How long to get first unemployment check from Washington ESD after filing?

First payments typically take 2-3 weeks after your initial claim is processed. Washington ESD has to verify your employment history and wages before releasing funds. Did you receive any correspondence about your claim being approved?

took me almost 3 weeks to get my first check last year, hang in there

I had a similar issue and found Claimyr really helpful for getting through to Washington ESD agents to check on payment status. They have a service at claimyr.com that helps you get connected without waiting on hold for hours. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to speak with someone directly.

THE FIRST PAYMENT ALWAYS TAKES FOREVER! Washington ESD is so slow with everything. I waited almost a month for mine and had to call like 50 times to get answers. The system is completely broken.

Make sure you're checking the right place for payment information. In your Washington ESD account, look under 'Payment Information' not just the weekly claim status. Sometimes payments are issued but there's a delay in the actual deposit or check mailing.

my cousin had to wait like 2.5 weeks but she got a big lump sum for all the weeks at once so that was nice

Also worth noting that Washington ESD typically processes payments on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If you're set up for direct deposit, funds usually arrive within 1-2 business days after processing. Paper checks take longer - usually 5-7 business days from processing date.

I'm in the same boat - filed 12 days ago and nothing yet. Starting to panic about rent next week. Did you have any employment issues or gaps that might slow things down? I had a weird situation where I worked for two different companies in my base period.

For what it's worth, I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and actually got through to a Washington ESD agent same day. They were able to tell me exactly where my claim stood and when to expect payment. Worth the peace of mind honestly.

just keep filing your weekly claims even if you haven't been paid yet, that's super important

Honestly the whole Washington ESD system needs an overhaul. It shouldn't take weeks to get your first payment when people are desperate. Other states process claims much faster.

One thing to check - make sure Washington ESD has your correct banking information if you chose direct deposit. I've seen cases where the first payment was delayed because of a typo in account numbers that didn't get caught until later.

The waiting is the worst part. I remember being so stressed about money and checking my bank account like 10 times a day. It does eventually come though!

If you're really concerned, you can also check if there are any pending issues with your claim. Log into your Washington ESD account and look for any alerts or required actions. Sometimes they need additional documentation that can hold up payments.

Same thing happened to me in March. Took exactly 18 days from when I filed to when I got my first direct deposit. All the weeks were included in that first payment so it was actually pretty nice getting a chunk all at once.

Update on my situation - I tried calling again this morning and actually got through! Turns out my claim is processing normally and I should see payment within the next few days. The agent said first payments typically take 14-21 days from initial filing.

For future reference, Washington ESD usually sends an email notification when your first payment is processed. Keep an eye on your email including spam folder.

The waiting game is brutal but hang in there. In my experience Washington ESD is actually pretty reliable once the initial processing is done. It's just that first payment that takes forever.

Final piece of advice - if you haven't received payment by day 21, definitely call or use a service like Claimyr to get through to an agent. That's when you'd want to check if there are any hidden issues with your claim that need attention.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! This has really put my mind at ease knowing that 2-3 weeks is normal for first payments. I'll keep filing my weekly claims and check back if I don't see anything by the 3 week mark.