Can I draw unemployment if I get fired from my job in Washington state?

In Washington, you can typically collect unemployment if you're fired, but it depends on the reason. If you're terminated for 'misconduct' that's connected to your work, you might be disqualified. But if you're fired for performance issues, lack of work, or other reasons that aren't considered misconduct, you should be eligible for benefits. The key is whether Washington ESD determines it was misconduct or not.

Yes, you can definitely collect unemployment if fired in most cases. I was terminated from my last job for 'not being a good fit' and Washington ESD approved my claim without any issues. You'll need to file your initial claim online and they'll investigate the circumstances of your termination.

I had a really hard time getting through to Washington ESD when I was dealing with my termination claim last year. Spent hours on hold trying to get answers. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to an agent. They have this demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made the whole process so much easier than trying to call on my own.

The most important thing is to file your claim as soon as possible after termination. Don't wait around trying to figure out if you'll be approved - let Washington ESD make that determination. You can always appeal if they deny your claim initially.

depends on what you did wrong tbh. if you stole something or got in a fight or something serious like that you probably wont get benefits. but if its just performance stuff or personality conflicts you should be ok

I got fired from my job at a restaurant for allegedly giving free food to friends (which I didn't do) and still got unemployment. Washington ESD looked at the evidence and determined there wasn't enough proof of misconduct. So even if your employer claims misconduct, you might still win if you can show otherwise.

Here's what Washington ESD will look at: whether your actions were deliberate violations of known company policies, whether you had prior warnings, and whether your employer had reasonable expectations. Simple performance issues or skills mismatches usually don't rise to the level of disqualifying misconduct.

Whatever you do, don't quit before they fire you! I made that mistake thinking it would look better and then had a much harder time getting benefits. Getting fired is actually better for unemployment purposes than quitting in most cases.

I've been through this process twice unfortunately. Both times I was approved even though my employers tried to claim misconduct. Washington ESD really does look at the facts objectively. Make sure you keep any documentation of your side of things - emails, performance reviews, witness statements if you have them.

The phone system at Washington ESD is absolutely terrible when you need to speak to someone about your claim. I spent weeks trying to get through last year. Someone on here recommended Claimyr and it was a game changer - they got me connected to an actual person who could explain my eligibility.

Just want to add that if you do get denied initially, DON'T GIVE UP. The appeal process exists for a reason and many people win on appeal even after being denied. I was denied at first but won my appeal hearing and got all my back benefits.

been fired 3 times in my career and got unemployment every time lol. washington is pretty generous with benefits compared to other states. as long as you werent doing anything really bad you should be fine

The Washington ESD website has a good section explaining misconduct vs non-misconduct terminations. Basically if you were trying to do your job but just couldn't meet expectations, that's usually not misconduct. Misconduct is more like theft, violence, intentional rule breaking, etc.

One thing to keep in mind is that your employer might contest your claim even if they don't have a strong case. They do this to try to keep their unemployment insurance rates down. Don't let that scare you - Washington ESD will still make an objective determination based on the facts.

If you're worried about your case, you might want to talk to someone at Washington ESD directly. I know their phone lines are swamped, but there are services like Claimyr that can help you get through. Worth having that conversation before you assume you won't qualify.

Bottom line: in Washington state, you're innocent until proven guilty when it comes to unemployment eligibility. The burden is on your employer to prove misconduct, not on you to prove you deserve benefits. File your claim and let the system work.