When does unemployment pay - Washington ESD payment schedule question

Thanks for the info! I have direct deposit set up with my credit union so hopefully I'll see it Wednesday. Do they send any notification when it's processed?

You should get an email confirmation when your weekly claim is processed, but not specifically when the payment is sent. You can always check your payment history in your Washington ESD account to see the status.

That's good to know about the timing differences between banks. I'm with Chase so I'll probably have to wait until Thursday.

Yeah the bigger banks definitely seem slower with unemployment deposits. My friend switched to a credit union just because of this issue.

I filed mine Sunday morning so I should be good. Good point about the first payment potentially being slower - I wasn't thinking about that.

My first payment took 4 days instead of the usual 2. Something about verifying the bank account info I think.

Is this legit? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about a payment issue and keep getting hung up on after waiting an hour.

Yeah it's real, they basically call for you and get you connected when an agent is available. Way better than sitting on hold all day. I used it when my payments got stuck in adjudication.

Interesting, I might try this. The Washington ESD phone system is absolutely terrible - I've never gotten through on my own.

Good reminder. I haven't worked at all this week so I should be clear on that front.

What happens if you forget to report work? Can they claw back payments?

Yeah they can create an overpayment and make you pay it back. It's not worth the risk - always report any work even if it's just a few hours.

That's smart about the banking alerts. I should set that up too since I'm always checking my account obsessively.

Yeah it definitely reduces the anxiety of constantly checking. Plus you'll know right away if there's any delay or issue with your payment.

That's reassuring to hear it's so consistent. I was worried there might be random delays.

nah once ur in the system its pretty automatic. only delays ive seen is when theres a holiday or if u mess up ur claim somehow

How do you update banking info if you need to? Is it through the online account?

Yes, you can update it through your online Washington ESD account under payment options. Just make sure to do it right after you file a weekly claim so it doesn't mess up any pending payments.

Good to know, my banking info is current so hopefully no issues there.

I agree the communication could be better about holiday delays. They should send notifications when the schedule changes.

Federal holidays do affect processing times since banks are closed. Usually adds 1-2 days to the normal schedule. It's frustrating but pretty standard for government payments.

That's encouraging! I'm hoping my credit union will be similar to your regional bank in terms of speed.

Regional banks and credit unions definitely seem faster with unemployment deposits in my experience too.

As long as you submit by the Sunday deadline (usually midnight), you're in the same processing batch. The time of day on Sunday doesn't matter, just that it's completed before the cutoff.

Perfect, thanks! I'm usually a procrastinator so good to know I don't have to file early in the day.

How much does something like that cost? I've been thinking about trying it but worried about the expense.

It's worth checking out their website for current pricing. For me it was definitely worth it to avoid wasting entire days trying to get through on the phone.

I looked at the demo video and it seems pretty straightforward. Might be worth it just for the peace of mind of knowing you can actually reach someone when needed.

Thanks for the reassurance! I'm doing my job searches and keeping track of everything so hopefully I'll have a smooth experience like yours.

The job search tracking is important - Washington ESD does audit those and can stop payments if you're not meeting the requirements.

Good point. I don't have any work right now but I'll remember that if I pick up any temporary gigs while job hunting.

Yeah better to report everything honestly and get a reduced payment than to have them catch it later and create an overpayment situation.

Perfect summary, thank you! I feel much better about the timeline now. Hopefully I'll see my first payment Wednesday morning.

Good luck! The first payment is always the most nerve-wracking but it gets routine after that.