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

You can definitely still qualify for unemployment even if you were fired, but it depends on the reason. Washington ESD looks at whether you were terminated for 'misconduct' or not. Performance issues usually don't count as misconduct unless you were willfully negligent or violated company policy on purpose.

File your claim right away! Don't wait because there's usually a waiting period anyway. Washington ESD will investigate your termination and make a determination. Your employer has to prove misconduct, not the other way around.

I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for weeks about my claim that's stuck in adjudication. Their phone lines are always busy and when I do get through, I get disconnected. It's so frustrating when you need answers about your benefits.

ugh the whole system is so messed up. they make it impossible to get help when you need it most. good luck getting through to anyone who can actually help

When I got fired they tried to say it was misconduct but I appealed and won. Make sure you document everything - emails, performance reviews, anything that shows you were trying to do your job properly.

Just remember that even if Washington ESD initially denies your claim, you can appeal within 30 days. Many people win on appeal, especially for performance-related terminations. The burden of proof is on the employer to show actual misconduct.

File ASAP and be completely honest about why you were terminated. Lying on your application is way worse than getting fired for performance issues.

I got fired from my retail job last year for being late too many times and still got unemployment. They said it wasn't misconduct because I wasn't doing it on purpose, just had childcare issues.

Make sure you start looking for work right away too. Washington ESD requires you to do job search activities even while your claim is being processed.

The adjudication process can take forever. I've been waiting 3 weeks just to hear back about my claim. If you need to talk to someone about your case, that Claimyr service mentioned earlier actually worked for me.

Don't let them intimidate you. Employers sometimes try to scare people into not filing by claiming it was misconduct when it really wasn't.

i got fired for calling in sick too much but still got my benefits. turned out they couldn't prove i was faking being sick so it wasn't misconduct

The key thing is whether your actions were willful or not. If you were genuinely trying to do your job and just couldn't meet their expectations, that's usually not considered misconduct under Washington state law.

Whatever you do, don't delay filing. Even if you think you might not qualify, it's better to file and get denied than to wait and miss out on benefits you could have received.

Just wanted to add that if you do get approved, make sure you understand the weekly claim process. You have to file every week even if you don't get paid right away.

I'm in a similar situation - got let go for 'performance' but I think they just wanted to get rid of me. Seeing all these responses gives me hope that I might still qualify for benefits.

The worst they can do is say no, but you might be surprised. I know several people who got benefits after being fired for non-misconduct reasons.

One thing to keep in mind is that if you do get benefits, they'll be based on your earnings from the past year. Make sure Washington ESD has accurate wage information for your calculation.

Good luck with your claim! Remember that getting fired doesn't automatically disqualify you. Focus on the fact that you were trying to do your job and weren't willfully violating company policy.

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.