When will I get my first unemployment deposit after Washington ESD approval?

First unemployment payment usually takes 2-3 business days after your weekly claim shows 'paid' status on the Washington ESD website. Since you already have direct deposit set up, that's definitely faster than waiting for a debit card. Check your bank account early morning - ESD deposits typically hit between 6am-8am.

man the waiting is the worst part! took me 6 days to get my first payment last year even with direct deposit. after that first one though they came like clockwork every tuesday

I had trouble reaching Washington ESD when my first payment was delayed. Spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real person at ESD. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Turned out there was a small issue with my bank routing number that was holding everything up.

The Washington ESD payment schedule is pretty predictable once you get into the routine. Weekly claims are processed on Sundays, payments typically arrive Tuesday mornings for direct deposit. Your first payment might include backpay if there was a delay in processing your initial claim, so don't be surprised if it's larger than expected.

ugh this whole system is so frustrating!! why does it take SO LONG to get your first payment when people are literally broke and need the money?? i went through the same thing last month and it was a nightmare

Check that your bank info is correct in your eServices account. I had a typo in my account number and it delayed my first payment by almost 2 weeks. Once I corrected it, payments started coming regularly.

Sometimes banks hold the first unemployment deposit for extra verification too. I bank with a smaller credit union and they held my first ESD payment for 3 days to 'verify the source.' Might want to call your bank too.

just a heads up - make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even while waiting for that first payment! i made the mistake of thinking i should wait and it messed up my whole claim

If you're still having issues after a week, definitely try to get through to someone at Washington ESD. I know I mentioned Claimyr earlier, but it really was a game changer for me. Much better than spending all day trying to call yourself.

The first payment is always nerve wracking! Once you get that first one though, the rest come pretty reliably. Washington ESD's system has gotten better over the years.

Make sure you're checking the right account! I set up direct deposit to my savings account by mistake and was checking my checking account for days wondering where my money was lol

In my experience the timing varies. First payment took 5 days, but after that they were always there Tuesday mornings like clockwork. Just hang in there!

Pro tip: sign up for text alerts from your bank so you know the second any deposit hits your account. Made the waiting a lot less stressful for me.

One more thing to check - make sure your claim doesn't have any 'pending issues' that might be holding up payment. Sometimes there are small things that need to be resolved even after initial approval.

this whole thread is making me anxious about my own claim that just got approved yesterday! now i know what to expect at least

Washington ESD payments have been pretty reliable in my experience. The first one is always the slowest, then they settle into a predictable pattern. You should see it soon!

Update us when you get your payment! I'm curious to see how long it actually takes since I might be in the same boat soon.

I remember that anxiety so well. The first payment feels like it takes forever but once the system knows you and your bank info, everything flows much smoother.

Had a friend who used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. She said it was super helpful for getting through to ESD when she had payment issues. Might be worth looking into if you don't see your money by next week.

Keep us posted! These threads are really helpful for people going through the same thing. The first unemployment payment is always the most stressful part of the whole process.