Washington ESD payment dates - what day do you get paid for unemployment benefits?

Thanks! So if I keep filing every Sunday I should get paid every Thursday?

Pretty much, yeah. Sometimes there might be a delay if there's a holiday or system maintenance but that's the normal schedule.

Good to know about the first payment delay. Did you have any issues with direct deposit setup?

Nope, direct deposit worked fine once it was set up. Just make sure your banking info is correct in your account.

How much does that cost? I'm barely scraping by as it is.

It's worth checking out their site for pricing info. For me it was better than spending entire days trying to get through on the phone.

Interesting, I'll look into that if I run into issues. Right now I just need to know about normal payment timing.

What happened when you missed a week? Did you lose that week's benefits?

you can still claim it but you have to call them to reopen the claim and it takes forever to get through

You can also use the 'Report Late' option in your online account for missed weeks, but it's easier to just file on time every week.

How do they calculate partial benefits if you work some hours?

They subtract 75% of your gross earnings from your weekly benefit amount. So if you made $100 that week, they'd subtract $75 from your usual benefit.

That's actually not too bad, at least you still get something.

Same here! Wednesday mornings I always check my account first thing.

Okay so it sounds like Wednesday/Thursday is the norm. I'll plan accordingly.

I get the frustration but it's probably because they need time to process thousands of claims and verify the information.

Still sucks when you're trying to buy groceries and pay rent

at least it's consistent once you get in the routine

Didn't know they had text alerts! Where do you find that option?

Log into your account and go to 'Profile' then 'Communication Preferences'. You can set up notifications for payments and other important updates.

Perfect, I'll set that up right now. Thanks!

Good to know. I use a major bank so hopefully I'll get the normal timing.

Yeah you should be fine with a major bank. Just something to keep in mind if you ever switch banks while on unemployment.

I've heard mixed things about those callback services. Did they actually resolve your issue?

Yeah, they connected me to a real Washington ESD agent who was able to explain why my payment was delayed. Turned out to be a simple verification issue that got fixed right away.

Which holidays cause the biggest delays?

Thanksgiving week was the worst for me. New Year's and Memorial Day also caused some delays. Christmas week wasn't too bad.

They usually post notices on the Washington ESD website when there will be holiday delays, so check there if you're worried.

How often does that happen?

Maybe once every couple months? It's not super common but when it happens you might not get paid until Friday instead of Wednesday.

Good to know. I'll make sure to file every week so I don't have to deal with that.

Yeah, consistency is key with Washington ESD. The system works pretty smoothly if you just follow the routine.

Wow, that would be even worse. I guess we should be grateful for the weekly schedule.

True, 3-4 days isn't too bad when you put it that way.

How do you update that info? Through the same online account?

Yep, just log in and go to your profile settings. Super easy to update.

And if you're moving, update it as soon as possible. Don't wait until after you've already moved.

Sounds like that's the consensus. Thanks everyone for all the helpful info!

No problem! The payment schedule is pretty predictable once you get used to it.

Where exactly is that in the account?

After you log in, there should be a 'View Payment Information' or 'Payment History' link on the main page. Shows all your processed payments.

I'll keep that in mind if I run into any problems. Hopefully the payments will just come through automatically without any issues.

That's the goal! Most of the time everything goes smoothly, but it's good to know your options if something goes wrong.

Looking forward to getting into that routine. This whole unemployment thing is new to me but everyone here has been really helpful.

We've all been there! The Washington ESD system takes some getting used to but once you figure it out it's pretty straightforward.