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Malik Robinson

What day does unemployment pay in Washington ESD - confused about payment schedule

I'm totally confused about when Washington ESD actually sends unemployment payments. I filed my weekly claim last Sunday but haven't received anything yet. My claim status shows approved but I can't figure out what day of the week they actually process payments. Some people say Tuesday, others say Wednesday. Does anyone know the actual payment schedule for Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

Washington ESD typically processes payments on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If you filed your weekly claim on Sunday, you should see the payment in your account by Wednesday or Thursday depending on your bank. First payments sometimes take a little longer to process.

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Thanks! So it's not like a set day every week for everyone?

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No, it depends on when you file your weekly claim and which day of the week your claim gets processed in their system.

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usually tuesday or wednesday for me, depends on your bank i think

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Thanks! Do you know if it's the same day every week or does it vary?

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pretty consistent for me, always tuesday

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Washington ESD typically processes unemployment payments on Tuesday afternoons, but it depends on your bank. Most people see the money in their account Wednesday morning, some not until Thursday if they have a smaller bank.

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Thanks! I bank with Chase so hopefully I'll see it tomorrow then.

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I have a credit union and mine always comes Wednesday around 3pm

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Washington ESD processes payments on Tuesdays and Wednesdays typically. If you file your weekly claim by Sunday, you should see the payment processed by Tuesday or Wednesday depending on your bank's processing time. Direct deposit is usually faster than the debit card option.

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I have direct deposit set up, so hopefully Tuesday then. Thank you for the detailed answer!

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This is correct - Washington ESD batch processes payments early in the week after you file your weekly claim.

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I've been dealing with Washington ESD payment delays for weeks now. Sometimes I get paid Tuesday, sometimes Wednesday, and last week it didn't come until Thursday! I tried calling but couldn't get through after hours of waiting. Has anyone found a reliable way to actually reach someone at Washington ESD about payment issues?

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I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents without waiting on hold for hours. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me so much time!

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Never heard of that before, does it actually work? I'm desperate at this point.

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Yeah it really does work. They handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent is available. Much better than spending my whole day on hold.

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mine always comes on wednesdays but ive been on unemployment for like 6 months now

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Do you file your weekly claim on the same day every week?

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yeah i do it every sunday morning right when i wake up

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been waiting for my payment for 2 weeks now, claim shows approved but no money. tried calling washington esd like 50 times, always busy or they hang up on me after waiting an hour

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That's frustrating! Have you checked if there's an adjudication hold on your claim? Sometimes it shows approved but there's still an issue being reviewed.

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I had the same problem last month. Turned out I had used Claimyr.com to get through to an actual Washington ESD agent - they helped me figure out there was a verification issue blocking my payments. Check out their demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ if you're having trouble getting through.

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In my experience with Washington ESD, payments come Tuesday night/Wednesday morning IF you file your weekly claim by Sunday. If you file late, it might be delayed until the next week's batch.

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Good to know! I filed Sunday night so should be in this week's batch.

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Wait what? I filed Monday morning and got paid Wednesday. Don't think filing Sunday vs Monday matters that much.

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Washington ESD payments are SUPPOSED to be Tuesday/Wednesday but don't count on it. The system is broken and they don't care about us waiting for our money. I've had payments delayed for no reason multiple times.

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That's really frustrating. Have you been able to get explanations for the delays?

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Ha! Good luck getting through to anyone to ask. Their phone system is a joke.

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I had this same confusion when I started my claim. Washington ESD doesn't pay on a specific day like Social Security does. The timing depends on when you submit your weekly claim and how long processing takes. Generally if you file Sunday-Monday, expect payment Wednesday-Thursday. If you file later in the week, it might not process until the following week.

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That makes sense. I was expecting it to be like a regular paycheck on the same day every week.

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I wish they would just pick one day and stick to it. Makes budgeting so much harder when you don't know exactly when money is coming.

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If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check on your payment status, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach a real person at the unemployment office. They have this demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made it so much easier to get answers about my payment timing issues.

