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Ethan Clark

When do I receive unemployment payment after filing weekly claim in Washington?

Filed my first weekly claim on Washington ESD last Sunday and I'm confused about when the actual payment shows up. The website says my claim was processed but I don't see any money in my account yet. Is there a delay between filing and getting paid? I chose direct deposit when I set up my account. Really need to know when to expect this since rent is due soon.

Usually takes 2-3 business days after your weekly claim is processed. Since you filed Sunday, you should see it by Wednesday or Thursday if there are no issues with your claim.

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Thanks, that's helpful! My claim status shows 'paid' so hopefully it hits my account tomorrow.

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Mine always comes on Tuesday nights around 11pm, been getting UI for 6 weeks now.

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The payment schedule depends on when Washington ESD processes your weekly claim. If you file on Sunday, processing usually happens Monday night, then direct deposit hits Tuesday-Wednesday. Paper checks take longer, about 5-7 business days total.

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Good to know about the processing timeline. I was worried something was wrong since it's been 3 days.

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yeah the waiting is stressful when you need the money ASAP

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Been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about my payment delay but can never get through. The phone lines are always busy or I get disconnected after waiting forever. Anyone else having this problem?

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I had the same issue last month! Found this service called Claimyr that actually got me through to a Washington ESD agent. They handle the calling for you - check out claimyr.com. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

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Interesting, I'll check that out. Anything is better than spending hours on hold just to get hung up on.

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Wait is that legit? Sounds too good to be true tbh

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Make sure you're checking the right account and that your banking info is correct in your Washington ESD profile. I've seen people wait weeks only to realize they had the wrong account number entered.

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Just double-checked and everything looks right. Hopefully it's just the normal processing time.

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This happened to my cousin - turned out her bank rejected the deposit because the name didn't match exactly

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Good point about name matching. Washington ESD is strict about that stuff.

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ugh the whole system is so slow. I remember my first payment took like a week because they had to verify my identity or something. Now its pretty regular but that first one was nerve wracking

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Identity verification - they didn't mention that when I filed. How long did that take?

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like 3-4 days extra. they sent me some questions to answer online and then it processed normally after that

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First-time claimants often experience a slight delay while Washington ESD verifies employment history and sets up the payment system. This is normal and doesn't indicate any problems with your claim.

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That makes sense. I was getting worried something was wrong with my application.

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Mine took 6 days the first time, then every Tuesday after that like clockwork

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Check your payment history in the Washington ESD portal. It should show the date it was issued and the method. If it says 'paid' but you don't have the money, might be a bank issue.

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Good idea, I'll log into my account and check the payment details.

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Sometimes banks hold unemployment deposits for 24-48 hours too, especially if its your first one

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I get mine every Tuesday night without fail. Been on UI for 2 months now. The key is filing your weekly claim by Sunday evening so it gets processed Monday.

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That's exactly what I did. Filed Sunday around 6pm.

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Same here - Sunday filing, Tuesday payment. It's like clockwork once you get in the routine.

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Update on my calling situation - tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned and it actually worked! Got through to a Washington ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of the usual 3+ hour wait. They explained my payment was held up because of a job search requirement issue.

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Glad it worked for you! I was skeptical at first but they really do save you time dealing with Washington ESD phone lines.

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Ok now I'm convinced this might be legit. What did the agent tell you about the job search thing?

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Turns out I needed to log my job search activities in WorkSourceWA. Agent walked me through it and my payment was released the next day.

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Payments usually hit Tuesday-Wednesday if you file Sunday. But holidays can delay it by a day or two. Also make sure you dont have any outstanding issues in your claim that might hold up payment.

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No holidays this week so that shouldn't be an issue. My claim status looks clean.

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Labor Day messed up my payment schedule last month - came Thursday instead of Tuesday

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been getting payments for 4 months now and the timing is super consistent. file sunday evening, money in account tuesday night or wednesday morning. first payment took longer though

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This is reassuring. Sounds like after the first one it becomes predictable.

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Yeah exactly. The first payment is always the wildcard, then it settles into a pattern.

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If your claim shows 'paid' in the system but you don't receive money within 5 business days, that's when you should contact Washington ESD. Could be a banking issue or technical glitch that needs to be resolved.

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Good to know the 5-day rule. I'll give it until Friday before I worry.

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I had a glitch once where it showed paid but the bank never got it. Took Washington ESD 2 weeks to reissue the payment.

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That's frustrating but not uncommon. The key is documenting everything when you contact them.

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Make sure you're not missing any correspondence from Washington ESD. Sometimes they send notices about additional documentation needed and payments get held up until you respond.

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I've been checking my messages and mail regularly. Nothing so far.

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Check your spam folder too - sometimes Washington ESD emails end up there

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The waiting is the worst part honestly. My first unemployment payment took 8 days because they needed to verify my previous employer. After that it was smooth sailing every Tuesday.

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8 days sounds awful when you're broke. Hoping mine comes sooner than that.

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Yeah the employer verification can add time. They have to confirm your wages and reason for separation.

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Pro tip: set up text alerts in your Washington ESD account so you get notified when payments are processed. Helps reduce the anxiety of constantly checking your bank account.

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I didn't know about text alerts! I'll set that up right now.

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The alerts are super helpful. You get one when they process your claim and another when payment is issued.

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Sometimes there are payment delays if Washington ESD is updating their system or if there's unusually high volume. Happened to me during the summer - everyone's payment was delayed by 2 days.

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System updates make sense. Hopefully that's not happening this week.

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They usually announce system maintenance on their website if that's the case

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If you're really desperate and need to talk to someone at Washington ESD, I heard about this Claimyr service that gets you through the phone lines faster. Friend of mine used it when her payments stopped and got answers same day.

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Can confirm Claimyr works! Used it myself and saved hours of phone frustration.

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Good to know there's an option if I need to call them. The phone lines sound terrible from what everyone says.

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Just be patient with your first payment. I know it's stressful but the system usually works. Mine came exactly 3 days after filing once everything was set up properly.

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Thanks for the encouragement. Trying to stay positive while I wait.

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The waiting gets easier after you establish the pattern. First one is always nerve-wracking though.

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UPDATE: My payment just hit my account this morning! Exactly 3 days after filing like several people said. Thanks everyone for the helpful info and reassurance!

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Great news! Now you know what to expect for future payments.

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Awesome! The system works, just takes a few days like everyone said.

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Perfect timing! Now you'll get into the weekly routine and it becomes automatic.

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