Can collect unemployment if fired - Washington ESD eligibility question

What counts as misconduct vs performance issues? I was never written up formally or anything.

Misconduct has to be deliberate - like theft, violence, or repeatedly violating company policy after warnings. Poor performance or not meeting expectations isn't misconduct under Washington ESD rules.

How long did it take to get approved? I'm worried about paying rent next month.

Mine took about 3 weeks because they had to do an adjudication to review the firing. Your employer will get to give their side of the story too.

Thanks, I'll look into that. I've heard Washington ESD phones are impossible to get through on.

Wait, you have to pay to call Washington ESD? That seems sketchy.

No, it's not paying to call them - it's a service that helps you get through their busy phone lines. I was spending hours trying to reach someone at Washington ESD about my adjudication and this actually worked.

What employment information do I need? I still have my last few pay stubs.

You'll need your Social Security number, employment history for the last 18 months, employer names and addresses, dates of employment, and reason for separation. Pay stubs are helpful too.

Yeah, it's really stressful. I just want to know if I'll be able to pay my bills.

Retail managers are the worst. They act like little dictators.

What if my employer lies about what happened?

That's why documentation matters. If you have any emails, text messages, or witnesses to the real reason you were fired, keep all of that. Washington ESD investigators are pretty good at spotting inconsistencies.

This is good advice. I had to appeal my denial and having documentation saved me.

That's exactly why I mentioned Claimyr earlier - I was in the same boat with adjudication taking forever and couldn't get through to anyone. It's worth checking out if you're desperate to reach someone.

I might have to try that. I've called over 100 times and just get busy signals or hung up on.

The phone system is absolutely broken. I gave up trying to call and just waited it out.

How long does the appeal process take?

Appeals can take 1-3 months depending on how backed up they are. But if you win, you get all the benefits from when you first filed.

That's reassuring. I really wasn't doing anything wrong, just couldn't keep up with their unrealistic expectations.

Exactly - unrealistic expectations or poor training that leads to performance issues isn't misconduct. You should be fine.

Good point, I'll make sure to do that. Thanks for the tip.

Yes! This is super important. I made this mistake and lost 2 weeks of benefits.

So true. The phone system alone is enough to make you quit trying.

That's why services like that Claimyr thing exist - people get so frustrated they'll pay to actually reach someone.

Thanks, that makes me feel better about applying. I was worried they'd automatically deny me since I was fired.

Not at all. Being fired doesn't automatically disqualify you - only being fired for misconduct does, and that's a high bar to meet.

How detailed do they get in the investigation? Do they interview coworkers?

They mostly rely on documentation from the employer and statements from you and your manager. Coworker interviews are rare unless it's a really complex case.

Good to know, though it's too late for that advice now lol

Yeah, quitting makes it much harder to get benefits unless you have really good cause.

That's really helpful insight! My employer definitely didn't have much documentation on me.

Exactly. Unless they have written warnings, progressive discipline records, and clear policy violations documented, Washington ESD usually sides with the employee.

This explains why my former employer was so mad when I got approved for benefits. They thought firing me would save them money.

Yeah, I'll definitely be upfront about everything. No point in lying when they're going to contact my employer anyway.

Smart approach. Honesty goes a long way with Washington ESD adjudicators.

That's good to know. I was worried I'd lose money by having to wait for the investigation.

The back pay definitely helps when you finally get approved. I got like $2,400 in back benefits after my adjudication was resolved.

How many jobs do I need to apply for each week?

I think it's 3 job search activities per week in Washington. Check the Washington ESD website for the exact requirements.

Yeah, and they can audit your job search log so make sure you keep detailed records of where you applied.

Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice! I feel much more confident about applying now.

You've got this! The system works better than people think, it's just slow sometimes.

I bookmarked their site just in case. Hopefully I won't need it but good to have as a backup option.

Same here, I've heard too many horror stories about people never getting through to Washington ESD on their own.