When will I get my unemployment check from Washington ESD?
Filed my initial claim two weeks ago and submitted my first weekly claim last Sunday. My account shows 'paid' status but I still haven't received any money. When should I expect to actually get my unemployment check? I'm getting really stressed about rent being due next week.
55 comments


Annabel Kimball
It usually takes 2-3 business days after your weekly claim shows 'paid' for the money to hit your account. Are you set up for direct deposit or waiting for a debit card?
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PaulineW
•I chose direct deposit when I filed. My bank account info looks correct in my profile.
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Annabel Kimball
•Direct deposit is definitely faster than the debit card. Should show up within 48 hours of the paid status.
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Chris Elmeda
same thing happened to me last month, the first payment always takes longer than the rest for some reason
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PaulineW
•How long did your first payment take? I'm starting to panic here.
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Chris Elmeda
•mine took like 5 days but after that every payment was right on time
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Jean Claude
Check your payment history in your Washington ESD account. If it shows a specific payment date, that's when it should hit your bank. The system is pretty accurate with those dates.
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PaulineW
•It just says 'paid 12/16/2024' but no specific time or anything more detailed.
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Jean Claude
•That means it was processed Monday. With direct deposit you should see it by Wednesday morning at the latest.
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Charity Cohan
I had issues getting through to Washington ESD when my payments were delayed. Found this service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to a real person at ESD within minutes. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Really helped me get answers about my payment timeline.
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PaulineW
•Never heard of that but I'm desperate at this point. The regular phone number just hangs up on me.
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Josef Tearle
•Wait is this legit? How much does it cost?
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Charity Cohan
•Yeah it's totally legitimate. They don't ask for any personal info, just help you get through the phone system. Way better than spending hours redialing.
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Shelby Bauman
THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!! I've been waiting 3 weeks for my payments and Washington ESD just keeps giving me the runaround!!!
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Annabel Kimball
•That sounds like there might be an issue with your claim. Have you checked if you're in adjudication?
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Shelby Bauman
•How do I even check that? This whole system is impossible to navigate!
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Jean Claude
For future reference, Washington ESD typically processes payments on Tuesdays and Fridays. If your weekly claim is approved by Monday night, you'll usually see payment Tuesday. If it's later in the week, it gets processed Friday.
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Quinn Herbert
•good to know, thanks for the info
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PaulineW
•This is really helpful! I submitted mine Sunday night so that lines up with what you're saying.
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Josef Tearle
What if there's a holiday? Does that delay everything? I'm worried about Christmas week messing up my payment schedule.
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Jean Claude
•Yes, federal holidays can delay processing by a day or two. Washington ESD usually posts notices about holiday schedules on their website.
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Josef Tearle
•Thanks, I'll keep an eye out for those announcements.
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Salim Nasir
just got my first payment today actually, took exactly 3 business days from when it showed paid
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PaulineW
•That gives me hope! Fingers crossed mine shows up tomorrow.
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Annabel Kimball
One thing to double-check - make sure your bank doesn't have any holds on government deposits. Some banks flag unemployment payments as suspicious if it's your first one.
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PaulineW
•Oh wow I never thought of that. I'll call my bank in the morning.
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Hazel Garcia
•yeah my credit union held my first UI payment for 24 hours for 'verification
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Laila Fury
Anyone else think it's ridiculous that we have to wait this long when we're already struggling financially?
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Shelby Bauman
•EXACTLY! We wouldn't need unemployment if we weren't already broke!
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Annabel Kimball
•I get the frustration but the processing time is actually pretty standard for government payments.
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Geoff Richards
Pro tip: if you're really stressed about timing, you can call your bank and ask them to expedite the deposit once it hits their system. Some banks will do this for hardship cases.
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PaulineW
•That's a great idea! I'll mention that when I call them tomorrow.
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Geoff Richards
•Just be polite and explain your situation. Most banks are pretty understanding about unemployment payments.
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Chris Elmeda
update: just checked and my payment from this week already hit my account, so they're definitely processing on schedule
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PaulineW
•When did your claim show as paid? Trying to figure out the timeline.
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Chris Elmeda
•showed paid monday night and money was in my account wednesday morning
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Simon White
I remember my first payment taking forever too. Now I just file my weekly claim Sunday night and expect the money Wednesday. It's become pretty predictable.
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Hugo Kass
•same here, once you get in the rhythm it's pretty reliable
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Charity Cohan
For anyone still having trouble getting answers from Washington ESD about payment delays, I really recommend trying Claimyr. It saved me hours of frustration trying to get through on the phone.
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Nasira Ibanez
•I'm skeptical of third-party services but honestly the regular phone system is so broken I might try it.
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Charity Cohan
•I was skeptical too but it actually worked exactly like they showed in their demo video. No hassle at all.
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Khalil Urso
Does anyone know if the amount changes based on when you file your weekly claim? Like if I file Monday vs Sunday?
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Jean Claude
•No, the timing of when you file during the week doesn't affect the amount. As long as you file by the Sunday deadline, you get the full weekly benefit.
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Khalil Urso
•Good to know, thanks! I was worried I was losing money by not filing exactly on Sunday.
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Myles Regis
The waiting is the worst part of this whole process. At least once you get in the routine you know what to expect.
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PaulineW
•Yeah I'm learning that patience is key here. Just wish they were more clear about timelines upfront.
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Brian Downey
check your junk mail folder too, sometimes banks send notifications about large deposits there
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PaulineW
•Good point! I'll check that right now.
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Jacinda Yu
I keep a little calendar now marking when I file my weekly claim and when I expect payment. Helps with budgeting and reduces anxiety.
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PaulineW
•That's actually a really smart idea. I'm going to start doing that too.
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Jacinda Yu
•It really helps! Plus you can spot any unusual delays right away.
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Landon Flounder
Just wanted to update everyone - my payment finally hit this morning! Took exactly 3 business days like everyone said it would. Thanks for all the advice and reassurance!
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Annabel Kimball
•Great news! See, the system does work, it just takes patience.
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Chris Elmeda
•awesome! glad it worked out for you
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Jean Claude
•Perfect timing as expected. Now you know what to expect for future payments.
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