When do you receive first unemployment payment after filing with Washington ESD?

Typically Washington ESD processes first payments within 7-10 business days after your claim is approved and you've filed your first weekly claim. However, there can be delays if there are any verification issues or if your claim needs additional review. Check your account for any pending issues that might be holding things up.

The waiting period can vary but generally you should see your first payment within 2 weeks of filing your initial weekly claim. Make sure you've set up direct deposit in your account - that speeds things up compared to waiting for a check in the mail.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD by phone, I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to an agent within minutes. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. I was skeptical at first but it really worked for checking on my payment status.

ugh the waiting is the worst part... i filed 3 weeks ago and still nothing, starting to think i did something wrong when i filled out the forms

For me it was exactly 9 business days from when I filed my first weekly claim to when the money showed up in my bank account. But I know some people have had longer waits, especially if there are any issues with their employer information or work history.

THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! I've been waiting a month for my first payment and nobody can tell me why. Meanwhile my rent is due and I'm living off credit cards. Washington ESD is completely useless!!!

just got my first payment yesterday after 11 days of waiting. hang in there!

I work in HR and deal with unemployment claims regularly. The typical timeline is 7-14 business days for first payments, but it can be longer if there are any red flags in the system. Common delays include mismatched SSN information, employer contests, or incomplete work history. The key is getting someone on the phone to check your specific case.

I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it was actually pretty helpful. Got through to an agent in about 10 minutes instead of the usual hours of trying. The agent was able to tell me my payment was processing and would be released the next business day. Worth checking out if you're stuck.

My sister had to wait 3 weeks for her first payment but then everything was fine after that. Sometimes they just need extra time to verify everything on new claims. Don't panic yet if it's only been 2 weeks.

Check your online account for any alerts or messages. Sometimes they request additional documentation and if you miss it, your payments get held up. I almost missed a request for wage verification that would have delayed everything.

been there! the waiting is torture when you're counting on that money. mine took about 2 weeks but then was deposited every tuesday after that like clockwork

If you set up direct deposit, payments usually come on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. If you're getting paper checks, add another 3-5 days for mail delivery. Direct deposit is definitely the way to go for faster payments.

The frustrating part is they don't give you any real timeline estimates. Just 'processing' forever until suddenly the money appears. I wish they'd be more transparent about what's actually happening behind the scenes.

Try calling the Washington ESD customer service line first thing in the morning right when they open. I had better luck getting through around 8 AM than later in the day when everyone's calling.

Just an update - I finally got through using Claimyr after reading about it here. The agent told me my payment was actually released yesterday and should show up in my account tomorrow. Sometimes the online system doesn't update right away with payment status. Thanks everyone for the advice!

For future reference, your first payment includes your waiting week plus any weeks you've filed claims for. So if you filed 2 weekly claims, your first payment should cover both weeks. Just wanted to clarify that in case anyone was confused about the amounts.

remember to keep filing your weekly claims even while you're waiting for the first payment! if you miss a week you have to start over with the waiting period

The good news is once you get that first payment, the rest usually come on schedule. It's just that initial processing time that's unpredictable. Hang in there - it will come through.

UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know my payment finally came through this morning! Took exactly 12 business days from my first weekly claim filing. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and advice. For anyone still waiting - don't give up, it does eventually come through!