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How does that work exactly? Do they just call for you?

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They handle getting you connected to an actual Washington ESD representative instead of you sitting on hold forever or getting hung up on. Really helpful when you need to check claim status or resolve payment delays.

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That sounds too good to be true. How much does something like that cost?

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I've been getting my payments every Wednesday for the past 3 months. The key is filing your weekly claim as early as possible on Sunday. Washington ESD processes claims in batches and if you file late, you might get pushed to the next processing cycle.

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Good to know! I'll make sure to file early on Sundays from now on.

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This is exactly right. I used to file my claims randomly throughout the week and payments were all over the place. Now I file every Sunday morning and get paid every Wednesday like clockwork.

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depends on your bank too, some are faster than others with ACH deposits. I've noticed Wells Fargo gets it Tuesday night, but smaller banks take longer

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That's true, the bigger banks tend to process ACH faster. Credit unions are usually a day behind.

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The standard Washington ESD payment schedule is Tuesday and Wednesday for most claimants. Payments are processed in batches after you complete your weekly claim certification. Banks typically post direct deposits on the same day Washington ESD sends them, but some banks may take an additional business day.

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Good to know about the bank processing time - that might explain some of the variation people are seeing.

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My credit union always posts mine on Tuesday, very reliable

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I always get mine Wednesday morning around 8am. Been on unemployment for 3 months now and it's always been consistent. Washington ESD processes Tuesdays, banks post Wednesday morning.

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That's reassuring to hear it's consistent! I was worried something was wrong with my claim.

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mine comes every tuesday like clockwork, been getting UI for 3 months now

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That's reassuring! What bank do you use if you don't mind me asking?

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chase bank, they're pretty fast with deposits

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One important thing to remember is that if there are any issues with your claim - like if you need to verify your identity or if there's an adjudication issue - your payment can be delayed regardless of the normal schedule. Always check your Washington ESD online account to make sure there aren't any alerts or required actions.

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Great point! I should check my account more regularly.

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Yes this happened to me - had to upload documents and didn't get paid for 2 weeks until I figured it out.

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The payment schedule is so frustrating! I've been waiting 2 weeks for my first payment even though my claim was approved. Called Washington ESD 47 times yesterday and never got through to anyone. This system is broken.

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Two weeks seems way too long for a first payment. Did they put your claim into adjudication for any reason?

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No adjudication that I can see. My account just shows 'paid' but no money in my bank account. I don't understand what's happening.

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If it shows 'paid' in your Washington ESD account but you haven't received the money, there might be an issue with your bank information or the payment method. You really need to talk to someone at ESD to figure this out.

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one time my payment was delayed because I forgot to do my job search log correctly. make sure you're logging at least 3 job contacts per week or they'll hold your payment

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Good point! The job search requirement is 3 contacts per week in Washington. You have to log them in your WorkSourceWA account too, not just keep your own records.

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I've been doing my job searches but didn't know about WorkSourceWA. Is that separate from the regular Washington ESD site?

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I track my payments religiously and here's what I've noticed: if you file your weekly claim on Sunday, payment usually processes Tuesday. If you file Monday, it might not process until Wednesday. Washington ESD seems to have specific processing windows.

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Interesting pattern! I always file on Sunday so that's good to know.

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That makes sense - earlier filing probably gets you in the earlier batch

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WASHINGTON ESD PAYMENT SCHEDULE IS A JOKE! They say Tuesday but I've gotten payments on Thursday, Friday, even Monday sometimes. No consistency whatsoever!

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That sounds unusual. Most people I know get pretty consistent timing. Have you checked if there are ongoing issues with your claim?

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no issues shown on my account, just terrible timing. maybe my bank is the problem

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TUESDAY for direct deposit, WEDNESDAY for the debit card usually. At least that's been my experience with Washington ESD. The debit card always seems to be a day behind direct deposit.

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Good to know about the debit card timing difference!

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yeah the debit card is always slower, switched to direct deposit and it's much better

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Pro tip: if you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD about payment delays, I discovered this service called Claimyr that actually gets you through to a real person. Saved me hours of calling.

