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One last tip - if Washington ESD schedules a phone interview about your termination, answer the phone! Missing scheduled interviews can delay your claim or even result in denial. They usually give you advance notice.
You're absolutely right to file for benefits! Performance terminations are very different from misconduct in Washington state. I went through something similar a few months ago - got let go from a retail job for not meeting sales goals despite really trying my best. Washington ESD approved my claim after about 3 weeks of investigation. The key thing they look for is whether you were willfully negligent or just struggled with the job requirements. From what you described with the warehouse quotas, it sounds like you were making a good faith effort but the physical demands were too much. That's not misconduct - that's just a mismatch between your abilities and the job requirements. Keep filing your weekly claims during the adjudication process and make sure to document everything about your termination while it's still fresh in your memory. You've got this!
I went through something similar about 6 months ago - failed a drug test for THC and got terminated from my construction job. Washington ESD initially denied my claim but I appealed with documentation from my doctor showing I was using cannabis for chronic back pain from a work injury. It took about 8 weeks but they eventually approved my benefits. The key was proving it was medically necessary and didn't impact my job performance. Don't give up hope - the appeals process exists for a reason!
One more success story with that claimyr service - I was getting frustrated trying to reach Washington ESD about whether my part-time work would affect my benefits. Used claimyr and got connected to an agent who explained everything clearly. Much better than trying to navigate their phone system on my own.
Just wanted to add my experience - I've been on Washington ESD unemployment for 2 months now and can confirm it's definitely 3 job contacts per week. What really helped me was setting up a routine where I do my job searches on the same days each week (usually Monday, Wednesday, Friday) so I don't fall behind. Also, don't forget that you need to be available for work during normal business hours - that's part of the eligibility requirements too. The WorkSourceWA system can be a bit clunky but once you get used to logging your activities it becomes second nature.
If all else fails and you need emergency assistance while waiting for the card, some food banks and assistance programs can help tide you over. Just a thought if bills are really pressing.
I went through the exact same thing last month! My card took 16 business days to arrive and I was panicking about rent too. Definitely call KeyBank first thing in the morning - they were actually really helpful and could tell me exactly when it shipped and the expected delivery date. Also, if you have a regular mail carrier, try catching them on their route and ask if they've seen anything from KeyBank. Mine actually remembered delivering it to my neighbor by mistake! The waiting is so stressful when you're counting on that money, but hang in there - it will come.
That's such a relief to hear from someone who went through the same thing! 16 days is longer than I've been waiting so far, so maybe there's still hope. I'm definitely calling KeyBank at 8 AM sharp tomorrow. And that's a great idea about asking the mail carrier - I never would have thought of that. Our building has had some delivery mix-ups before so it's totally possible it went to the wrong apartment. Thanks for sharing your experience, it really helps to know I'm not alone in this!
Ravi Gupta
this whole thread is why i tell people to keep detailed records of everything unemployment related. you never know what random thing theyll want to verify months later
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Ava Martinez
•Great advice. I'm definitely going to be more organized with my unemployment documentation going forward.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
I went through the exact same thing last month! The hold appeared out of nowhere with zero explanation. After reading through this thread, I'm definitely going to try that claimyr service - seems like it's the only way to actually reach someone at Washington ESD. It's ridiculous that we have to pay a third party just to get basic information about our own claims. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, at least now I know I'm not alone in dealing with this broken system.
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