What day does unemployment pay in Washington - ESD payment schedule?
I just got approved for unemployment benefits through Washington ESD and I'm trying to figure out what day of the week they actually deposit the money. I filed my weekly claim on Sunday but my account is still showing zero balance. Is there a specific day Washington ESD processes payments? I need to know when I can expect the money to hit my account so I can plan my bills accordingly.
171 comments


Hattie Carson
Washington ESD typically processes payments on Tuesday nights after you file your weekly claim. So if you filed Sunday, you should see the deposit by Wednesday morning in most cases. Make sure you're checking the right account - they deposit to whatever account you set up during your initial claim.
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Kendrick Webb
•Thanks! I set up direct deposit so hopefully it shows up tomorrow. Do they send any notification when the payment goes through?
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Hattie Carson
•You should get an email confirmation but sometimes those are delayed. Check your ESD account online - it'll show payment status there first.
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Daniela Rossi
Washington ESD typically processes payments on Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on when you filed your weekly claim. If you filed on Sunday, you should see the payment hit your account by Wednesday or Thursday at the latest.
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Sophie Hernandez
•Thanks! Do they send it to direct deposit or does it come as a debit card?
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Daniela Rossi
•You can choose either direct deposit or the ESD debit card when you set up your account. Direct deposit is usually faster.
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Ryan Kim
i get mine every wednesday like clockwork. been on unemployment for 2 months now and its always wednesday
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Sophie Hernandez
•That's good to know! Did you set up direct deposit or use the debit card?
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Ryan Kim
•direct deposit. the debit card has fees i think
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Zoe Walker
If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check your payment status, 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.
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Sophie Hernandez
•How much does that cost? I'm already tight on money waiting for my first payment.
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Zoe Walker
•It's worth checking out their site for pricing info. For me it was worth it just to get through and confirm my payment was coming.
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Elijah Brown
•Interesting, never heard of that before. Does it actually work?
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Maria Gonzalez
Payment timing depends on a few factors. If there are any issues with your claim (like adjudication or verification needed), it can delay payments. Also, if you filed your weekly claim late in the week, it might not process until the following week's batch.
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Sophie Hernandez
•My claim status just says 'filed' - is that normal? Should I be worried?
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Maria Gonzalez
•That's normal for the first few days after filing. It should change to 'paid' once Washington ESD processes it.
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Max Reyes
Washington ESD typically processes payments on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but the exact day depends on when you file your weekly claim. If you file on Sunday like you did, you should see payment by Wednesday at the latest, assuming no issues with your claim.
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Felicity Bud
•Thanks! So if I keep filing every Sunday, I can expect payment by Wednesday each week?
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Max Reyes
•Yes, that's the typical pattern. Just make sure you file before the Sunday deadline.
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Destiny Bryant
It's usually Tuesday night processing with Wednesday morning deposits, but sometimes it takes until Thursday depending on your bank. I use Bank of America and mine always hits Wednesday around 6am.
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Dyllan Nantx
•Same here with Chase - always Wednesday morning. Credit unions might be different though.
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TillyCombatwarrior
•My credit union gets it Tuesday night actually, so it varies by institution.
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Natalie Chen
UGH the payment system is so confusing! I've been waiting 3 weeks and still haven't gotten anything. Every time I call Washington ESD I get hung up on or told to call back later. This is ridiculous!
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Daniela Rossi
•Have you checked if your claim is in adjudication? That could explain the delay.
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Natalie Chen
•How do I check that? The website doesn't really explain anything clearly.
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Zoe Walker
•This is exactly why I used Claimyr - I was in the same boat getting nowhere with the phone system. The agent was able to tell me exactly what was holding up my claim.
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Anna Xian
Word of warning - if there are any issues with your claim or if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about payment problems, their phone lines are absolutely impossible to get through on. I spent literally hours trying to reach them last month when my payment was delayed. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to an agent in like 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Saved me so much frustration.
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Kendrick Webb
•Really? That sounds too good to be true. How much does something like that cost?
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Anna Xian
•I was skeptical too but it actually worked. They focus on the value of getting through rather than the cost, and honestly after wasting whole days trying to call myself, it was worth it.
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Jungleboo Soletrain
•I've heard of services like that but wasn't sure if they were legit. Good to know it actually works.
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Rajan Walker
The standard Washington ESD payment schedule is Tuesday processing for Wednesday deposits, but there are some important things to know: 1. Your first payment might take longer (up to 7-10 business days) 2. If there's a holiday, everything shifts by one day 3. If your claim goes into adjudication, payments stop until it's resolved 4. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims by the Sunday deadline Also check that your direct deposit info is correct in your ESD account - wrong account info is a common cause of payment delays.
