Can I get Washington ESD unemployment if I was fired for being absent?

It depends on whether your absences were considered 'misconduct' by Washington ESD standards. Simple attendance issues aren't always disqualifying - they look at the circumstances and whether you had good cause. Did you try to communicate with your employer about the emergencies?

I was fired for attendance and got approved after an appeal. The key is proving your absences weren't willful misconduct. If you had legitimate reasons like family emergencies, that's different than just skipping work.

You should definitely file. I used to work with someone who got fired for attendance and Washington ESD approved her claim because she had medical documentation for some of the absences. Even if you don't have all the documentation, family emergencies are usually considered good cause.

Had a similar situation and couldn't get through to Washington ESD to explain my side. Spent weeks calling and either got busy signals or hung up on after waiting on hold forever. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual person. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Might be worth checking out if you need to talk to someone about your specific situation.

The Washington ESD looks at whether your actions were 'willful misconduct' versus just poor performance or circumstances beyond your control. Family emergencies usually don't count as misconduct. Car troubles might be trickier unless you can show you tried to arrange alternative transportation.

ugh this is so frustrating!! I got fired for attendance too but it was because my childcare kept falling through. Still waiting to hear back from Washington ESD after 3 weeks. The whole system is broken

File your claim as soon as possible. Even if they initially deny you, the appeals process gives you a chance to present your case properly. Many people get approved on appeal even after an initial denial for attendance issues.

I had a friend who got fired for being late all the time and Washington ESD still approved her claim because she had a good work history before that. They don't just look at why you were fired - they consider your overall employment record too.

Make sure you understand the difference between being fired 'for cause' and being fired for attendance. Sometimes employers say it's for cause when it's really just attendance. The reason they give to Washington ESD matters for your claim.

The system is ridiculous. I've been trying to get through to someone at Washington ESD for weeks to check on my claim status. Every time I call it's either busy or I wait for an hour just to get disconnected. How are we supposed to resolve these issues?

File your claim immediately. The worst thing that can happen is they deny it and you appeal. But many people with attendance issues get approved, especially if there were legitimate reasons like family emergencies.

I got fired for attendance last year and it took forever to get approved but it eventually happened. The key is having documentation for your absences and being able to explain the circumstances. Washington ESD isn't trying to screw you over - they just need to understand what really happened.

Don't let fear stop you from filing. I was scared too but you're entitled to unemployment benefits unless you committed serious misconduct. Attendance issues with legitimate reasons usually don't qualify as serious misconduct.

The Washington ESD manual says attendance issues can be disqualifying if they show 'willful disregard' for the employer's interests. But if you had good reasons and tried to communicate, that's not willful disregard.

I used to work in HR and saw lots of attendance terminations. The ones that got approved for unemployment were usually cases where the employee had legitimate reasons and tried to work with management. Sounds like your situation might qualify.

File ASAP! Even if there's a chance they might deny you, you won't know until you try. And if you get denied, you can always appeal with more documentation.

My sister got fired for attendance and Washington ESD approved her claim because she could prove most of her absences were for legitimate medical reasons. Family emergencies should be treated similarly.

Whatever you do, don't wait too long to file. There are time limits on when you can apply for benefits. Better to file now and potentially get denied than to wait and miss your chance entirely.

Good luck with your claim! Remember that Washington ESD has to prove you committed misconduct - you don't have to prove you didn't. If your absences were due to emergencies, that's a strong defense.