How to transfer Washington ESD unemployment benefits to bank account instead of debit card

I've looked everywhere in my account and can't find anything called 'Payment Options' or 'Manage Payment Method'. Are you sure it's there?

It might be under a different menu. Try looking in the 'Account Settings' or 'Profile' section. Sometimes these government websites hide things in weird places.

Ugh, of course it's not that simple. How long did it take you to get through when you called?

That's the thing - I never got through. Kept getting busy signals or hung up on after waiting for like an hour. I ended up just sticking with the card.

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD by phone, I recently found out about this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to actual agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Way better than sitting on hold forever.

You probably set it up during your initial application. I think I skipped that part or missed it somehow, so I got stuck with the ReliaCard.

No, the debit card is still the default. You have to specifically request direct deposit, and apparently it's not easy to change once you're already getting payments on the card.

You can use it at any bank teller for free cash withdrawals, just FYI. Most people don't know that.

Really? I had no idea. That's actually helpful, thanks!

Thank you! I'll look for that form right now. How long did it take for the change to go into effect after you mailed it?

I haven't actually done it yet, just found the form. But it says to allow 2-3 weeks for processing.

That's true but I prefer having everything in my main bank account so I can track my budget better.

Some places don't take debit cards or charge extra fees for using them. Direct deposit is just more convenient overall.

How much does that service cost? I'm already tight on money because of the unemployment situation.

It's worth checking out their website at claimyr.com to see the current pricing. For me, the time saved was worth it, but I understand everyone's situation is different.

Good tip about the voided check. I almost would have just written the numbers down.

What if you don't have checks? Can you get a deposit slip from the bank instead?

Yes, most banks can print you a direct deposit form or letter with your routing and account numbers. Just ask them for something official with your account info for direct deposit setup.

Right? The IRS lets you change your direct deposit info online for tax refunds, but unemployment makes you mail a form like it's 1995.

I think it's a security thing. They're paranoid about fraud so they make everything harder than it needs to be.

That's really helpful to know! Did you have to do anything special to activate it or did it just automatically switch over?

It switched automatically. I got an email confirmation from Washington ESD saying the change was processed, then the next payment went to my bank account.

Great to hear you got through! I'm definitely going to try Claimyr if I can't get the form to work.

Glad it worked out for you! Their service really does make dealing with Washington ESD so much easier.

Smart idea. I'll probably do the same thing just to be sure.

That's actually really good advice. Government agencies lose paperwork all the time, so having proof of delivery is important.

In my experience, direct deposit actually comes through a day earlier than the card usually gets loaded. Bank transfers happen faster than updating the debit card system.

That matches what I've heard from other people too. Direct deposit is usually faster.

Same here! This thread convinced me to just go ahead and do it.

You won't miss any payments. They keep the card active until the direct deposit kicks in, so there's no gap.

Good luck getting through! If you can't reach them the regular way, definitely try Claimyr. Made all the difference for me.

Let us know how it goes! I'm curious if they can actually set it up over the phone or if they always make you mail the form.

That's awesome! I'm definitely going to try calling them through Claimyr rather than mailing the form. Thanks for all the updates!

Wait, so you didn't have to mail anything? They just did it over the phone?

Correct! The agent took my routing and account numbers over the phone and set it up in their system. Much faster than the mail-in form process.

Glad it helped! I learned a lot from everyone's responses too.

Yeah, it's crazy how many people are dealing with this but Washington ESD doesn't make the solution very obvious.

Good point. I'll double-check with my bank before I submit the request.

Yes, and make sure the account has been open for at least 30 days. Some banks have restrictions on new accounts receiving government direct deposits.

You're welcome! Hope it works out as smoothly for you as it did for me.

Good luck! Either way should work, but the phone method is definitely faster if you can get through.