Washington ESD direct deposit setup - can't find the option anywhere

You need to log into your SecureAccess Washington account first, then navigate to the payment preferences section. It should be under 'Manage Account' then 'Payment Method'. Make sure you have your routing and account numbers ready.

I had the same problem last month! Turns out you can only change payment method during certain times. I think it's like the first week of each month or something weird like that.

I couldn't get through to anyone at Washington ESD for weeks about this same issue. Kept getting busy signals or hung up on. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me connected to an actual agent in like 10 minutes. The agent walked me through the direct deposit setup over the phone. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

THE WASHINGTON ESD WEBSITE IS GARBAGE!!! I've been trying to do this for MONTHS and the site keeps crashing or missing pages. How is this acceptable in 2025???

Here's what worked for me: Log into your SAW account, go to 'Unemployment Services', then look for 'Payment Options' or 'Direct Deposit'. If you don't see it, you might need to complete your weekly claim first before the option appears.

Make sure your bank account has been open for at least 90 days before you try to set up direct deposit. Washington ESD has rules about new accounts.

I was having the same issue and called Washington ESD directly but could never get through. Someone on here mentioned Claimyr so I tried it and actually got connected to a real person at ESD. They told me the direct deposit option only shows up if you're eligible and your account meets certain criteria.

just use the debit card its easier anyway

I remember when I was trying to set this up last year, I had to call and wait on hold for like 3 hours. The agent told me that the direct deposit setup can take up to 2 weeks to process even after you submit all the info. Just something to keep in mind.

Pro tip: Make sure you use a checking account, not savings. Washington ESD doesn't allow direct deposit to savings accounts for some reason.

If you're still having trouble, try accessing the site during off-peak hours like early morning or late evening. The Washington ESD website is less buggy when fewer people are using it.

I had this exact same problem and it was driving me crazy. Turns out my ad blocker was preventing part of the page from loading. Disabled it and suddenly the direct deposit option appeared.

When I finally got through to Washington ESD (used that Claimyr service someone mentioned), they told me you also need to verify your identity first before you can change payment methods. Have you done the ID.me verification?

Update: I tried the Claimyr thing and it actually worked! Got connected to someone at Washington ESD who walked me through the whole direct deposit setup. Apparently there's a specific form you have to fill out that's not obvious on the website.

For what it's worth, I've been using the debit card for 6 months and haven't had any major issues with it. Sometimes the direct deposit option just isn't worth the hassle.

Make sure your bank routing number is correct. I spent weeks trying to figure out why my direct deposit wasn't working and it turned out I had one digit wrong in the routing number.

The Washington ESD system is just broken half the time. I gave up and went back to the debit card after trying for months to set up direct deposit.

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions! I'm going to try the Claimyr service since a few people had success with it. Will update if I get it figured out.