Payment Options

Payment Information

Topics:

Unemployment
Claims

PAYMENTS - IWD DEBIT CARD OR DIRECT DEPOSIT

IWD DEBIT CARD

When you file an unemployment insurance claim and have selected to receive payment by a U.S. Bank ReliaCard®, a card will be mailed to you. The card will not expire for three years, so please do not destroy the card. If you have received a card in the last three years, the card is still valid and payments will be issued to that card. The ReliaCard provides the quickest form of payment for unemployment benefits.

The benefit payment is deposited three to four business days after the weekly claim is filed, if all eligibility requirements are met. Holidays may delay the payment.

The ReliaCard is issued and serviced by U.S. Bank. A new card may take up to 10 business days to arrive. Through the ReliaCard cardholder website, you can:

  • Check your account balance.
  • Review transaction history.
  • Sign up for balance alerts (text messages and email).
  • Sign up for notification of deposits by email.

You can also download the ReliaCard mobile app to manage your debit card.

The ReliaCard customer service is available 24/7 for card inquiries at:

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

  • U.S. Bank ReliaCard Pre-Acquisition Disclosures
  • Only IWD can update your personal information for the ReliaCard.
  • Address or name changes should be reported to IWD.
  • Card account balance and transaction history are not available to IWD staff.

You must contact U.S. Bank to order a replacement card or to report a lost or stolen card.  

The ReliaCard is issued by U.S. Bank National Association pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A Inc. © 2020 U.S. Bank. Member FDIC.

DIRECT DEPOSIT

You may choose to have your UI benefit payment(s) deposited directly into a checking or savings account.  The benefit payment is deposited four to five business days after the weekly claim is filed, if all eligibility requirements are met.  Holidays may delay the payment.

Direct deposit cannot currently be added to an unemployment insurance claim unless you filed a claim after March 31, 2019.  We are working on making updates to allow customers to add and make changes to direct deposit at anytime while filing for unemployment insurance.  Those options should be available in the next few months.

It is your responsibility to verify the benefit payment was deposited into the correct account and resolve any direct deposit errors directly with your financial institution. IWD is not responsible for incorrectly reported routing and/or account information. Funds that are deposited into an incorrect account may not only delay your payments, but also may not be recovered or returned to IWD or you.

In an effort to safeguard sensitive information, IWD will have limited access to updating account information.  IWD will not accept any paper forms to change account information. If you do not wish to update your account information online when you file an unemployment insurance claim application, the IWD Debit Card will be the default payment method.

EXPECTATIONS FOR PAYMENTS

If you do not already have a IWD Debit Card, the quickest way to receive your payment is through direct deposit.  After you have applied for unemployment insurance payments, your payments will take some time to be issued to you as your claim is processed.  If you have elected to receive your payment by direct deposit, it can take 7-10 business days to receive a payment.   If you have selected a IWD debit card and have not been issued a card before, it can take over 10 business days currently to receive your card in the mail.  It is likely that payments will be loaded on the card prior to you receiving it by mail.

PAYMENT ISSUE DATE 

The payment issue date is the date that IWD has sent a payment to your debit card or personal checking or savings.  This date does not mean that your payment will be on your card or in your bank account on this day.  The standard time to receive your payment on the IWD Debit Card is 3 business days after the payment is issued.    If you have selected direct deposit, the standard time to receive your payment in your account is 4 business days.

NOTICE TO BANK OF AMERICA CARDHOLDERS: 

IOWA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT HAS CHANGED PREPAID CARD PROVIDERS

Update for Bank of America Cardholders: Important Notice Regarding Change in Benefits Payments

• What’s happening: Effective January 31, 2021, Iowa Workforce Development stopped depositing funds to Bank of America debit card accounts. If you have a Bank of America card account, it will remain active until January 25, 2022, then it will be deactivated. (There will be no changes to our new prepaid service provider, US Bank, or its card accounts)

• What you need to do: Until January 25, 2022, you may continue to use your Bank of America card. If your card expires prior to that date, it will not be reissued. To transfer funds to your existing checking or savings account, select the “Transfer funds” option within this site. If there are funds remaining in your card account after January 25, 2022, you will need to contact us at the telephone number or address on your card for further information on how to obtain the balance.

• For more information regarding the funds remaining on your Bank of America Debit Card: Please contact Bank of America's Service Center at 866-213-4074, 866-656-5913 (TTY), or 423-262-1650 (collect, when calling outside the U.S).

IWD CONTACT INFORMATION

Review these Frequently Asked Questions about Unemployment Insurance or contact IWD at the information below.