How long for unemployment check to arrive after Washington ESD approval?
My Washington ESD claim finally got approved last Tuesday after being stuck in adjudication for almost 6 weeks. The website shows my weekly claims are now processing but I haven't received any payment yet. How long does it usually take to get your first unemployment check once Washington ESD approves your claim? I'm getting really anxious because I have rent due next week and I've been waiting so long already.
45 comments


William Rivera
Usually takes 2-3 business days after approval for the first payment to hit your account. Since yours was approved Tuesday, you should see it by Friday or Monday at the latest. Make sure your direct deposit info is correct in your account.
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Kayla Jacobson
•Thanks! I double checked and my bank info looks right. Hopefully it comes through soon.
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Grace Lee
•mine took 4 days last time but that was during a holiday week
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Mia Roberts
6 weeks in adjudication is brutal! What was holding up your claim for so long? I'm worried mine might get stuck too.
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Kayla Jacobson
•They had questions about my last employer and kept asking for more documentation. I couldn't get through to anyone at Washington ESD to explain what they needed.
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The Boss
•That's the worst part - trying to reach someone at Washington ESD when you have questions. The phone lines are impossible.
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Mia Roberts
•Did you ever manage to talk to someone or did it just eventually get approved on its own?
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Evan Kalinowski
I had a similar situation where I couldn't reach Washington ESD for weeks about my adjudication. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have this system that calls for you and connects you when someone picks up. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me so much time and frustration.
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Kayla Jacobson
•How much does something like that cost? I'm already broke waiting for benefits.
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Evan Kalinowski
•It's worth checking out their site claimyr.com - they focus on getting you connected rather than making you pay upfront. Way better than spending hours on hold.
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Victoria Charity
•Interesting, never heard of this before. Might be useful for other people stuck in adjudication hell.
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The Boss
The timing really depends on whether you set up direct deposit or if you're getting a debit card. Direct deposit is usually faster - 2-3 business days. The ReliaCard debit card can take up to a week to arrive if it's your first time.
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Kayla Jacobson
•I have direct deposit set up so hopefully that speeds things up. Do they send any notification when payment is processed?
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The Boss
•You'll get an email notification and you can also check your payment history in your Washington ESD account online.
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Jasmine Quinn
First payment always seems to take forever when you're waiting for it! I remember checking my bank account every hour when I was waiting for mine lol
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Kayla Jacobson
•That's exactly what I'm doing right now! Refresh, refresh, refresh...
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Oscar Murphy
•same here, the waiting is the worst part especially when you need the money
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Nora Bennett
Make sure you're filing your weekly claims on time even after approval. I know someone who missed a week and had to call Washington ESD to get it sorted out. That was another nightmare trying to reach them.
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Kayla Jacobson
•Good point, I've been keeping up with my weekly claims. The system lets you file them even when you're in adjudication right?
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Nora Bennett
•Yes, you should keep filing even during adjudication. They'll backpay you for the weeks you were eligible once approved.
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William Rivera
•Exactly, don't stop filing or you'll create gaps in your claim that are hard to fix later.
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Ryan Andre
Washington ESD has been so slow lately. My friend waited 8 weeks for adjudication and when she finally got through to someone, they said they were just waiting for her employer to respond to their request. Nobody told her that!
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Kayla Jacobson
•That's so frustrating! They really need better communication about what's holding up claims.
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Mia Roberts
•How did your friend finally get through to talk to someone? I've been trying for weeks.
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Ryan Andre
•She used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Said it was a lifesaver compared to sitting on hold for hours.
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Lauren Zeb
Just to add another data point - my payment came exactly 3 business days after approval. Tuesday approval, Friday payment. But I had direct deposit set up for months before that.
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Kayla Jacobson
•That gives me hope! I'm hoping to see something by Friday then.
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Daniel Washington
•Mine was similar timing. Washington ESD seems pretty consistent once they actually approve your claim.
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Aurora Lacasse
The adjudication process is such a black box. They really need to give people better updates about what's happening with their claims instead of just saying 'adjudication in progress' for weeks.
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Kayla Jacobson
•Totally agree! I had no idea what they were waiting for until I finally got through to someone.
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Anthony Young
•it's like they want to keep people in the dark about their own claims
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The Boss
•The system definitely needs improvement. Too many people are left guessing about their claim status.
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Charlotte White
Check your account online tomorrow morning. Sometimes payments process overnight and show up first thing in the morning. I always check around 6 AM when I was on unemployment.
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Kayla Jacobson
•I'll definitely check early tomorrow! Fingers crossed it's there.
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Admin_Masters
•Good advice, I found payments usually posted between 6-8 AM on weekdays.
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Matthew Sanchez
Congrats on finally getting approved! 6 weeks is way too long but at least you're through the worst part now. The payments should be regular once you get the first one.
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Kayla Jacobson
•Thanks! I'm just relieved it's finally moving forward. The stress of not knowing was killing me.
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Ella Thompson
•The uncertainty is definitely the hardest part. Once you get that first payment you'll feel so much better.
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JacksonHarris
For future reference, if anyone else gets stuck in adjudication, there are services like Claimyr that can help you actually reach Washington ESD agents. Much better than the endless hold music. Check out claimyr.com if you need to talk to someone about your claim.
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Jeremiah Brown
•Wish I had known about this months ago when I was dealing with my adjudication issues!
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Kayla Jacobson
•Definitely keeping this in mind in case I have any other issues with my claim.
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Royal_GM_Mark
•Bookmarking this for sure. The Washington ESD phone system is impossible to navigate on your own.
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Amelia Cartwright
Update us when you get your payment! Always good to hear success stories after all the waiting.
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Kayla Jacobson
•Will do! Hopefully I'll have good news to share by Friday.
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Chris King
•Yes please update! I'm in a similar situation and would love to know how long it actually takes.
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