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Kendrick Webb
•This is my first payment so maybe that's why it's taking longer. How do I know if my claim went into adjudication?
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Rajan Walker
•Log into your ESD account and check your claim status. If it says 'adjudication in progress' that means they're reviewing something. It should also tell you if any additional info is needed.
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Nadia Zaldivar
•Adjudication can take forever with Washington ESD. Mine was stuck for 6 weeks over a stupid paperwork issue.
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Santiago Martinez
Tuesday is the magic day! I always get my notification on Tuesday that payment is coming, then it hits my bank account Wednesday morning.
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Sophie Hernandez
•Do you get an email notification or just see it in your account?
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Santiago Martinez
•Both - I get an email and I can see it in my SAW account under payment history.
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Mikayla Davison
mine usually hits tuesday morning but i've had it come as late as thursday when there were system issues
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Felicity Bud
•Good to know there can be delays. I'll watch for it Tuesday through Thursday then.
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Samantha Johnson
Make sure you're filing your weekly claims by Sunday night to get paid that week. If you file on Monday or later, it gets pushed to the next payment cycle.
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Sophie Hernandez
•I filed mine on Sunday around 6pm, so I should be good then?
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Samantha Johnson
•Yeah you should be fine. Sunday before midnight is the cutoff.
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Adrian Connor
I had the worst time trying to get through to Washington ESD to ask about my payment schedule. Spent hours on hold just to get disconnected. Finally used Claimyr.com to get connected to an agent who explained the whole payment timeline. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made the whole process so much easier than dealing with the phone system.
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Aisha Jackson
•Never heard of Claimyr before. Does it actually work better than calling directly?
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Adrian Connor
•Way better. I got through to an agent in about 10 minutes instead of hours of busy signals.
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Ryder Everingham
•Sounds too good to be true but I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point.
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Dyllan Nantx
ugh why is everything with unemployment so confusing?? i just want to know when my money comes lol. like why cant they just send it the same day you file the claim
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Hattie Carson
•I know it's frustrating but there's processing time needed to verify your claim info and job search activities. At least it's pretty consistent once you know the schedule.
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Dyllan Nantx
•yeah i guess. just stressed about money right now
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Lilly Curtis
The payment schedule can vary based on your bank too. Some banks post ACH deposits faster than others. I get mine Tuesday mornings with Credit Union 1, but my friend with Bank of America doesn't see hers until Wednesday afternoon.
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Felicity Bud
•I have Chase - any idea how fast they process Washington ESD payments?
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Lilly Curtis
•Chase is usually pretty quick, probably Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning.
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TillyCombatwarrior
Pro tip: if you're worried about the timing, file your weekly claim as early as possible on Sunday. I usually do mine right after midnight and it seems to process faster than waiting until Sunday evening.
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Kendrick Webb
•That's a good idea. I filed mine Sunday afternoon so maybe I should try earlier next time.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
•Does it really matter what time on Sunday you file? I thought they just batch process everything Monday.
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TillyCombatwarrior
•Not sure if it actually makes a difference but it feels like it helps. Could be psychological though!
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Jungleboo Soletrain
Just wanted to confirm what others said - I've been on unemployment for 3 months now and it's been very consistent. Sunday claim filing, Wednesday morning deposit every single week. The only time it was different was Memorial Day week when everything shifted by a day.
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Kendrick Webb
•That's reassuring to hear. Sounds like I just need to be patient for this first payment then.
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Ev Luca
•Holidays definitely mess up the schedule. Labor Day week my payment was delayed by 2 days.
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Nick Kravitz
been getting my payments every wednesday for 6 months now. never had an issue once i got the direct deposit set up correctly
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Sophie Hernandez
•How long did it take to set up direct deposit initially?
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Nick Kravitz
•like a week or two. first payment came on the debit card then switched to direct deposit after that
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Leo Simmons
Wait, you got approved already? I've been waiting 3 weeks for my adjudication to finish. How long did your approval take?
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Felicity Bud
•Mine took about 10 days total. Did you have any issues with your initial claim?
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Leo Simmons
•Yeah they're reviewing my separation from my last job. The waiting is killing me financially.
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Adrian Connor
•That's exactly when Claimyr helped me most - getting through to check on adjudication status. The agents can tell you what specific documents they need.
