Washington ESD unemployment benefits not received - what's causing the delay?

Check your payment method in your account. Sometimes if there's an issue with your bank info or debit card setup it can hold up payments even if your claim is approved.

this happened to me last year took forever to get through to someone at washington esd to figure out what was wrong

I had this exact same problem and it was driving me crazy trying to reach Washington ESD by phone. After weeks of busy signals I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually gets you through to an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Turned out my claim had a hold I couldn't see in my online account.

There could be several reasons for payment delays even with an approved claim. Common issues include: identity verification holds, work search requirement documentation, or administrative processing delays. Check if you have any outstanding correspondence requests in your SecureAccess Washington account.

Are you sure you're filing your weekly claims correctly? I messed up one week and it delayed everything. Make sure you're answering all the questions right, especially about looking for work and reporting any earnings.

SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME!! Washington ESD is a complete joke. My claim was 'approved' but no money for 2 MONTHS. Turns out they had some random flag on my account that nobody told me about. The whole system is broken.

check your spam folder too sometimes the emails from washington esd end up there with important info

I had a similar delay and it turned out to be identity verification. Even though I submitted all my documents, they needed additional verification that I couldn't see in my account. Only found out when I finally reached an agent.

Maybe try going to a WorkSource office in person? Sometimes they can help check on claim status issues.

Just wanted to follow up - I mentioned Claimyr earlier and it really did help me get through to Washington ESD when I was having payment delays. Sometimes you just need that direct connection to an agent who can see what's actually happening with your claim behind the scenes.

Had something similar happen and it was because my employer contested the claim. Even though my account showed approved, there was an appeal process happening that I couldn't see. Maybe check if your former employer filed any disputes?

Sometimes if you miss answering one of the eligibility questions on your weekly claim it can cause problems. Go back and double check all your submissions make sure nothing was left blank.

This is why I hate the unemployment system. They make it so hard to get help when something goes wrong. You're probably not doing anything wrong - it's just their broken system.

Are you logging your work search activities correctly? If you're not meeting the requirements or not documenting them properly it can hold up payments even if your weekly claims are filed.

I tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked! Got through to Washington ESD in like 20 minutes instead of calling for weeks. Found out I had a processing hold that wasn't showing up anywhere in my account.

Just an FYI - sometimes payment delays happen during high volume periods or when they're updating their systems. Doesn't make it less frustrating but at least you know it's not necessarily something you did wrong.

Hope you get this sorted out soon. The financial stress of waiting for benefits is real. Keep us posted on what you find out!

For anyone else reading this with similar issues: document everything, keep records of your weekly claims, and don't give up on trying to reach an agent. Payment delays are unfortunately common but usually resolvable once you get the right person to look at your account.

Let me know how the Claimyr thing works out if you try it. I'm in a similar situation and getting pretty desperate to talk to someone at Washington ESD.

Been following this thread because I'm having the same issue. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and solutions. This stuff is so stressful when you're relying on the benefits to pay bills.

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now - approved claim but no payments for over a month. Reading through all these responses has been really helpful, especially hearing that hidden holds and system issues are common. I think I'm going to try the Claimyr service that several people mentioned since the regular phone lines seem impossible to get through. It's reassuring to know I'm not alone in this frustrating experience. The lack of transparency from Washington ESD about what's actually happening with our claims is really the worst part.

I'm in almost the exact same situation - filed 7 weeks ago, claim shows approved, but zero payments received. It's incredibly frustrating not knowing what's actually wrong when everything looks fine on our end. After reading through all these responses, it sounds like there are often hidden holds or processing issues that only agents can see. The lack of communication from Washington ESD is really unacceptable when people are depending on these benefits for basic necessities. I'm definitely going to try some of the suggestions here, especially the Claimyr service since so many people have had success with it. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - at least we know we're not alone in dealing with this broken system.