Can I get Washington ESD unemployment after being fired from my job?

Yes, you can potentially get unemployment even after being fired, but it depends on the reason. Washington ESD will determine if you were terminated for 'misconduct' or just poor performance. Performance issues usually don't disqualify you unless it was willful misconduct or deliberate violation of company policy.

File immediately! Even if they deny you initially, you can appeal. I got fired from my retail job for being late too many times (my car kept breaking down) and they initially denied my claim. But I appealed and won because I could prove the car issues were beyond my control.

The key distinction Washington ESD looks for is whether you were fired for misconduct or just not being a good fit. Things like theft, fighting, or deliberately violating safety rules = misconduct = no benefits. Poor performance, personality conflicts, or not meeting productivity standards usually don't count as misconduct.

I had a similar situation and couldn't get through to Washington ESD for weeks to check on my claim status. If you run into that problem, there's a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that can help you actually reach an agent. They have this demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Saved me so much frustration.

ugh the whole system is so stressful when you're already dealing with losing your job! but definitely file ASAP even if you're not sure if you qualify. better to file and get denied than not file at all

When you file, make sure you have all your employment information ready - dates of employment, reason for separation, your employer's contact info. The more complete information you provide upfront, the smoother the process usually goes.

Just went through this myself. Got fired for 'attitude problems' which was really just me questioning their unsafe practices. Filed for unemployment and got approved after they investigated. Washington ESD was pretty fair about it.

Whatever you do, don't wait! There's a time limit on when you can file after losing your job. I think you have to file within a certain timeframe or you lose out on some benefits.

I got fired for being 5 minutes late once too often (even though I stayed late almost every day to finish work). Still got unemployment because Washington ESD said it wasn't willful misconduct. Don't let your employer scare you into thinking you can't get benefits.

Make sure you're prepared for them to contact your employer. Some employers will try to fight your claim even when they don't have good grounds. Just stick to the facts about what happened.

One more thing - even if you get approved, make sure you understand the job search requirements. You have to actively look for work and report it on your weekly claims. Keep good records of where you apply.

Same boat here! Got 'let go' last month for not fitting their company culture (whatever that means). Filed immediately and got approved. The investigation process was nerve-wracking but fair.

Just wanted to follow up on the Claimyr thing - I used them again last week when I had questions about my continued claim and got through to an agent in like 10 minutes. If you end up needing to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your claim, it's seriously worth checking out.

Pro tip: when you file your claim, be very specific about the circumstances of your termination. Don't just say 'performance issues' - explain what specifically happened, what training you received or didn't receive, etc.

honestly Washington ESD is pretty reasonable about these things. I've seen people get benefits after being fired for way worse reasons than performance issues. Just be honest and file your claim.

Final reminder - make sure to file your weekly claims every week even if your initial claim is still being processed. You can't go back and claim those weeks later if you miss filing them.

Good luck with everything! Being fired sucks but at least Washington ESD tries to be fair about determining eligibility. You'll probably be fine given what you've described.

Keep us posted on how it goes! Always curious to hear how these situations turn out.

Just make sure you have a backup plan in case it takes a while to get approved. The process can sometimes drag on longer than expected, especially if your employer disputes the claim.

One last thing - if you do get denied initially, don't give up! The appeal process exists for a reason and lots of people win on appeal even after being denied the first time.