When will I receive unemployment payment from Washington ESD after filing?
I submitted my initial unemployment claim with Washington ESD about 10 days ago and completed my job search activities, but I still haven't received any payment. My claim status shows as 'processed' but there's no payment date listed. I've been doing my weekly claims religiously and reporting my job contacts through WorkSourceWA. Is this normal? When should I expect to actually see money in my account? Getting really stressed about rent coming up.
62 comments


Jamal Thompson
Typically Washington ESD processes payments within 2-3 business days after you file your weekly claim, but your first payment can take longer since they need to verify everything. Have you checked if there are any pending issues on your account that might be holding things up?
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Zoe Christodoulou
•I don't see any issues listed, but maybe I'm missing something? Where exactly do I check for pending issues in the system?
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Jamal Thompson
•Log into your Washington ESD account and look for any alerts or messages. Sometimes there are verification requirements that aren't obvious.
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Mei Chen
First payments usually take 2-3 weeks in my experience. The system has to verify your wages with your previous employer and make sure all your job search requirements are met. Be patient but definitely keep filing those weekly claims.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•That's actually reassuring to hear it's normal. I was worried I did something wrong with my application.
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CosmicCadet
•Yeah 2-3 weeks sounds about right. I remember my first check taking forever but then they came regularly after that.
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Liam O'Connor
If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check on your payment status, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr that actually gets you connected to agents without the usual hold times. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to speak to someone directly about your payment timing.
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Amara Adeyemi
•How much does something like that cost? I'm already tight on money waiting for unemployment.
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Liam O'Connor
•I found it worth it when I was stuck in adjudication for weeks. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to get things moving.
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Giovanni Gallo
•Interesting, never heard of that. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?
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Fatima Al-Mazrouei
The Washington ESD payment schedule depends on when you file your weekly claim. If you file on Sunday, you typically get paid by Wednesday. But like others said, that first payment can be delayed while they verify everything with your employer.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•I've been filing on Sundays like you said. Good to know Wednesday is the target. I'll keep watching my account.
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Dylan Wright
•Wednesday is the goal but sometimes it takes until Friday, especially if there's a holiday or system maintenance.
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CosmicCadet
ugh the waiting is the worst part!! I remember calling them like 50 times trying to figure out where my money was. Turns out they were just doing their normal verification process but nobody tells you that upfront.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•Exactly! The lack of communication is so stressful when you're already worried about money.
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Jamal Thompson
•That's why it's important to keep detailed records of everything you submit. Makes it easier to track where things might be stuck.
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Mei Chen
Make sure you're not missing any required documents. Sometimes Washington ESD requests additional verification for your identity or work history and if you don't respond quickly, it can delay your first payment by weeks.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•I uploaded my ID and Social Security card when I first applied. Should I have sent anything else?
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Mei Chen
•That sounds right for the initial application. They'll let you know if they need additional documentation.
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NebulaKnight
•Sometimes they want pay stubs or your separation notice from your employer. Check your messages carefully.
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Giovanni Gallo
Are you sure you're eligible for regular unemployment and not something else? If you were self-employed or had irregular work, the process might be different.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•I was a regular W-2 employee for two years before getting laid off, so I should qualify for regular UI benefits.
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Giovanni Gallo
•Then yeah, you should be good. Just the normal waiting period for first-time claims.
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Amara Adeyemi
I'm in the same boat! Filed 12 days ago and nothing yet. At least I know I'm not alone in this. The stress is real when bills are due.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•Right?! It's such a relief to hear other people going through the same thing. Makes me feel less like I messed something up.
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CosmicCadet
•Hang in there both of you. Once the first payment comes through, the rest should be much more predictable.
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Jamal Thompson
One thing to remember is that Washington ESD has to coordinate with your previous employer to verify your separation reason and wage information. If your employer is slow to respond, that can delay your first payment. Most of the time it's just administrative processing, not a problem with your claim.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•That makes sense. My company was pretty disorganized when they did the layoffs, so they're probably slow with paperwork too.
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Sofia Ramirez
•Exactly, and if it's a large company they might have a backlog of unemployment verifications to process.
