How long does it take to get debit card from Washington ESD unemployment?
Filed my unemployment claim two weeks ago and it was approved last Friday. Washington ESD said they were sending my debit card but I haven't gotten it yet. How long does it usually take to get the unemployment debit card in the mail? I'm getting worried because I have bills due and need to access my benefits. Anyone know if there's a way to track when it ships or if I can get a replacement faster?
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Malik Johnson
usually takes 7-10 business days from when your claim gets approved. mine took about 8 days last year
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CosmicCaptain
•ok that makes me feel better, thanks! it's only been 4 business days so I guess I need to be more patient
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Isabella Ferreira
•The card comes from Bank of America, not directly from Washington ESD. Sometimes mail delays can add extra time too.
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Ravi Sharma
The debit card is issued through Bank of America and typically arrives within 7-10 business days after your first benefit payment is processed. You can check your claim status on the Washington ESD website to confirm your payment was sent. If it's been more than 10 business days, you can request a replacement card through the Bank of America website or by calling their customer service line.
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CosmicCaptain
•Good to know about Bank of America! I'll check my claim status online to see if the payment went through yet.
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Freya Thomsen
•Do you know if they send tracking info for the card or do you just have to wait and see?
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Ravi Sharma
•No tracking unfortunately. It just shows up in your mailbox. Bank of America will send you a letter with instructions about 2-3 days before the actual card arrives though.
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Omar Zaki
I had major issues getting through to Washington ESD when my card was delayed. Spent hours on hold trying to get answers. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me actually reach an agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Way better than sitting on hold forever!
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CosmicCaptain
•Never heard of that but might be worth trying if I don't get my card soon. How much does it cost?
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Omar Zaki
•They focus on getting you connected rather than pricing details. The value is definitely there when you need to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD.
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AstroAce
•Sounds sketchy to me. Why not just keep calling the regular number?
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Chloe Martin
WASHINGTON ESD IS THE WORST!! They make it so hard to get your money. My card took 3 WEEKS to arrive and when I called they acted like it was my fault for not waiting longer!
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CosmicCaptain
•Oh no 3 weeks?? That's terrible. Did you eventually get it or have to request a replacement?
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Chloe Martin
•Eventually got it but only after calling like 50 times. The system is broken.
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Isabella Ferreira
•3 weeks is definitely not normal. Sounds like your card got lost in the mail and they should have expedited a replacement.
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Malik Johnson
Make sure you update your address with Washington ESD if you moved recently. Friend of mine had his card sent to his old address and had to wait for a whole new one
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CosmicCaptain
•Good point, my address is correct though. Just checked my profile on the website.
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Freya Thomsen
•Yeah that happened to my sister too. Always double check the mailing address before your first payment.
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Isabella Ferreira
The timing depends on when your first weekly claim gets processed. If you certified on Sunday, payment usually processes Tuesday/Wednesday, then the card ships Thursday/Friday. So you're looking at the following week for delivery in most cases.
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CosmicCaptain
•That makes sense. I certified last Sunday so sounds like my card probably shipped this week.
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Ravi Sharma
•Exactly right. The key is when the payment actually gets sent to Bank of America, not when your claim was initially approved.
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Diego Rojas
•Wait so if I just got approved today when would I get my card?
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Freya Thomsen
Can you activate the card online before it arrives or do you have to wait for the physical card?
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Isabella Ferreira
•You need the physical card to activate it. The activation requires the card number and security code from the card itself.
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Ravi Sharma
•Right, there's no way to activate it early. Bank of America needs the full card information for security purposes.
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AstroAce
I'm still waiting on mine too... it's been 6 business days since my payment was issued. Starting to get anxious about it
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CosmicCaptain
•We're in the same boat! Hopefully we both get ours this week.
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Malik Johnson
•6 days is still normal range, don't worry yet
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Omar Zaki
If anyone needs to actually talk to Washington ESD about card issues, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really works. Saved me so much time and frustration when I was dealing with my delayed card situation.
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AstroAce
•Maybe I'll check that out if my card doesn't show up by Friday
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Chloe Martin
•Wish I knew about that when I was dealing with my 3 week nightmare
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Diego Rojas
Do they send the card in a regular envelope or does it look like official mail? Don't want my roommates thinking it's junk mail
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Ravi Sharma
•It comes in a plain white envelope from Bank of America. Doesn't say unemployment or anything obvious on the outside.
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Malik Johnson
•yeah it's pretty discreet, just has bank of america return address
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Isabella Ferreira
Pro tip: Once you get your card, set up direct deposit instead. It's faster and you don't have to worry about mail delays or lost cards. You can change it in your Washington ESD account under payment preferences.
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CosmicCaptain
•Good idea! I'll definitely set that up once I get my first payment.
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Freya Thomsen
•Does direct deposit start right away or does it take a while to kick in?
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Isabella Ferreira
•Usually takes 1-2 weeks to switch over. They'll send one more payment to your card then switch to direct deposit.
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Anastasia Sokolov
I got mine in exactly 7 days last month. Came on a Wednesday and I was able to activate it right away online
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CosmicCaptain
•That's encouraging! Hopefully mine comes tomorrow or Friday then.
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AstroAce
UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know my card finally came today! 8 business days total from when my payment was processed. Thanks for all the info everyone
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CosmicCaptain
•Awesome! That gives me hope mine will be here soon too.
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Malik Johnson
•see told you it would be fine!
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CosmicCaptain
Final update - got my card yesterday! Took exactly 9 business days from when payment was issued. For anyone else waiting, just be patient it will come. Thanks everyone for the help and advice!
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Ravi Sharma
•Glad it worked out! Right in the normal timeframe.
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Omar Zaki
•Great news! Hope you didn't need to use Claimyr after all, but good to know it's there if anyone else has issues.
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Freya Thomsen
•Perfect timing! Now you can set up that direct deposit for future payments.
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