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Washington state doesn't discriminate based on criminal history for unemployment benefits. You earned those benefits through your work and payroll contributions. As long as you meet the standard eligibility requirements, you should be approved.
Just want to add that you should also look into any job training programs available through WorkSourceWA. Sometimes they have special programs for people with criminal backgrounds that can help with job placement.
One more tip - if you work for multiple employers as a per diem worker, you need to list ALL of them on your application. Don't just put your main employer or the one where you lost hours. Washington ESD needs the complete picture.
For what it's worth, I've been collecting partial unemployment as a per diem worker for 6 months now and haven't had any issues. The system works if you follow the rules and report everything accurately. Don't let the complexity scare you away from benefits you've earned.
Just to summarize for anyone else reading this: File as soon as possible after your last day of work, have your employment history ready, and don't overthink it. The Washington ESD system will guide you through the process.
One more thing - if you do switch from unemployment to disability, make sure you understand how it affects your health insurance situation. Could be a gap in coverage you need to plan for.
Bottom line is you can't collect both unemployment and disability benefits simultaneously in Washington. The requirements are contradictory - unemployment requires you to be able and available for work, disability means you can't work. Choose the one that best fits your actual situation and apply honestly.
Diego Flores
i got fired for 'attitude' last year and still got unemployment so you should be fine. washington esd is pretty reasonable about this stuff as long as you werent stealing or doing drugs at work or something obvious like that
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Connor O'Reilly
•Good to know! Seems like 'attitude' and 'performance' issues are pretty common reasons that still qualify for benefits.
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Diego Flores
•yeah exactly. they know that sometimes personalities just clash and that doesnt mean you did anything wrong
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Anastasia Kozlov
Don't stress too much about it. Washington ESD processes thousands of these claims and they've seen every situation imaginable. As long as you're honest about what happened and you weren't fired for gross misconduct, you should be approved for benefits. File your claim today and start the process!
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Anastasia Kozlov
•You're welcome! That's what this community is for. Keep us updated on how your claim goes!
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Yara Khoury
•Good luck with your claim! Remember to file those weekly claims even while you're waiting for the initial decision.
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