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Mikayla Davison
just remember you have to keep filing every week even if you're waiting for back payments. learned that the hard way
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Felicity Bud
•Good reminder, thanks. I'll set a Sunday reminder on my phone.
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Aisha Jackson
I HATE how inconsistent Washington ESD is with everything. Sometimes payments are Tuesday, sometimes Wednesday, sometimes they just don't come at all and you have to call to find out why. The whole system is a mess.
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Max Reyes
•The system definitely has issues, but the payment schedule is actually pretty consistent when there are no claim problems.
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Aisha Jackson
•Maybe for you, but I've had payments delayed for no reason multiple times.
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Felicity Bud
Update: Just checked my account and the payment is there! Filed Sunday, got paid Tuesday morning. Thanks everyone for the help!
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Lilly Curtis
•Awesome! Glad it worked out smoothly for you.
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Leo Simmons
•Lucky you. Still waiting on my whole claim to get approved.
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Ryder Everingham
For what it's worth, I tried that Claimyr thing someone mentioned and it actually worked. Got through to Washington ESD in like 15 minutes to ask about a payment that was missing. Turns out I had answered one of the weekly questions wrong.
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Adrian Connor
•See? It really does work. Saved me so much frustration.
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Aisha Jackson
•Okay fine, maybe I'll give it a try if I have issues again.
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Max Reyes
Just to summarize for future readers: Washington ESD processes payments Tuesday-Wednesday for weekly claims filed by Sunday. Your bank may add 1-2 days depending on their ACH processing. Always file your weekly claims on time even if you have other issues pending.
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Felicity Bud
•Perfect summary, thanks!
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Destiny Bryant
One thing to watch out for - sometimes Washington ESD will hold your payment if they need additional verification. This happened to me in my second week when they wanted to verify my previous employer info. Had to call them to get it sorted out, which was a nightmare until I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Definitely recommend having that option in your back pocket.
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Kendrick Webb
•How do you know if they're holding your payment for verification? Does it show up in your account?
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Destiny Bryant
•Yeah, it'll show a status message in your ESD account. Usually something like 'additional information needed' or 'verification required'. Don't ignore those!
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Nadia Zaldivar
WASHINGTON ESD IS THE WORST. Sorry for caps but I'm so frustrated. My payments have been delayed 3 times in the past 2 months for random reasons. Last time they said I didn't report my job search activities correctly even though I did everything exactly the same as before. The whole system is broken.
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Avery Davis
•I feel your pain. The inconsistency is maddening when you're trying to budget.
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Rajan Walker
•That's really frustrating. For job search reporting, make sure you're logging into WorkSource and documenting everything properly. Small mistakes can trigger delays.
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Nadia Zaldivar
•I was documenting everything! They just have impossible standards sometimes.
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Elijah Brown
The Washington ESD payment schedule is pretty consistent once you get into the rhythm. Just remember to file your weekly claims on time and make sure your job search activities are logged properly.
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Sophie Hernandez
•How many job search activities do I need to log each week?
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Elijah Brown
•I believe it's 3 job search activities per week, but check your eligibility requirements to be sure.
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Hannah White
anyone else having issues with the debit card? mine got declined at the grocery store yesterday even though i know theres money on it
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Ryan Kim
•yeah the debit card is garbage. switch to direct deposit asap
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Hannah White
•how do i switch? cant find the option anywhere
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Daniela Rossi
•Log into your SAW account and look for payment method settings. You can update it there.
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Lindsey Fry
does anyone know if holidays affect the payment schedule? we have presidents day coming up
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Max Reyes
•Yes, federal holidays can delay payments by a day. If Tuesday is a holiday, expect payment Wednesday or Thursday.
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Lindsey Fry
•thanks, good to know ahead of time
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Mikayla Davison
been getting unemployment for 6 months now and tuesday morning is like clockwork for me. only had delays when i messed up my weekly claim answers
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Felicity Bud
•What kind of mistakes cause delays? Want to make sure I don't screw anything up.
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Mikayla Davison
•mostly job search stuff or reporting work wrong. just be honest and double check everything before submitting
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Lukas Fitzgerald
For anyone still confused about the timeline: File Sunday → Processing Monday/Tuesday → Payment Tuesday night → Money in account Wednesday morning. That's the normal flow. First payments might take longer, holidays shift everything, and any claim issues will delay payments until resolved.
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Kendrick Webb
•Perfect summary, thank you! I'll stop checking my account obsessively now.
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Collins Angel
•This should be pinned somewhere. I had the same question when I started.
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Michael Green
I'm still waiting for my first payment too. Filed 2 weeks ago and nothing yet. Starting to panic about rent.
