When will I receive my unemployment check from Washington ESD?
Filed my initial claim with Washington ESD two weeks ago and it got approved last Friday. I've been doing my weekly claims every Sunday like I'm supposed to but still haven't gotten any payment. My account shows the claims are processed but no payment date. Does anyone know how long it usually takes to get your first unemployment check after approval? I'm getting really stressed about rent being due soon.
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Vince Eh
After your claim is approved, it typically takes 2-3 business days for the first payment to hit your account. Since you were approved Friday, you should see it by Wednesday or Thursday this week. Make sure your direct deposit info is correct in your Washington ESD account.
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Peyton Clarke
•Thanks! I double checked and my bank info looks right. Hoping to see it tomorrow then.
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Sophia Gabriel
•mine took 4 days last month so dont panic if its not there wednesday
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Tobias Lancaster
Check your SecureAccess Washington portal under payment history. It should show a payment date even if the money hasn't hit your bank yet. If there's no payment date listed, there might be an issue with your weekly claim.
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Peyton Clarke
•Just checked and it shows 'Payment Issued' with today's date! So hopefully it'll be in my account soon.
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Ezra Beard
•If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check on payments, I had luck using claimyr.com recently. They helped me get connected to an actual person when I was having payment delays. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Statiia Aarssizan
UGH this system is so frustrating!! I've been waiting 3 weeks for my first payment and Washington ESD keeps giving me the runaround. Every time I call they say there's no issues but still no money. How are we supposed to live while they take their sweet time?
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Vince Eh
•Have you checked if your claim is in adjudication? That would delay payments even if your initial claim was approved.
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Statiia Aarssizan
•How do I check that? My account just says 'claim approved' but maybe there's something else I'm missing.
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Reginald Blackwell
•Log into your Washington ESD account and look under 'Claim Status' - if it says anything about 'pending adjudication' or 'under review' that's why you're not getting paid yet.
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Sophia Gabriel
same boat here, approved last week but no payment yet. this is my second time on unemployment and i remember it being faster before
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Tobias Lancaster
•The processing times have definitely gotten longer since COVID. More claims = more delays unfortunately.
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Aria Khan
•I heard they're still catching up from all the fraud issues they had. Makes it slower for everyone now.
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Reginald Blackwell
Make sure you're filing your weekly claims on time every week. If you miss the deadline or file late, it can delay your whole payment schedule. Washington ESD is pretty strict about the timing.
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Peyton Clarke
•I've been filing every Sunday morning right when I wake up, so that shouldn't be the issue.
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Everett Tutum
•Sunday is good but you actually have until Saturday night to file. Just FYI for future reference.
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Sunny Wang
Does Washington ESD send any kind of notification when they issue payment? I keep checking my bank account obsessively lol
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Vince Eh
•You should get an email notification when payment is issued, but sometimes they're delayed. The payment usually shows up in your bank before the email comes.
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Peyton Clarke
•I got an email this morning saying payment was issued so hopefully that's a good sign!
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Hugh Intensity
If you're getting desperate and need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your payment, try calling right at 8am when they open. That's when you have the best chance of getting through.
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Statiia Aarssizan
•I've tried that and still can't get through. The phone system just hangs up on me after waiting forever.
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Ezra Beard
•That's exactly why I ended up using Claimyr - I was getting hung up on constantly. They handle the calling for you and get you connected to an actual Washington ESD rep. Worth it when you're stressed about payments.
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Effie Alexander
•How much does that cost though? I'm already broke waiting for my unemployment check
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Melissa Lin
For what it's worth, once you get your first payment the rest usually come on schedule. It's just that initial one that takes forever because they have to verify everything.
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Peyton Clarke
•That's reassuring, thanks. I was worried this would be the timeline for every payment.
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Lydia Santiago
•Yeah after the first one mine have been coming every Tuesday like clockwork.
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Romeo Quest
Check if you signed up for direct deposit or if they're mailing you a debit card. The debit card takes longer to arrive and then you have to activate it before you can access your money.
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Peyton Clarke
•I did direct deposit so that shouldn't be the issue. My bank info is all correct in the system.
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Val Rossi
•Sometimes banks hold unemployment deposits for 24 hours even with direct deposit, especially if it's your first payment from Washington ESD.
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Eve Freeman
Are you sure there are no outstanding issues on your claim? Sometimes Washington ESD will approve your initial claim but then flag something during the weekly claim processing that delays payment.
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Peyton Clarke
•I don't think so? How would I know if there's a flag?
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Vince Eh
•Log into your account and check under 'Messages' or 'Correspondence' - if Washington ESD needs anything from you they'll usually send a message there.
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Clarissa Flair
•Also check your email including spam folder. They sometimes send important notices that way too.
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Caden Turner
The waiting is the worst part honestly. I remember being so anxious about my first payment too. But once it starts coming it's pretty reliable.
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Peyton Clarke
•Thanks for the encouragement. It's just stressful when you have bills due and no other income coming in.
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McKenzie Shade
•totally get it, i was in the same situation. hang in there!
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Harmony Love
UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know my payment hit my account this morning! So it was exactly 3 business days after the 'Payment Issued' date showed up in my Washington ESD account. Thanks everyone for the help and reassurance.
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Vince Eh
•Great news! Glad it worked out. Now you know the timeline for future payments.
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Statiia Aarssizan
•Lucky you! Still waiting on mine but this gives me hope it'll come soon.
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Rudy Cenizo
•Awesome! Always nice to hear success stories on here.
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