'm relieved but now I'm wondering how long it actually takes to get paid once they approve everything? I have direct deposit set up through my SecureAccess Washington account but I've never been on unemployment before so I don't know what to expect. Should I be getting paid for all those weeks I was waiting or just going forward? Really need to know because I'm behind on rent and bills.
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StarSailor}
Usually takes 2-3 business days for direct deposit once Washington ESD processes your payment. You should get back pay for all the weeks you were waiting during adjudication as long as you kept filing your weekly claims.
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Ava Garcia
•Thank you! Yes I kept filing every week even though it was scary not knowing if I'd get approved. Fingers crossed it hits my account soon.
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Miguel Silva
•Same thing happened to me last year - got a nice chunk of back pay when it finally went through. Make sure you check your payment history on the Washington ESD website to see exactly what they're paying you for.
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Zainab Ismail
6 weeks in adjudication is rough but pretty normal these days. The good news is Washington ESD will pay you for all those weeks retroactively. I had to wait 8 weeks for mine last spring and got like $4000 all at once when it finally cleared.
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Ava Garcia
•Wow 8 weeks sounds even worse! At least there's hope for getting all that back pay. Did you have any issues with the lump sum payment or did it just show up normally?
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Zainab Ismail
•It showed up as separate payments for each week but all deposited on the same day. Was actually kind of nice getting it all at once even though the wait was stressful.
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Connor O'Neill
I've been dealing with Washington ESD for years and the payment timing is usually pretty consistent. Once your weekly claim is processed (usually Tuesday/Wednesday), direct deposit hits Thursday or Friday. The tricky part is reaching them if there are any issues with your payments.
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Yara Nassar
•This is so true about reaching them! I spent hours trying to call about a payment issue last month. Finally found this service called Claimyr that actually got me through to a real person at Washington ESD. Worth checking out if you run into problems - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ
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Connor O'Neill
•That's actually really helpful to know about! I'll keep that in mind for future reference. Sometimes you just need to talk to a human to sort things out.
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Keisha Robinson
The payment schedule depends on when you file your weekly claim. I always file mine on Sunday night and usually see the money in my account by Friday. But during your adjudication period, were you still filing weekly claims? That's important for getting your back pay.
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Ava Garcia
•Yes I kept filing every Sunday even though it felt pointless. The website kept saying to continue filing so I did. Hoping that means I'll get everything I'm owed.
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Keisha Robinson
•Good! You did the right thing. A lot of people stop filing during adjudication and then lose out on weeks of benefits. You should get paid for all of them.
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GalaxyGuardian
dont get too excited yet, ive had my claim approved and then had issues with individual weekly payments getting held up for random reasons. washington esd is a mess
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Ava Garcia
•Ugh please don't say that! I can't handle any more delays. What kind of issues did you have with weekly payments?
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GalaxyGuardian
•job search verification, income reporting questions, random stuff. usually gets sorted out but adds more waiting time
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StarSailor}
•Try not to worry too much about that. Most people don't have ongoing issues once their initial claim is approved. The job search stuff is usually just making sure you're documenting your work search properly.
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Zainab Ismail
Just want to add that if you have any payment delays or questions about your back pay, calling Washington ESD directly is usually your best bet. I know the phone lines are crazy busy but sometimes you need to speak with someone to get things moving.
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Paolo Ricci
•I tried calling them for weeks about a payment issue and could never get through. Finally used Claimyr.com and got connected to an agent the same day. Definitely worth it if you're having trouble reaching them the normal way.
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Zainab Ismail
•That's smart! I'll remember that service for next time. Sometimes you just need that human connection to resolve things quickly.
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Miguel Silva
Based on my experience, once Washington ESD approves your claim, the payment timing is pretty predictable. File weekly claim by Sunday, processing happens Tuesday/Wednesday, money in account Thursday/Friday. The back pay should all come at once for those adjudication weeks.
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Ava Garcia
•This is exactly what I needed to hear! So if I filed my weekly claim yesterday (Sunday), I should potentially see something by Friday?
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Miguel Silva
•Exactly! And since your claim just got approved, you might see multiple payments - one for this week and then your back pay. Check your payment history online to see what they're processing.
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StarSailor}
One thing to keep in mind is that Washington ESD payments are subject to federal and state taxes, so the amount you receive will be less than your full benefit amount unless you opted out of tax withholding. Just so you're not surprised by the amount.
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Ava Garcia
•Oh right, I forgot about taxes! I think I chose to have them withheld when I applied. Better to pay them now than owe a huge amount later.
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Amina Toure
•Smart choice! I didn't have taxes withheld and ended up owing like $1200 when I filed my return. Much better to just have it taken out automatically.
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Yara Nassar
Congratulations on getting approved! The waiting is the hardest part. I had a similar situation last year and it took exactly 3 business days for my direct deposit to hit after approval. The back pay was a lifesaver.
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Ava Garcia
•Thank you! I'm trying not to count on it until I actually see it in my account, but it would be such a relief to catch up on bills.
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Yara Nassar
•Totally understand that feeling! But Washington ESD is usually pretty reliable once they approve everything. You should be good to go.