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Maria Gonzalez
•Check your claim status in your account. If it says 'under review' or 'adjudication' that explains the delay.
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Michael Green
•It just says 'filed' for both weeks. Should I call them?
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Zoe Walker
•Good luck getting through on the phone. That's why services like Claimyr exist - they actually get you connected to a real person who can explain what's happening with your claim.
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Leo Simmons
Still stuck in adjudication hell but at least now I know when to expect payments once this gets sorted out. Might try that Claimyr service to see what's taking so long.
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Ryder Everingham
•Do it. I was skeptical but it really helped me get answers faster than trying to call on my own.
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Saleem Vaziri
Quick question - if I file my weekly claim late, like on Monday instead of Sunday, does that push my payment back a day?
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Max Reyes
•It can, but usually not by much. As long as you file before the Tuesday cutoff, you should still get paid that week.
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Saleem Vaziri
•Good to know, thanks. I'll try to stick to Sundays to be safe.
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Ev Luca
If you're getting impatient waiting for your first payment, just remember that once it starts flowing regularly, it's pretty reliable. I've been getting mine every Wednesday for 4 months now with only one delay (which was my fault for filing late).
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Kendrick Webb
•That's good to hear. I'm probably just being anxious since it's my first time dealing with unemployment.
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Marcelle Drum
•First time is always stressful. You'll get into a rhythm with it.
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Mateo Silva
Pro tip: set up text alerts for your payments. Washington ESD will text you when your payment is processed so you know exactly when to expect it in your account.
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Sophie Hernandez
•Where do I set that up? I don't see that option in my account.
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Mateo Silva
•Should be under notification preferences in your profile settings.
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Lilly Curtis
Pro tip: set up text alerts with your bank so you know exactly when the Washington ESD payment hits. Takes the guesswork out of checking your account constantly.
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Felicity Bud
•That's smart, I'll look into setting that up with Chase.
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Kayla Morgan
my cousin works at a bank and she says ach deposits from government agencies usually process overnight monday/tuesday
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Lilly Curtis
•That matches what I've seen with my payments. Tuesday mornings are the most common.
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Victoria Jones
wednesday crew checking in! always comes through wednesday morning around 8am for me
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Sophie Hernandez
•That's pretty early! I'll have to check my account first thing Wednesday morning then.
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Aisha Jackson
Still think the whole system is poorly designed but at least the payment timing is somewhat predictable once you figure it out.
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Max Reyes
•Agree the system could be better, but knowing what to expect definitely helps with budgeting.
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James Maki
just wanted to say thanks for this thread, was wondering the same thing about payment days and this cleared it up perfectly
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Felicity Bud
•Glad it helped! This forum has been a lifesaver for figuring out Washington ESD stuff.
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Adrian Connor
Final note - if your payment doesn't come when expected, don't wait days to contact Washington ESD. Use Claimyr or whatever method works to get through quickly and find out what's wrong. Earlier you catch payment issues, easier they are to fix.
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Leo Simmons
•Good advice. I waited too long to call about my adjudication and probably made it worse.
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Felicity Bud
•Definitely keeping that in mind for the future. Thanks for all the help everyone!
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Cameron Black
The whole Washington ESD system is a joke. They make it impossible to get help when something goes wrong. I've been trying to reach someone for weeks about my payment delay.
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Jessica Nguyen
•I feel your pain. The phone system is completely broken.
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Zoe Walker
•This is the third time I'm mentioning it but seriously - Claimyr solved this exact problem for me. Check out their demo video, it shows exactly how they get you through to an actual Washington ESD agent.
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Cameron Black
•I might have to try that. I'm getting desperate here.
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Isaiah Thompson
Just want to confirm for OP - if you filed your weekly claim on Sunday, you should see payment by Wednesday. If you don't see it by Thursday, then something might be wrong and you should investigate.
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Sophie Hernandez
•Perfect, I'll give it until Thursday then. Thanks for the timeline!
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Isaiah Thompson
•No problem! The waiting is the worst part but once you get into the routine it's pretty predictable.
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Ruby Garcia
make sure your bank info is correct too. had a friend who wasnt getting payments because he had an old account number on file
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Sophie Hernandez
•Good point, I'll double check that. Would they send any kind of notification if the deposit failed?
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Ruby Garcia
•not sure about notifications but you could log in and check your payment history to see if anything failed
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Alexander Evans
The ESD debit card comes with fees for ATM withdrawals and some other transactions. Direct deposit is definitely the way to go if you can set it up.
