Can you be denied unemployment for being fired from your job in Washington?

You can definitely get unemployment benefits even if you were fired, but it depends on WHY you were fired. Washington ESD looks at whether you were terminated for 'misconduct connected with work.' If you were fired for poor performance, attendance issues, or inability to do the job (but not willful misconduct), you should still qualify for benefits.

I went through this exact situation 6 months ago. Got fired from my retail job for being late too many times. Washington ESD approved my claim because they determined it wasn't willful misconduct - I had transportation issues that were documented. The key is being honest on your application about why you were terminated.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check on your claim status or get answers about the firing issue, I used this service called Claimyr recently. They help you actually reach an ESD agent by phone - you can check it out at claimyr.com. There's even a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call myself.

Thanks everyone. I'm going to file my claim this week and be completely honest about the circumstances. Hopefully since I was never formally disciplined and it was just performance-related they'll approve it.

I got denied initially when I was fired but I appealed and won. The appeal hearing was actually pretty straightforward - I just explained my side of the story and provided documentation. Don't give up if you get an initial denial.

Washington ESD is pretty fair about these cases. My brother got fired for 'attitude problems' and still got his benefits because it wasn't considered misconduct. The employer has to prove you did something really bad on purpose.

Just a heads up - your former employer will get notified when you file and they might contest your claim. Be prepared to provide your side of the story if that happens. Document everything you can remember about the termination.

I work in HR and deal with unemployment claims regularly. Being fired absolutely does not automatically disqualify you from benefits. We only contest claims when there's clear misconduct like theft, violence, or repeatedly violating known policies after warnings.

Washington ESD has to determine if your actions rose to the level of 'misconduct connected with work.' Poor performance, inability to meet job requirements, or personality conflicts usually don't qualify as misconduct. You should be fine to file.

File as soon as possible - benefits are backdated to when you file, not when you were terminated. Don't wait around worrying about whether you'll be approved. Let Washington ESD make that determination.

Had a similar experience with getting fired and needing to reach Washington ESD for clarification. Used Claimyr to actually get through to an agent and they were super helpful explaining how misconduct determinations work. Really put my mind at ease about the whole process.

Bottom line - being fired doesn't automatically disqualify you from unemployment benefits in Washington. File your claim, be honest about the circumstances, and let the process work. Most people in your situation get approved.