When do I get my first unemployment payment from Washington ESD?

The typical timeline for Washington ESD is 2-3 weeks from when you file your initial claim, but there are several factors that can affect this. First, you need to complete your waiting week (which is unpaid), then file your weekly claims consistently. If your claim goes into adjudication for any reason, it can take much longer.

honestly it took me almost 5 weeks to get my first payment last year. kept calling and calling but could never get through to anyone at washington esd. super frustrating when you need the money

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD by phone (which most people are), you might want to check out Claimyr at claimyr.com. They help you get through to actual ESD agents without spending hours on hold. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. I used it last month when my claim got stuck and was able to talk to someone within a few hours instead of days of trying.

Make sure you're filing your weekly claims EVERY week, even if your initial claim is still pending. I made the mistake of thinking I should wait until my claim was approved and it delayed everything by another 2 weeks. The weekly claims need to be consistent or Washington ESD assumes you're not actively claiming benefits.

The Washington ESD system is absolutely broken. I've been waiting 6 weeks for my first payment and every time I call they give me a different excuse. First it was identity verification, then job separation issue, now they're saying there's an adjudication hold. Meanwhile I'm about to lose my apartment because I can't pay rent!

For your specific situation since you filed last Tuesday, here's the realistic timeline: Week 1 (last week) was your waiting week. This week is week 2. If everything goes smoothly and there are no holds on your account, you should see your first payment by next Tuesday or Wednesday. But check your account regularly for any action items or requests for additional information.

idk why everyone's saying 2-3 weeks, i got mine in like 10 days last summer. maybe it depends on when you file or something

Make sure you have direct deposit set up! I waited an extra week because I was waiting for a paper check that got lost in the mail. The debit card option is faster than checks but direct deposit is fastest.

The key thing is making sure there are no issues with your employer verification. If Washington ESD needs to contact your previous employer to verify your job separation, that can add 1-2 weeks to the process. They don't always tell you when they're doing this verification.

I filed in January and it took exactly 17 days to get my first payment. No issues with my claim, just the normal processing time. Filed on a Thursday, got paid on a Sunday three weeks later. The waiting is stressful but most claims do get processed eventually.

whatever you do dont miss filing your weekly claims! i missed one week because i was out of town and thought i could file late. ended up having to restart part of my claim process and delayed everything by almost a month

The real issue is when your claim gets flagged for adjudication and you have no idea why. Happened to me and I couldn't get anyone on the phone for weeks. Finally used one of those call services someone mentioned here and found out it was just a routine verification that should have been resolved in days, not weeks.

Pro tip: if you're really worried about timing, you can sometimes see pending payments in your account before they actually hit your bank. Look for the payment history section in your ESD account. If you see a payment listed there, it usually means it'll be in your account within 1-2 business days.

From what I understand, the two week waiting period includes your waiting week plus one additional week for processing. So if you filed last Tuesday, you should theoretically see something by this coming Tuesday or Wednesday, assuming no complications. But having a backup plan to contact ESD directly if needed is smart.

Just to add - make sure your job search activities are logged correctly from the start. Washington ESD can audit your job search log at any time and if it's not complete, they can hold up payments even after you've started receiving them.