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Sophie Hernandez
•What kind of fees are we talking about?
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Alexander Evans
•I think it's like $2.50 for out-of-network ATMs and some other charges. Check the cardholder agreement for details.
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Evelyn Martinez
been on unemployment for 4 months now and wednesday is always payday. never varies unless theres a holiday
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Sophie Hernandez
•What happens with holidays? Does it come early or late?
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Evelyn Martinez
•usually comes tuesday if wednesday is a holiday. they post notices about holiday schedules
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Benjamin Carter
Hope this helps OP! The uncertainty is stressful but once you get your first payment you'll feel a lot better. The system works, it's just slow and confusing at first.
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Sophie Hernandez
•Thanks everyone! This thread has been super helpful. I'll check my account Wednesday morning and hopefully see that first payment!
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Avery Davis
Quick question - does anyone know if the payment day changes if you're on standby status? I'm going back to work next week but staying on standby for my union job and want to know if the schedule is different.
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Rajan Walker
•Standby payments follow the same schedule as regular UI payments. Just make sure you're reporting your standby hours correctly when you file your weekly claim.
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Avery Davis
•Thanks! I wasn't sure if standby was processed differently.
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Collins Angel
Has anyone else noticed that Washington ESD's website crashes a lot on Sunday evenings when everyone's trying to file their weekly claims? I've started filing mine Sunday morning to avoid the rush.
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TillyCombatwarrior
•Yes! Sunday evenings are terrible. I learned that lesson the hard way when I missed the deadline because the site was down.
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Tate Jensen
•I usually file mine Saturday night after midnight. Technically that's Sunday and there's no traffic on the site.
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Marcelle Drum
For what it's worth, I called Washington ESD last week using that Claimyr service and the agent confirmed that Tuesday night processing is standard. She said they batch process all the weekly claims together and send them to banks Tuesday night for Wednesday posting. So if you're not seeing your payment by Thursday, that's when you should be concerned.
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Kendrick Webb
•Good to know! Thanks for actually confirming with an agent. I feel better about waiting now.
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Adaline Wong
•That's helpful info. I was wondering if they processed them individually or in batches.
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Tate Jensen
Bit of a tangent but related - make sure you're keeping track of your weekly claim confirmations. I had a payment issue where they claimed I didn't file for a certain week, but I had the confirmation email proving I did. Saved me from having to appeal a disqualification.
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Kendrick Webb
•That's a really good point. I'll start screenshotting my confirmations.
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Gabriel Ruiz
•I keep a spreadsheet with all my filing dates and confirmation numbers. Sounds nerdy but it's saved me twice.
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Adaline Wong
just chiming in to say wednesday morning deposits are accurate. mine hits at 3am every week like clockwork. bank of america if that matters
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Kendrick Webb
•3am? That's early! I'll have to check my account earlier than I thought.
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Gabriel Ruiz
One last thing - if your payment doesn't show up when expected, don't panic immediately. Check your ESD account first to see if there's a hold or issue. If everything looks normal there and it's been more than 24 hours past when you usually get paid, then it's time to call Washington ESD. And based on what others have said here, that Claimyr service might be worth trying if you can't get through on your own.
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Kendrick Webb
•Thanks everyone! This thread has been super helpful. I'll wait until Thursday before worrying and check my account first thing Wednesday morning.
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Misterclamation Skyblue
•Glad this helped! This is exactly the kind of info I wish I had when I first started claiming.
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Misterclamation Skyblue
Perfect timing on this question - I was wondering the same thing when I started claiming last month. The Wednesday morning thing is spot on. Also want to echo what others said about keeping records of everything. The unemployment system works but you have to stay organized.
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Kendrick Webb
•Definitely planning to be more organized about it. This is all new to me but everyone's advice has been really helpful.
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Peyton Clarke
For anyone reading this later - remember that Washington ESD payment timing can vary slightly by bank, but Tuesday night processing and Wednesday morning deposits is the standard. If you're not seeing payments by Thursday, that's when you should start investigating. And yes, that phone service people mentioned (Claimyr) is legit - I used it myself when I had payment issues.
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Kendrick Webb
•This whole thread is going in my bookmarks. Thanks to everyone who shared their experience!
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Vince Eh
Hope your payment comes through tomorrow OP! Once you get in the rhythm of it, the Washington ESD payment schedule becomes pretty predictable. Just remember to file every Sunday and keep your job search log updated. Good luck!
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Kendrick Webb
•Thank you! I'm feeling much more confident about the whole process now. Really appreciate everyone taking the time to help.
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