The first week you are eligible for unemployment benefits is called your waiting week. You do not get paid for your waiting week.
You must meet the eligibility requirements and submit a weekly claim to receive credit for your waiting week. You must continue to submit weekly claims every week that you want to receive unemployment benefits, unless otherwise instructed.
Direct deposit payment
You can receive your benefits faster by signing up for direct deposit.
We transfer benefits to your bank or credit union within one business day after you file your weekly claim. But it may take a few days for your bank or credit union to apply the funds to your account.
If the funds are not in your account when you expect, please contact your bank or credit union to see if there is any problem that may have prevented the deposit. You must wait seven calendar days before we can begin to track your deposit.
Debit card payment
You can also receive your benefits if you sign up for a debit card.
We send your benefits to U.S. Bank two business days after you submit your weekly claim. It can take one to two days for your benefits to be loaded to your card.
If you haven’t received your payment
To see if we’ve processed your payment, sign in to your eServices account and click on UI Claim to check the payment date. You can also call the weekly claims line (800-318-6022 12 a.m. Sunday – 4 p.m. Friday, unless Friday is a holiday) and select option 3 to see if it has been processed.
If the payment was issued and it has been seven mail delivery or banking days, but you still have not received benefits, call the claims center for help.
Replacing lost or stolen payments takes time. In the meantime, continue to submit your weekly claims.
Please note: You may choose to receive your unemployment benefits by direct deposit or on a debit card. Prior to choosing how you would like to receive your benefits, you must review the debit card disclosure information that explains all the fees relating to the benefits card program.
How to sign up
You must sign up for direct deposit online.
- Sign up when you apply for unemployment benefits. You’ll need your bank or credit union account and routing numbers. They are displayed on your check.
- If
you already have applied for benefits, wait 24 hours and then you can:
- Sign in to eServices.
- Click on Settings in the upper right of the page.
- Under I want to, choose Update payment information and follow the instructions.
Apply for, change or cancel direct deposit
Sign up for a debit card instead
Frequently asked direct deposit questions
Q. Can I apply for direct deposit if my bank is not in the United States?
A. No. Direct deposit is
available only with banks or credit unions within the U.S., including Alaska and Hawaii. We can’t send direct deposit payments to banks or credit unions in other countries, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands or American Samoa.
Q. What if I didn't sign up for direct deposit when I first applied for unemployment benefits?
A. You must wait at least 24 hours from when you applied for benefits.
Q.
What happens if I had direct deposit on an old claim and I file a new claim?
A. If you restart a claim, direct deposit stays active unless you change or cancel it.
If you open a new claim, the eServices website will give you the option to keep or change your payment method. If you don’t choose direct deposit, it will be cancelled and any account information on record will be removed from your claim.
Q. How long does it take after I
sign up?
A. Direct deposit takes effect immediately. One exception: If you sign up after 5 p.m. on a business day and we already have a payment ready to send to you, you’ll get the payment via your previous method. Then, your next payment will be directly deposited into your account.
Q. When is money available in my account?
A. We transfer benefits to your bank or credit union within one business day after you
submit your weekly claim. But your bank or credit union might take a few days to apply the funds to your account.
Q. I have been receiving my payment by direct deposit, but my weekly payment did not show up in my account. What do I do?
A. Contact your bank or credit union to see if a problem with your account prevented the deposit. We must wait at least seven calendar days from when we issued the payment before we
can track it.
Q. Is my personal information secure?
A. Yes. We use a secure website. If you remain on any page for 15 minutes, the application times out and your information is not saved. This prevents someone else from paging back to view your personal information. Employment Security Department staff do not have access to your bank or credit union information.
Q. What happens if I make an error when keying
my bank account information and I don’t know it?
A. If you enter incorrect account information, we can’t deposit your payment to your account and we remove the incorrect information from our system. We can’t correct the error, but we’ll send you a letter to inform you. In the meantime, we’ll send you a paper check for any benefits you’re qualified to receive.
To correct your information on our eServices website, follow the steps in the How do I change, correct or cancel my direct deposit? question below.
Q What if I change my account?
A. If you change your account or routing information, you must update that information in your eServices account. Otherwise, you won’t receive your payments. Update your information by following the steps in the question below.
How do I change, correct or cancel my direct
deposit?
A. Follow these steps:
- Sign in to your eServices account
- Click on Settings in the upper right of the page
- Select Update payment information under I want to
- Follow the instructions
Q. How long will direct deposit last?
A. Once you enter your direct
deposit information, it stays on your claim until:
- You cancel it, or
- You change the information, or
- We remove it. We do this only if your bank or credit union rejects the payment.
If you restart a claim, direct deposit stays active unless you change or cancel it.
If you open a new claim, the eServices website will give you the option to keep or change your payment method. If you don’t choose direct deposit, it will be cancelled and any account information on record will be removed from your claim.
Q. Will I get direct deposit payment receipts in the mail?
A. No. Your bank or credit union statement will show the deposits.