How long does it take for Washington ESD unemployment to pay after approval?

Usually takes 2-3 business days after approval for the first payment to hit your account. Since you were approved Wednesday, you should see it by Monday or Tuesday at the latest. Make sure your direct deposit info is correct in your account.

After approval, Washington ESD typically processes payments within 2-3 business days. However, if this is your first payment after a long adjudication period, it might take slightly longer because they're processing multiple weeks at once. You should receive all back payments from when you first filed.

I had the same issue last month - claim approved but no payment for almost a week. Turned out there was a verification issue they didn't tell me about. I ended up using Claimyr to get through to an agent who fixed it immediately. You can check them out at claimyr.com, they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

FIVE DAYS?? I've been waiting THREE WEEKS since my approval and still nothing! This system is completely broken. I call every single day and either get hung up on or sit on hold for hours just to get disconnected.

check your account online to see if there are any alerts or pending issues. sometimes theres stuff you need to do that they dont tell you about

Don't panic yet! I know 5 days feels like forever when you're waiting for money but that's still within the normal timeframe. Washington ESD has been pretty good about payments once claims are approved, unlike during the pandemic when everything was a mess.

Also make sure you've been filing your weekly claims consistently. Even after approval, you still need to file every week to receive payment for that week. Missed weekly claims can delay payments.

One thing to check - if you have a Bank of America debit card from a previous claim, make sure it's still active. Washington ESD defaults to that card if you had one before, and if it's expired or closed, your payment could be delayed.

The payment timing also depends on your bank. Some banks process ACH transfers faster than others. Credit unions are usually pretty quick, big banks like Chase or Wells Fargo can take an extra day or two.

I'm in the exact same boat - approved Thursday, no payment yet. This is so frustrating when you're counting on this money to survive. At least we're not alone in this I guess.

Just want to add my experience - I was approved on a Friday and got paid the following Tuesday. So about 4 business days total. The waiting is nerve-wracking but try to be patient for at least a full week before panicking.

Whatever you do, don't call the regular customer service line. I wasted HOURS trying to get through just to ask about payment timing. Save yourself the headache.

Check your online account under 'Payment History' - it should show pending payments even before they hit your bank account. That'll give you peace of mind that it's processing.

For future reference, first payments after adjudication almost always take longer than regular weekly payments. Once you're in the regular cycle, payments are much more predictable.

Just saw your update about seeing pending payments - that's awesome! You should definitely have your money by Tuesday at the latest. The hardest part is over.

the waiting game is the worst part of unemployment. been there myself multiple times unfortunately. but once washington esd approves you, they're pretty reliable about getting payments out

FWIW I had a similar timeline - approved Wednesday, payment showed up Monday morning. Hang in there, it's coming!

Pro tip: set up text alerts with your bank for deposits over a certain amount. That way you'll know immediately when your unemployment payment hits instead of obsessively checking your balance.

Sounds like you're all set based on seeing the pending payments! Just wanted to add that if anyone else is reading this and having payment issues after more than a week, definitely try to speak with someone at ESD. Don't just wait indefinitely.

I went through something similar recently - approved on a Tuesday and got my payment that Friday. The key thing that helped my anxiety was checking the payment history section like others mentioned. Once I could see it was "in process" I knew it was just a matter of waiting for my bank to receive it. Also worth noting that the first payment after a long adjudication period often includes a nice chunk of back pay, so it's usually worth the wait! Keep checking that payment history section - it really does show the status before it hits your account.