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is that the same one mentioned earlier? might try it if my payment doesn't show up tomorrow

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Yeah same one. Really helped when I had a payment issue that needed explaining. Much better than the runaround you get calling normally.

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my sister works at a bank and she says washington esd sends the payment files tuesday afternoon but banks don't always process them right away. depends on their internal schedule

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That makes sense. Banking operations can definitely affect when you actually see the money in your account.

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been getting unemployment for 6 months, always comes wednesday morning without fail. you just have to be patient with the timing

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Thanks for the reassurance! I'm probably just being impatient since it's my first time on unemployment.

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Just want to add that if you have direct deposit set up, payments come faster than if you're waiting for a debit card. The Washington ESD debit card can take an extra 1-2 days to show the deposit.

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I have direct deposit set up so hopefully that helps speed things up.

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Yeah direct deposit is definitely the way to go. I get mine Tuesday nights usually, way faster than the debit card option.

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Am I the only one who thinks it's ridiculous that we can't get a straight answer about when payments come? Like why can't Washington ESD just say 'payments are processed every Tuesday' or whatever. This guessing game is stressful when you're already struggling financially.

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Totally agree! Every other benefit program has set payment dates. Food stamps, Social Security, everything else is predictable.

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The problem is they process thousands of claims and it depends on their system capacity. But yeah, they could at least give us better estimates.

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I don't care about their system capacity, I care about paying my bills on time. Figure it out, that's what we pay taxes for.

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For what it's worth, I started using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and finally got to talk to a Washington ESD rep who explained my payment schedule. Turns out there was a small issue with my claim that was causing delays. Worth checking out if you're having problems getting through on the phone.

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How quickly were you able to get through using that service?

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Way faster than calling myself. Saved me hours of sitting on hold just to get hung up on.

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Just to clarify for anyone reading this - Washington ESD processes weekly claim payments in batches throughout the week. Most people who file Sunday/Monday get paid Wednesday/Thursday. If you file Tuesday-Thursday, payment usually comes the following week. Friday-Saturday filers definitely wait until the next week.

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This is super helpful, thank you! I'll stick to filing on Sundays.

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Yep, this matches my experience exactly. Consistency is key with the filing day.

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Been unemployed since last year and Washington ESD payments have been pretty consistent on Tuesdays for me. Only had delays when there were system issues or when I forgot to file my weekly claim on time. As long as you file by Sunday and don't have any flags on your account, Tuesday should be your day.

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Thanks for sharing your experience! It sounds like Tuesday is the most common day.

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Same here, Tuesday is my pay day every week

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If your payment is more than a week late, there's definitely an issue. Normal processing is Tuesday to Wednesday. Anything longer means you need to call Washington ESD.

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that's what I figured, but calling is impossible. might have to try that claimyr thing people mentioned

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Definitely worth trying Claimyr if you're stuck. They actually get you through to someone who can help instead of just hanging up on you.

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One more tip - if you ever have payment issues, don't just wait around hoping it gets fixed. I waited 3 weeks thinking my payment was just delayed and it turned out there was an identity verification issue that needed to be resolved. Sometimes you have to be proactive about contacting Washington ESD.

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How did you find out about the identity verification issue?

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Finally got through to someone on the phone after trying that Claimyr thing. The rep could see the hold on my account that wasn't showing up in my online portal.

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This is exactly why I keep telling people to actually talk to a real person instead of just checking the website. The online system doesn't always show you everything.

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Bottom line: file your weekly claim every Sunday morning, have direct deposit set up, and expect payment by Wednesday or Thursday. If it doesn't come by Friday, there's probably an issue that needs to be resolved with Washington ESD directly.

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Perfect summary! This thread has been really helpful, thank you everyone.

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Agreed, wish I had this info when I first started my claim. Would have saved me a lot of stress.

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I was having issues with delayed payments and couldn't get through to Washington ESD to find out why. Finally used Claimyr to get connected to an agent who explained that my claim was flagged for verification. Got it sorted out and now my payments are back on schedule every Tuesday.

