When does unemployment pay in Washington - need to know payment schedule

Washington ESD processes payments on Wednesdays typically. If you filed your weekly claim by Sunday night, you should see the deposit in your account by Thursday or Friday depending on your bank. First payments sometimes take an extra day or two to process through the system.

just got my payment today (thursday) and i filed sunday night. usually takes 2-3 business days after they process on wednesday

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD to check on payment status, I found claimyr.com really helpful. They have a service that calls ESD for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. I used it last month when my payments were delayed and got answers the same day instead of spending hours trying to get through.

WEDNESDAY IS PAYMENT DAY but don't expect it to be consistent! I've been on unemployment for 6 months and sometimes payments come Tuesday, sometimes Friday. The system is completely unpredictable. One week I didn't get paid until the following Monday with no explanation.

For new claimants, here's the typical Washington ESD payment schedule: Weekly claims must be filed by 11:59 PM on the Sunday following the week you're claiming. ESD processes payments on Wednesdays. Direct deposits typically arrive Thursday-Friday, debit cards can take 1-2 additional business days. First payments may take longer due to additional verification steps.

I'm so confused about this whole process. I filed my claim 2 weeks ago and it's still showing pending. Should I keep filing weekly claims even though I haven't been paid yet? What if I mess something up and they say I wasn't supposed to file?

My experience has been pretty consistent - file Sunday night, payment shows up Friday morning. Been collecting for 4 months now. The key is making sure you file for the right week ending date and complete all the job search requirements.

The timing really depends on your bank too. I have a credit union and get payments Wednesday afternoon, but my friend with Bank of America doesn't get hers until Friday. Direct deposit timing varies by financial institution.

If your payment seems delayed beyond the normal timeframe, definitely check with Washington ESD. Sometimes there are issues with your weekly claim that need to be resolved. I used that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier when I had a payment delay - turned out there was a flag on my account that needed to be cleared by an agent.

Just want to add - if you're expecting your first payment and it doesn't come when expected, DON'T PANIC immediately. Washington ESD often has delays for new claims while they do final verifications. But after 7-10 business days with no payment, then you need to call them.

One thing to watch out for - make sure your address is correct in your Washington ESD account. I had a friend whose payments were delayed because her address was wrong and they were trying to mail her something for verification.

For budgeting purposes, here's what to expect: Your first payment will be for any eligible weeks from when you filed your initial claim. Subsequent payments are weekly as long as you continue filing and meet requirements. Payment amounts include your weekly benefit amount plus any federal or state supplements that may apply.

protip: set up text alerts in your esd account so you know when payments are processed. saves you from checking every day

Just to manage expectations - your first payment might be larger than usual if you're getting backpay, but don't expect that amount every week. Regular weekly payments will be just your weekly benefit amount.

Has anyone had issues with the KeyBank debit card? I'm thinking of switching to direct deposit because I've heard the card can have problems.

This thread has been so helpful! I was getting really anxious about when to expect my payment but now I have a better idea of the timeline. Thank you everyone!

One last tip - if you ever need to speak with someone at Washington ESD about payment issues or anything else, I can't recommend Claimyr enough. It's so much better than the stress of trying to get through on your own. The peace of mind alone is worth it when you're dealing with unemployment.

To summarize for the original poster: File weekly claims by Sunday 11:59 PM, payments typically process Wednesday and arrive Thursday-Friday via direct deposit. First payments may take longer. Keep filing even while claims are pending. Contact ESD if payments are delayed beyond normal timeframes.