How long does it take to receive unemployment payment from Washington ESD?

Thanks! I have direct deposit so hopefully it'll be tomorrow or Wednesday. Just worried because I've never done this before.

Yeah direct deposit is definitely faster than waiting for that debit card to show up in the mail.

Good idea! I'll log in and check that right now.

The payment history is super helpful for tracking everything. I screenshot mine just in case.

Interesting, I'll keep that in mind if I run into issues. Hopefully I won't need it though!

I've heard of that service but haven't tried it myself. Good to know it actually works.

Haha that's exactly what I'm doing right now! Refresh refresh refresh...

We've all been there! The anticipation is killer when you really need the money.

This is my first payment so that makes sense. I guess I'll just have to be patient a little longer.

Yeah they definitely scrutinize that first payment more than the weekly ones after.

Good point! I double-checked that when I set it up but I'll verify again just to be sure.

That's such a common mistake. Always worth double checking those bank details.

Okay good to know there's a timeframe for when I should actually start worrying.

5 business days is a good rule of thumb. Before that you're probably just being impatient (not that I blame you!).

That's actually really reassuring to know there's a backup plan if I need it.

I wish I had known about services like that when I was dealing with my claim delays last year.

I filed mine on Sunday so that timing makes sense. I guess I'm just being impatient!

The weekend filing definitely adds a day or two to the whole process.

That's good to hear! I'm hoping to get back to work soon but it's nice to know the system works once you get through the initial hurdles.

Yeah after the first payment it becomes pretty routine. Much less stressful.

I've heard horror stories from that time period. Glad I'm dealing with it now instead of then!

Oh man, the pandemic era was rough. People waiting months for payments. Much better now for sure.

I think it starts with my second weekly claim? The first one didn't ask about job searches but I've been looking anyway.

Yeah there's usually a one week grace period before the job search requirements kick in.

Smart idea! I'm definitely going to set that up right after I post this.

Bank alerts are a lifesaver. Takes all the guesswork out of it.

I was definitely stressed about it but you're right, 3 weeks isn't too bad compared to some of the stories I've read.

Yeah I waited 6 weeks for mine to get approved. 3 weeks is pretty reasonable.

Awesome! Right on schedule. Glad it worked out for you.

That's great news! Always nice to hear a success story.

Perfect timing! Now you can relax a bit knowing how the process works.

Good to know! I'll definitely keep that in my back pocket in case I need it in the future.

Having a reliable way to reach Washington ESD when you need it is really valuable. The phone system can be so frustrating otherwise.

Same here! It's so nice to have people who actually know what they're talking about instead of just guessing.

The unemployment process can be really overwhelming at first. Community support makes a huge difference.

Yes, bank holidays will delay payments by a day usually. So if Monday is a holiday, expect everything to be pushed back one business day.

Holiday weekends definitely mess with the timing. Plan accordingly if you're counting on that money for bills.

Happy to help! It's such a relief once that first payment comes through. You'll be fine.

The waiting is definitely the hardest part. But the system does work once you get through the initial approval process.

Yes! I made sure to file this week's claim on Sunday even though I hadn't received the first payment yet.

That's exactly right. Keep that weekly filing schedule no matter what else is going on with your claim.