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That's exactly the kind of situation where getting through to someone would be helpful!

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How long did it take with Claimyr to get connected?

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They called me back within a few hours when an agent was available, much better than sitting on hold all day.

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I remember when I first started getting unemployment I was checking my account every hour on Wednesday lol. Now I know it always comes around the same time.

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Haha that's exactly what I'm doing right now! Good to know I'm not the only one who was anxious about timing.

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tuesday processing, wednesday deposit. that's the standard washington esd schedule unless there's a holiday or system issue

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Exactly right. Holidays can delay things by a day or two, but otherwise it's very predictable.

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just want to add that holidays can mess up the payment schedule too. if tuesday is a holiday, payments might not go out until wednesday or thursday

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Oh that's a good point about holidays! I hadn't thought about that.

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Washington ESD payment timing also depends on whether you're on regular UI or if you have any special situations like standby status. Regular UI claims typically process faster than more complex claim types.

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I'm on regular UI so that should help with timing.

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Yeah standby claims can take longer to process from what I've seen

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Sometimes I think Washington ESD just picks random days to send payments! But seriously, Tuesday/Wednesday is pretty standard. I've learned to budget expecting Wednesday just to be safe.

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That's probably smart - better to be pleasantly surprised than caught short!

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lol yeah i always assume wednesday too, then if it comes tuesday its a nice surprise

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Pro tip: if you're ever unsure about your payment status, you can check your payment history in your Washington ESD online account. It shows when payments were issued and the amounts. Helps you track patterns and spot any issues early.

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I should definitely start checking that more regularly. Thanks for the tip!

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The payment history is really helpful for keeping track of everything

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Had a situation where my payment was delayed because I answered one of the weekly claim questions wrong. Washington ESD held the payment pending review. Took using Claimyr to get through and explain the situation. Agent cleared it up and payment was released the next day. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to fix these things.

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That's really helpful to know! I'll be more careful with those weekly questions.

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Which question did you answer wrong? I'm always worried about messing those up.

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It was the one about being able and available for work. I clicked the wrong option by mistake.

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been tracking my payments for months and here's what i found: 90% of the time its tuesday, 10% of the time its wednesday, usually due to bank processing or system issues. never had it later than wednesday unless there was a problem with my claim

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That's really helpful data! Sounds like Tuesday is the most reliable day.

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Just wanted to say thanks for asking this question - I was wondering the same thing! Based on all these responses it sounds like Tuesday is the day to expect payment, with Wednesday as backup. Really helpful thread!

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Glad it helped! I feel much better about the timing now too.

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Yeah this thread has been super informative about Washington ESD payment schedules

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One last thing to add - if you ever switch from the debit card to direct deposit or vice versa, it can take a payment cycle or two for the timing to normalize. Had that happen when I changed my payment method and was confused about the delays.

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Good to know! I'll stick with direct deposit since it seems to be the fastest option.

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Sometimes if Washington ESD systems are down for maintenance it can delay payments by a day. They usually announce it on their website if that happens.

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I'll check their website for any announcements. Didn't think to look there.

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My payment schedule got messed up when I was on standby status and then went back to regular UI. Took a few weeks to get back to normal timing.

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Standby status can definitely affect payment timing. Were you seasonal or temporary layoff?

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seasonal work, was on standby over the summer then back to regular claims in fall

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make sure your direct deposit info is correct in your washington esd account. friend of mine had payments delayed because his bank account number was wrong

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Good point, I'll double check that. Better safe than sorry.

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If you're still having issues after checking everything, that Claimyr service people mentioned actually worked for me too. Got through to Washington ESD in like 20 minutes instead of spending all day calling.

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ok you've convinced me, gonna try claimyr tomorrow if my payment doesn't show up

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Good luck! Hope your payment comes through normally but if not, at least you have a backup plan.

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wednesday morning is the magic time for most people. if you don't see it by thursday, definitely call washington esd

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Perfect, I'll wait until Thursday and then start making calls if needed. Thanks everyone for all the help!

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