What banks does Washington ESD unemployment accept for direct deposit?

Washington ESD accepts pretty much any bank or credit union as long as you have the correct routing and account numbers. I've used Chase, Bank of America, and my local credit union without any problems. Just make sure it's a checking account, not savings.

I've been using BECU for my unemployment deposits and they come through every Tuesday like clockwork. Never had an issue. The key is making sure your routing number is correct when you set it up in your Washington ESD account.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to set up or change your direct deposit info, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you actually reach an agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

Most major banks work fine - I've used US Bank, KeyBank, and Alaska USA Federal Credit Union over the years. The only thing to watch out for is making sure your account is set up to receive ACH transfers. Some newer online banks have restrictions.

Just avoid prepaid cards or those check cashing places that offer accounts. Washington ESD wants a real bank account. I learned this the hard way when I tried to use my Green Dot card initially.

I use Spokane Teachers Credit Union and it works perfectly. Got approved for unemployment last month and my first payment showed up exactly when they said it would. The routing number is easy to find on their website too.

One thing to remember is that if you change banks while you're on unemployment, you need to update your direct deposit info with Washington ESD right away. I forgot to do this when I switched from Wells Fargo to my credit union and my payment got returned. Took an extra week to sort out.

Washington State Employees Credit Union (WSECU) works great too. I've been getting my payments there for months with no issues. They also don't charge fees for ACH deposits like some banks do.

I use a small local bank called Cashmere Valley Bank and they handle Washington ESD deposits just fine. Size doesn't really matter as long as they're FDIC insured and can process ACH transfers.

Pro tip: set up direct deposit as soon as you file your initial claim. Don't wait until you're approved. It takes a few days to process and you don't want to delay your first payment.

If you don't set up direct deposit, Washington ESD will send you a KeyBank debit card instead. It works but there are fees for ATM withdrawals and other transactions. Direct deposit to your own bank is much better.

I bank with Numerica Credit Union and have had zero issues. The deposits usually show up Tuesday mornings around 6 AM. Very consistent timing.

Just make sure whatever bank you choose has good customer service in case there are issues. I had a payment get delayed once due to a bank error and it took forever to sort out with my old bank's terrible phone support.

Gesa Credit Union works fine too. Been using them for about 6 months of unemployment payments without any problems. They even send me a text when the deposit hits my account.

The main thing is just double-checking your routing and account numbers when you enter them. One wrong digit and your payment will bounce back. I learned this the hard way.

If you're still having trouble reaching Washington ESD to set this up, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier really does work. I was skeptical at first but it got me through to someone in about 20 minutes instead of the usual hours of busy signals.

Banner Bank has worked well for me. No fees and the deposits are always on time. Plus they have good online banking so I can check my balance easily.

Whatever bank you choose, make sure to keep your account information updated if anything changes. Address changes, phone number changes, etc. Washington ESD needs everything to match for security reasons.

One last thing - if you're worried about security, you can always set up a separate checking account just for unemployment deposits. Some people prefer to keep it separate from their main banking.

Bottom line: any legitimate bank or credit union should work fine. Just avoid anything sketchy and make sure your account info is correct when you set it up. Washington ESD's direct deposit system is pretty reliable once it's working properly.