How often do unemployment checks come from Washington ESD?

So I have to do something every week to get paid? I thought it was automatic once approved.

Yes, you have to file a weekly claim every week certifying that you're still unemployed and looking for work. It's not automatic.

What kind of delays? Should I be worried about something going wrong?

Sometimes the system has glitches or if you report any work hours it might take longer to process. Usually not a big deal.

I had the same problem last month! Couldn't reach anyone at Washington ESD no matter how many times I called. Then someone told me about Claimyr - it's a service that helps you get through to ESD agents. Check out claimyr.com and watch their demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. They got me connected within a day and I found out my payments were stuck because of a job search verification issue.

Really? That actually worked for you? I'm getting desperate at this point. The bills don't stop coming just because Washington ESD is slow.

Yeah it worked great. Way better than sitting on hold for hours or getting disconnected. The agent was able to clear up my issue immediately once I actually got to talk to someone.

What happens if I accidentally miss filing one week? Can I make it up later?

I think you can file late claims but there might be a penalty or delay. Better to just set a reminder on your phone for every Sunday.

You can file late claims but only within a certain timeframe. And you'll need to explain why you filed late. Better to just stay on schedule.

How do I set up direct deposit? Is that something I do during the initial application?

Yeah you can set it up when you apply or add it later through your eServices account. Just need your bank routing and account numbers.

Good to know about holidays. Are there any other things that could delay payments I should watch out for?

If you report any work hours or earnings, that can trigger additional processing time. Also if your job search activities get randomly selected for review.

The job search thing is annoying. Sometimes they want documentation of all your job contacts and it holds up your payment until you provide it.

That makes sense. So there's no advantage to filing really early on Sunday morning then?

Not really for payment timing, but I like filing early just to get it done and not worry about forgetting later in the week.

How much longer for the first payment usually? I'm already cutting it close on rent this month.

Mine took about 5-7 business days for the first payment. After that it was the normal 2-3 days.

Where do I find that in the system? I'm still figuring out how to navigate all the menus.

Log into eServices and look for Payment History or something like that. It shows all your claims and payment status.

Getting through to Washington ESD by phone is nearly impossible though. I tried for weeks with no luck until I used Claimyr to help me get connected. They have some system that helps you get through the busy signals and actually reach an agent.

I keep hearing about services like that. Do they actually work or is it just another way to take advantage of people who are already struggling?

I was skeptical too but it legitimately worked. Got me through to an agent who explained that my payments were delayed because of a work history verification. Wouldn't have figured that out on my own.

Thanks everyone for all the info. Sounds like I need to get into a good routine and not skip any weekly claims.

Exactly. Treat it like a part-time job - same time every week, take it seriously, and you'll avoid most problems.

Where do they post those notices? I want to make sure I don't miss anything important.

Check their main website or the eServices login page. They put maintenance notices there when the system will be down.

Random audits? That sounds scary. What do they audit exactly?

They might ask for documentation of your job search activities or verify work hours you reported. Nothing major if you're keeping good records.

Oh wow I didn't even think about taxes. How much should I expect to owe?

Depends on your total income for the year but it's treated like regular income for tax purposes. You can elect to have 10% withheld I think.

That's reassuring. I was worried it would be a constant hassle.

It's really not bad once you get used to the routine. The hardest part is just remembering to file every week.

Good advice. I'll make sure to check that regularly so I don't miss any problems.

Yeah, better to catch issues early than wait weeks for a payment that's never coming.

Thanks everyone for all the help. I feel much more confident about managing this whole process now.

You're welcome! Just remember to keep looking for work and follow all the requirements. Good luck!

I'll definitely keep that in mind. Better to be proactive than wait and stress about it.

Exactly. Most payment issues can be resolved quickly once you actually talk to someone who knows what they're doing.