What does Washington ESD unemployment card look like - never got mine

Oh that makes sense! I was looking for something that said Washington ESD on it. So it just looks like a regular debit card?

Yep, it's a blue KeyBank card with your name on it. Your unemployment payments get loaded onto it automatically.

Can I change it to go to my own bank account instead? I'd rather have it go directly there.

Yes, you can set up direct deposit in your eServices account. Go to Payment Method and add your bank routing and account numbers.

Be careful though - direct deposit changes can take 2-3 weeks to take effect, so you might still need the card for a few payments.

What's Claimyr? Is that some kind of service to help call Washington ESD?

Yeah, it helps you get through to actual agents instead of sitting on hold forever. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Super helpful when you can't reach anyone.

I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about my missing card. Might have to check this out if I can't get through soon.

Good to know it can vary. I'll give it a few more days before I panic.

Sometimes mail just gets delayed too. I've had regular mail take 2 weeks to get to me lately.

Thanks for the heads up! What happens if I don't activate it right away?

Nothing terrible, but you can't access your money until you activate it. And there are instructions for setting up online access that you'll want to keep.

Ugh, fees are annoying but I guess that's normal for these prepaid cards. Are the fees high?

$2.50 for out-of-network ATMs I think, plus whatever the ATM owner charges. That's why I switched to direct deposit ASAP.

You can get cash back at most stores for free when you use the card like a debit card. That's what I do to avoid ATM fees.

How do I check what address they have on file? Is that in my eServices account?

Yes, you can see it in your profile section. You can update it there too if it's wrong.

Oh no, I hope I didn't already throw it away! I'll check my mail more carefully from now on.

Same thing happened to my sister. She was waiting 3 weeks and found it in her junk mail pile.

Right? The whole process is so unclear. They should send an email or something explaining what to expect.

Agreed! I was expecting something official looking, not a random bank card.

Good to know! Is the app free to use?

Yep, totally free. Just search for Way2Go in your app store.

How much does that cost? I'm already tight on money waiting for this card.

It's worth it when you need to actually talk to someone. Way better than spending hours on hold getting nowhere.

That's a good point. I'll ask them tomorrow when they come by.

Thanks everyone for all the info! I feel much better knowing what to look for now.

No problem! We've all been confused by this process at some point.