How to set up direct deposit for Washington ESD unemployment benefits - need help with the process

Thanks! I found the payment settings but it's asking for verification. Do I need to upload a voided check or something?

Yes, usually they want either a voided check or a bank statement showing your account info. Make sure the account is in your name exactly as it appears on your claim.

That's good to know! Did you have to do anything special or just wait for it to process?

Just had to wait. They sent me an email confirmation once it was set up but the timing was still about 2 weeks like they said.

Good point about the routing number. I'll call my bank to make sure I have the right one.

Yeah I made that mistake and it took forever to fix. Had to resubmit everything and wait another 2 weeks.

Interesting, I've never heard of that. Is it like a callback service or something?

Yeah basically they help you get through the phone lines when you can't reach Washington ESD directly. Check out claimyr.com if you're curious.

I'm always skeptical of third-party services but honestly the Washington ESD phone system is so frustrating that anything might be worth it.

Good tip! I was going to use my savings account but I'll stick with checking to be safe.

That's correct for Washington ESD - they require checking accounts for direct deposit of UI benefits.

Have you tried clearing your browser cache? Sometimes the Washington ESD portal gets glitchy and you need to clear everything and start fresh.

I'll try that. I've been using the same browser for everything so maybe that's the issue.

If that doesn't work, that's exactly the kind of thing where calling through Claimyr might help. They can get you to someone who can fix the error on their end.

No fees for direct deposit itself - that's the whole point of switching. Your bank might have their own fees but Washington ESD doesn't charge anything for direct deposit.

Perfect, that's what I was hoping to hear. The debit card fees add up fast.

There's a mail-in form? Where did you find that?

On the Washington ESD website under forms and publications. Just search for direct deposit form.

The mail option is slower but sometimes more reliable if the online system is acting up.

Yikes, good warning. I wasn't planning to close anything but good to know to wait.

Yeah definitely keep the debit card active until you see at least 2-3 direct deposits working properly.

That's a great tip! I always file my weekly claim Sunday morning so I'll try to do it then.

Makes sense - the Washington ESD servers are probably less busy outside of peak hours.

' Eventually being the key word. I swear everything takes twice as long as they say itwill.

That's government agencies for you. At least once it's set up you don't have to deal with it again.

I didn't think about that. I'll call my bank tomorrow to give them a heads up.

Better safe than sorry. Some banks flag government deposits as suspicious if they're not expecting them.

I'll try that. The website can be pretty glitchy sometimes.

If the website keeps giving you problems, that's another situation where getting on the phone with Washington ESD through something like Claimyr can save you hours of frustration.

Good to know what to look for. I'll keep an eye on my email after I submit everything.

Yeah and check your spam folder too. Sometimes their emails end up there.

Ugh, more paperwork. But thanks for the warning, I'll have my ID ready just in case.

That's pretty standard for banking changes. They want to make sure it's really you changing the payment method.

My account is years old so that shouldn't be a problem, but good info for anyone reading this.

That makes sense from a fraud prevention standpoint. They want to see some account history.

3 weeks isn't too bad I guess. Better than dealing with ATM fees forever.

Exactly. And once it's working you never have to think about it again.

Good luck! Feel free to come back and ask if you run into any issues.

And remember if you can't get through to anyone at Washington ESD for help, services like Claimyr are there as a backup option.

Will do! I'll update this thread once I get it figured out in case it helps someone else.

This is super helpful, thank you! I didn't know about the test deposit - that's good to know so I don't freak out when I see a penny in my account. The name matching thing is a great point too. I'll make sure everything is exactly the same before I submit. Did you have any trouble finding the "Manage Your Claim" section? Sometimes I feel like I'm going in circles on that website.

This is exactly what I needed to hear! I was getting confused navigating the SecureAccess site but "Manage Your Claim" -> "Payment Options" sounds straightforward. The name matching detail is crucial - I'll definitely verify that my bank account name matches my ESD claim exactly before submitting. Thanks for mentioning the test deposit too, that would have definitely confused me if I wasn't expecting it. 10 business days isn't too bad considering all the horror stories I've heard about government processing times!

Thanks for the detailed breakdown! The "Manage Your Claim" -> "Payment Options" path is exactly what I was looking for. I've been clicking around that site for hours and couldn't find it. The name matching requirement is really important to know - I actually go by a nickname on most things but my bank account has my full legal name, so I'll need to make sure my ESD account matches that exactly. Quick question - when you uploaded the voided check, did it have to be a physical voided check or could you use a digital copy from your bank's website?