Last piece of advice - set up direct deposit for your paychecks if possible and keep digital copies of everything. Makes it much easier to calculate and report your earnings accurately each week when you file your claim.

Just wanted to add that you should also keep track of your work schedule changes week to week. I learned this the hard way when my part-time hours varied between 20-30 hours depending on the week. Washington ESD calculates your partial benefits based on each individual week's earnings, not an average. So if you work 20 hours one week and 30 the next, you'll get different partial benefit amounts each time. It's worth creating a simple spreadsheet to track your hours and expected earnings so you can report accurately when filing your weekly claims.

I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier when I couldn't get through to Washington ESD about my adjudication. Definitely helped me get the answers I needed instead of waiting weeks for a callback that never came.

I went through something similar last year - got terminated for "performance issues" but it was really just a way for them to downsize without calling it layoffs. I filed for unemployment right away and was approved after about 3 weeks of review. The key is being honest about what happened and providing any documentation that shows you were making a good faith effort to do your job. Washington ESD really does look at whether you were willfully negligent or just unable to meet unrealistic expectations. Don't let your employer scare you into not filing - they often make it sound worse than it is to discourage claims.

Don't let them intimidate you into not applying. Some employers will try to scare you by saying you won't qualify, but that's not their decision to make - it's Washington ESD's job to determine eligibility.

I went through almost the exact same situation about 6 months ago - got let go from my job for "performance reasons" after working there for over a year with no prior warnings. I was really stressed about whether I'd qualify for benefits, but I applied anyway and got approved after about 3 weeks of adjudication. The key thing that helped me was being completely honest in my application about what my employer told me when they fired me. Don't try to spin it or make it sound better than it was - just state the facts. Washington ESD is pretty good at distinguishing between actual misconduct and employers just wanting to cut costs. Good luck with your application!

The whole misconduct determination process can be stressful but try not to panic. Washington ESD sees these cases all the time and they're generally pretty good at sorting out legitimate misconduct from employer retaliation or policy disputes. Your situation with the shared registers and small shortages doesn't sound like the type of willful misconduct they typically use to deny benefits.

I went through something similar with a "misconduct" termination about 6 months ago. The key thing to remember is that Washington ESD looks at the actual facts, not just what your employer claims. From what you've described - shared registers, small shortages that could have multiple causes, and no clear proof you were responsible - this sounds like you have a strong case. Make sure to emphasize in your claim that multiple employees used the same register and that the shortages were minor and could have been honest mistakes or system errors. I'd also suggest writing down a detailed timeline of events while everything is still fresh in your memory. The adjudication process can take a few weeks, but don't let that discourage you from filing immediately. Even if there's an initial denial, the appeal process gives you another chance to present your case. Stay positive and document everything!

Thanks for posting this question OP! I'm in the exact same boat - just got hired and was stressed about how to properly end my claim. This thread has been super informative and now I feel confident about filing my final weekly claim correctly.

Just wanted to add one more important tip - make sure to keep all your documentation from your job search and final claim filing for at least a year after you close your claim. I had Washington ESD audit my claim 8 months after I ended it (they do random audits) and I was so glad I had kept all my records. Screenshots of your final weekly claim, copies of job search logs, documentation of your start date, etc. It only took them a few days to clear the audit because I had everything organized, but without those records it could have been a nightmare.