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Dylan Wright
Pro tip: set up direct deposit if you haven't already. Getting a debit card in the mail takes even longer than the first payment processing.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•Good point! I did set up direct deposit during my application, so hopefully that speeds things up once it's approved.
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Dmitry Popov
•Yes! Direct deposit is definitely the way to go. The debit cards can take like a week to arrive.
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NebulaKnight
Keep filing your weekly claims even if you haven't received your first payment yet. If you miss a week, you might have to explain why later and it could complicate things.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•Definitely doing that. I've filed three weekly claims so far and will keep doing them until I hear otherwise.
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Mei Chen
•Smart approach. It's much easier to stay on top of the weekly claims than to try to fix missed weeks later.
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Liam O'Connor
If you do end up needing to call Washington ESD about your payment status, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really does work. I was skeptical at first but it saved me hours of trying to get through their busy phone lines. Sometimes you just need to talk to an actual person to get clarity on timing.
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Ava Rodriguez
•I might have to try that if my payment doesn't show up by next week. Getting tired of the automated system hanging up on me.
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Amara Adeyemi
•Same here, I've called probably 20 times and never gotten through to a real person.
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Sofia Ramirez
The timing also depends on what day of the week you initially filed your claim. Washington ESD processes claims in batches, so there's some variation in how quickly things move through the system.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•I filed on a Tuesday morning if that makes any difference. Trying to remember all these details is exhausting.
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Sofia Ramirez
•Tuesday should be fine. The main thing is just that you filed and have been keeping up with your weekly claims.
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Dmitry Popov
Don't panic if it takes the full 3 weeks. I know it's stressful but the money will come. Washington ESD is usually pretty reliable once they get through their verification process.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•Thanks for the reassurance. I'm trying to stay patient but it's hard when you're watching your bank account get lower every day.
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CosmicCadet
•I totally get that anxiety. Once that first payment hits though, you'll feel so much relief.
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Ava Rodriguez
Are you doing your job search activities correctly? Sometimes if there's an issue with how you're logging your job contacts, it can hold up payments.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•I think so? I'm logging them in WorkSourceWA like the instructions said. Three job contacts per week, with details about each application.
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Jamal Thompson
•That sounds right. Make sure you're being specific about what type of contact you made and when.
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Miguel Ortiz
The whole system is frustrating honestly. They make you jump through hoops and then don't give you any real timeline for when to expect results. But hang in there, most people do get their payments eventually.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•Yeah, the lack of clear communication is probably the most stressful part. I just want to know what's normal and what isn't.
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Zainab Khalil
•That's exactly why forums like this are so helpful. At least we can help each other figure out what's typical.
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Fatima Al-Mazrouei
One more thing to check: make sure your bank account information is correct in your Washington ESD profile. If there's even a small typo in your account number, that could cause delays in direct deposit.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•Good thinking! I'll double-check that right now. I would be so frustrated if it was something simple like a typo.
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Dylan Wright
•Yeah, definitely worth verifying. Bank routing numbers are easy to mix up too.
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Liam O'Connor
Quick update on that Claimyr thing - I used it again last week for a different issue and got through to a Washington ESD agent in like 10 minutes. Honestly worth it for the peace of mind when you're stressed about payments. Their video demo explains exactly how it works if anyone wants to check it out.
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QuantumQuest
•That's actually pretty impressive if it really works that fast. The regular phone line is basically impossible.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•I'm seriously considering it if I don't hear something by Friday. Thanks for sharing your experience with it.
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Zainab Khalil
Just remember that once your first payment comes through, the subsequent ones should be much more predictable. Usually every week like clockwork if you keep filing your claims on time.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•That's what I'm hoping for. I just need to get through this initial waiting period and then hopefully it becomes routine.
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Mei Chen
•Exactly. The first payment is always the hardest because you don't know what to expect. After that it's pretty straightforward.
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QuantumQuest
Sending good vibes! Hope you see that payment soon. The waiting game is brutal but you're doing everything right by staying on top of your weekly claims.
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Zoe Christodoulou
•Thank you! This whole thread has been so helpful. At least now I know what to expect and that other people have been through the same thing.
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Dmitry Popov
•That's what these forums are for! We're all just trying to navigate the system together.
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