Can you draw unemployment if you get fired in Washington - need advice

Yes, you can potentially get unemployment benefits even if you were fired, but it depends on the reason. If you were fired for misconduct, you'll likely be denied. But if it was for performance issues or inability to do the job (not your fault), you should be eligible. File your claim with Washington ESD right away - don't wait.

I went through something similar last year. Got fired for 'poor performance' but I knew I was doing my best. Filed anyway and got approved after they investigated. The key is to be honest about what happened but explain your side of the story. Washington ESD will contact your employer to get their version too.

Honestly, trying to get through to Washington ESD on the phone is going to be your biggest challenge. I spent weeks calling every morning at 8am sharp and could never get anyone. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through - they basically call for you and get you connected to an actual person. Check out claimyr.com if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD urgently.

File immediately! Even if you're not sure you'll qualify, it's better to file and get denied than to wait and lose out on benefits you could have gotten. The worst they can say is no, but you might be surprised.

The system is so broken. I got fired for 'attitude problems' which was really just me standing up for myself when my boss was being unreasonable. Filed for unemployment and got denied. Had to appeal and it took 2 months to get approved. They make it way harder than it needs to be.

depends on what you mean by 'fired' really... if you got laid off thats different than if you got terminated for cause

Make sure you keep track of all your job search activities too. Washington ESD requires you to do 3 job search activities per week once you start getting benefits. They can audit your job search log at any time.

I'm so sorry this happened to you! The same thing happened to my sister - fired for 'performance' after 6 months with no warning. She got unemployment though, so there's hope!

One thing to keep in mind - if you do get approved, your benefits will be based on your earnings from the past 12-18 months, not just your most recent job. So if you had other jobs before this one, that could help your benefit amount.

Whatever you do, don't lie on your application. Washington ESD will find out and it's fraud. Just be honest about what happened and let them decide.

If you do need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your claim, definitely consider using Claimyr. I wasted so much time trying to get through on my own. They got me connected in like 20 minutes and I was able to get my questions answered right away.

Also remember that you can file online at secure.esd.wa.gov - it's usually faster than trying to call. The online system walks you through everything step by step.

The whole 'performance issues' thing is such BS. Employers use that as a catch-all to fire people without having to pay unemployment. Fight it if you get denied!

good luck man. the system is annoying but it works eventually

Just to be clear on the timeline - you need to file your initial claim within a reasonable time after being terminated. Don't wait months thinking about it. File now and start your weekly claims right away.

Keep us updated on how it goes! Rooting for you!

One last tip - if you do get approved, make sure you keep filing your weekly claims on time every week. Missing a week can cause delays in getting your benefits.

Hope everything works out for you! Being fired sucks but at least unemployment benefits can help bridge the gap while you find something better.

If you run into any issues with your claim getting stuck or need to check on status, seriously consider Claimyr. It's so much easier than the phone maze Washington ESD puts you through. Their customer service is actually helpful too.

Final advice - document everything about your termination while it's fresh in your memory. Write down what happened, what was said, any emails or documents you have. This will help if you need to explain your case later.