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Sasha Reese

How long for first unemployment check from Washington ESD?

I just got approved for unemployment benefits last week after waiting through adjudication for almost a month. My claim finally shows active status but I still haven't received my first payment. I've been filing my weekly claims on time every Sunday. Does anyone know how long it typically takes to get your first check once Washington ESD approves your claim? I'm getting really anxious about paying rent next week.

Usually takes 2-3 business days after your weekly claim is processed. Did you set up direct deposit or are you waiting for a debit card?

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I set up direct deposit when I first applied. Should I see something in my account by now?

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If you filed your weekly claim Sunday, you should see payment by Wednesday or Thursday usually. Check your ESD account to see if the payment shows as issued.

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The first payment often takes longer because they're processing everything for the first time. I waited almost a week for my first check even though subsequent payments came much faster. Make sure you completed all the identity verification stuff they asked for.

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I think I did all the verification. How can I check if there's anything still pending?

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Log into your SecureAccess Washington account and check your ESD homepage. If there are any action items or documents needed, they'll show up there in red text.

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I had the same issue last month - claim approved but no payment for over a week. Turns out there was some automated hold on my account that wasn't showing up anywhere obvious. I had to call Washington ESD to get it cleared up, but good luck getting through to anyone on the phone.

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The phone situation is absolutely ridiculous. I've tried calling probably 50 times and either get busy signal or sit on hold for hours just to get disconnected.

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Yeah that's exactly what happened to me. I finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent. They basically call for you and get you connected. Saved me so much time and frustration. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

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Interesting, I've never heard of that. Did they actually help resolve your payment issue?

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Yes! Got connected to an agent within like 20 minutes, and they found the hold on my account and cleared it right away. Payment showed up the next day.

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Make sure you're filing your weekly claims correctly too. Even small mistakes can delay payments. Are you reporting any work or earnings?

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No work to report, just answering all the weekly questions. Do I need to log job searches even for the first week?

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Yes, you need to do your job search activities and keep track of them from week one. Washington ESD can audit your job search log at any time.

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The timing depends on when your benefit year started versus when you filed your first weekly claim. If there's a gap between approval and your first weekly claim filing, that could delay things.

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I filed my weekly claim the Sunday right after I got the approval notice. Does that sound right?

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That should be fine then. Check your payment history in the ESD system to see if it shows as pending or issued.

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ugh this whole system is so frustrating!! I'm in the same boat - approved last week but still no money. How are we supposed to survive while waiting for their slow system to process payments??

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I feel you. The whole process is designed to discourage people from claiming benefits they're entitled to.

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Exactly! And then they act like they're doing us a favor when the money finally shows up.

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Has anyone else noticed that Washington ESD's website shows different information depending on when you check it? Sometimes my payment status says pending, other times it shows nothing at all.

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Yeah their system is glitchy. I usually check in the morning and it's more reliable then.

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Good to know, I'll try checking earlier in the day.

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First payments definitely take longer. I think it took me about 5 business days from when I filed my first weekly claim. But once it started coming, subsequent payments were much faster - usually 2-3 days.

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That's reassuring. I'm just worried because my landlord isn't going to care about processing delays.

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I totally understand. Maybe explain the situation to your landlord? Most reasonable people understand that unemployment payments can be delayed.

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Another thing to check - make sure your bank account information is correct in the system. I had a friend who waited weeks for payment and it turned out there was a typo in their routing number.

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Oh no, how would I check that? I don't want to mess anything up by changing it if it's correct.

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You can view your direct deposit info in your ESD account under payment preferences. Just compare it to your bank statement to make sure it matches.

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The waiting is the worst part. I remember when I first filed, checking my account every hour waiting for that first payment. It'll come though, just try to be patient.

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I'm definitely checking my account way too often! It's hard not to when you're stressed about money.

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If you're really worried about it, you might want to use that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. I tried it when I had a payment delay and they helped me get through to Washington ESD much faster than trying to call myself.

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Is that service legit? Sounds almost too good to be true.

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Yeah it's real. They just help you get through the phone queue basically. Worked for me when I needed to talk to someone about my claim.

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I had to wait almost 2 weeks for my first payment even after approval. There was some kind of verification hold that didn't show up anywhere in my account. Only found out when I finally got through to an agent.

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How did you finally get through to talk to someone? The phone lines seem impossible.

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I used that Claimyr thing too actually. Got tired of calling hundreds of times and getting nowhere. Worth it just for the peace of mind.

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Make sure you didn't miss any weekly claim deadlines too. If you missed filing for any week, even the first one, it can mess up your whole payment schedule.

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I filed right away as soon as I could. The system let me file so I think I'm okay on that front.

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The first payment delay is normal but super stressful when you need the money. Mine took 6 business days but after that it was like clockwork every week.

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Six days seems like forever when you're waiting! But good to know it gets more predictable after that.

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Check if there are any outstanding issues on your claim. Sometimes there are identity verification steps or other requirements that can hold up payments even after initial approval.

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I'll double check my account for any red flags or action items. Thanks for the reminder.

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Washington ESD is just slow with first payments unfortunately. As long as your claim shows active and you're filing weekly, it should come through soon. Try not to stress too much about it.

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Easier said than done but I appreciate the reassurance! I'll try to be more patient.

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If you end up needing to call Washington ESD about the delay, definitely look into Claimyr. I wasted so many hours trying to get through on my own before finding that service. Game changer for actually reaching a human.

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Several people have mentioned that service now. Might be worth trying if my payment doesn't show up by Friday.

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Yeah it's becoming pretty popular because the phone situation is so bad. They have that video demo I think that shows exactly how it works.

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Just an update for anyone else waiting - my first payment finally came through this morning! Took exactly 5 business days from when I filed my weekly claim. Hang in there everyone.

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That's great news! Gives me hope that mine will show up soon too.

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First payments are always nerve-wracking but they do come through. Just make sure you keep filing your weekly claims on time while you wait. Missing a week can really mess things up.

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Definitely won't miss any weeks! Too important to mess up.

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The waiting game sucks but it's part of the process unfortunately. Keep checking your ESD account and your bank. It'll show up when it shows up.

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Thanks everyone for all the advice and reassurance. This thread has been really helpful!

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