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Oliver Zimmermann
Something to watch out for - make sure your direct deposit information is correct in your account. I had an old bank account number and it took an extra week to get sorted out when my payment was returned.
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Ava Garcia
•Good point! I double-checked my banking info when I got approved yesterday. Same account I've had for years so should be fine.
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Oliver Zimmermann
•Perfect! Then you should be all set. Just keep an eye on your account and your Washington ESD payment history online.
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Keisha Robinson
The back pay situation is actually pretty straightforward with Washington ESD. You get paid for every week you filed a claim, regardless of whether your claim was still being adjudicated. So if you filed for 6 weeks during adjudication, you'll get 6 weeks of back pay plus your current week.
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Ava Garcia
•That's exactly what I was hoping to hear! I faithfully filed every single week so I should get everything I'm owed.
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Natasha Volkova
•Yep, Washington ESD is actually pretty good about this. I got 10 weeks of back pay when my claim finally went through. It was like winning the lottery after all that stress!
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GalaxyGuardian
just make sure you keep filing your weekly claims going forward. i know someone who thought they were done after getting approved and missed a week - lost that week's benefits permanently
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Ava Garcia
•Definitely! I've got a reminder set on my phone to file every Sunday. Not making any mistakes now that I'm finally approved.
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StarSailor}
•Good practice! Washington ESD is strict about the weekly filing requirement. Miss a week and you can't go back and file for it later.
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Connor O'Neill
One more tip - if you don't see your payment within the expected timeframe, don't panic right away. Sometimes there are small delays due to system processing or bank processing times. But if it's been more than a week, that's when you want to contact Washington ESD to check on it.
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Ava Garcia
•How do you usually contact them? I've heard the phone lines are impossible to get through.
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Javier Torres
•The phone lines are definitely challenging. I've had good luck with Claimyr for getting through to Washington ESD agents when I need to talk to someone. They help you navigate the phone system and actually get connected to a real person.
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Connor O'Neill
•That's a great resource to know about! Sometimes you really do need to speak with someone to resolve payment issues or get clarification on your claim status.
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Emma Davis
Been on unemployment twice in the past few years and both times Washington ESD paid pretty quickly once everything was approved. The first payment might take an extra day or two but after that it's like clockwork.
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Ava Garcia
•That's reassuring! I'm just anxious because I've been waiting so long and really need to catch up on bills.
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Emma Davis
•Totally understand that anxiety! The waiting period is brutal but once it starts flowing, it's consistent. Hang in there!
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CosmicCaptain
Make sure you're checking your payment history regularly on the Washington ESD website. It will show you exactly when payments are processed and how much you're getting. Really helpful for tracking everything.
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Ava Garcia
•Great advice! I'll start checking that regularly. Is there a specific section where I can see payment details?
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CosmicCaptain
•Yes, log into your account and look for the 'Payment History' or 'Benefit Payment Information' section. Shows all your payments with dates and amounts.
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Miguel Silva
Just to set proper expectations - your first payment after approval might be larger than usual if you're getting back pay, but don't expect every payment to be that big. It's just catching you up for the weeks you waited during adjudication.
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Ava Garcia
•Right, that makes sense. I'm calculating about 6 weeks of back pay plus this week's payment, so it should be a decent amount to help catch up.
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Malik Johnson
•That's exactly right! And then going forward it will just be your regular weekly benefit amount. Nice to have that lump sum though to get caught up on everything.
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Isabella Ferreira
Congratulations on getting through the adjudication process! I know how stressful that waiting period can be. Once Washington ESD approves everything, they're usually pretty reliable with the payment timing.
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Ava Garcia
•Thank you! It was definitely one of the most stressful things I've been through. Just hoping the payment comes through as expected now.
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Isabella Ferreira
•It should! Washington ESD has gotten much better with their payment processing over the past couple years. You're in the home stretch now.
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Ravi Sharma
If you end up having any issues with your payments or need to verify something with Washington ESD, I highly recommend trying Claimyr. They helped me get through to an agent when I was having trouble with my weekly claims. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ to see how it works.
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Ava Garcia
•Several people have mentioned that service now. I'll definitely keep it in mind if I run into any issues. Hopefully I won't need it!
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Ravi Sharma
•Hopefully not! But it's good to know it's there if you need it. Much better than spending hours on hold trying to get through the regular way.
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Freya Thomsen
One thing I learned is to screenshot your payment confirmation page when you file your weekly claim. Good to have that record in case there are ever any questions about when you filed or what you reported.
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Ava Garcia
•That's really smart! I'll start doing that. Better to have too much documentation than not enough with Washington ESD.
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Freya Thomsen
•Exactly! I've never needed those screenshots but it gives me peace of mind knowing I have proof of when I filed everything.
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Omar Zaki
Wishing you the best with your payments! The hardest part is behind you now that you're approved. Washington ESD is generally pretty consistent with their payment schedule once everything is processed.
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Ava Garcia
•Thank you so much! This whole thread has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. I feel much better about what to expect now.
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StarSailor}
•Glad we could help! Don't hesitate to come back if you have any other questions about the process.
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