Can you get Washington ESD unemployment if you get fired from a job - need help understanding eligibility

That's reassuring to hear. What exactly counts as misconduct in Washington state? I was never insubordinate or anything like that.

Misconduct typically involves things like theft, violence, repeated policy violations after warnings, or deliberately ignoring job duties. Poor performance due to lack of ability or skill usually isn't considered misconduct.

Did you have to go through adjudication? I'm worried about that process taking forever.

Yeah it went to adjudication but it wasn't too bad. They called my former employer and me to get both sides of the story.

Good point about not waiting. I'll start the application today. Do I need pay stubs or will they get that info from my employer?

They'll verify your wages with your employer, but having your own records is always helpful in case there are discrepancies.

Try calling right at 8am when they open or during lunch time around 12-1pm. Those seem to be the best times to get through.

I've tried that too but still no luck. It's so frustrating when you need answers about your claim.

I actually found this service called Claimyr that calls Washington ESD for you and gets you connected to an agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to get through myself.

Have you tried contacting your state representative's office? Sometimes they can help push things along with Washington ESD.

I didn't know that was an option. I'll look into that, thanks.

Before going the political route, you might want to try getting through to Washington ESD directly. I used Claimyr to connect with an agent and was able to get my adjudication resolved much faster than waiting for them to contact me.

Did you end up filing for unemployment? How did it go?

yeah filed right away and got approved after like 5 weeks of waiting. they said my employer couldn't prove misconduct

This is really helpful. Do you know if there's a difference between being fired and being terminated? My paperwork says 'terminated' but my boss said I was fired.

Those terms are often used interchangeably. What matters for unemployment purposes is the reason behind the termination, not the specific wording used.

That's interesting. So my employer would have to prove I did something wrong on purpose?

Exactly. They'd need to show you willfully violated known company policies or deliberately failed to perform your job duties despite being capable of doing so.

What if you were fired during a probationary period? Does that change anything?

Good to know. I was worried about applying too quickly but sounds like that's not a problem.

Definitely not a problem. You want to file your claim as soon as possible after losing your job.

Makes sense. I'll just explain exactly what happened without trying to make it sound better than it was.

Yes, honesty is key. I tried to downplay why I got fired and it came back to bite me when they did the investigation.

How long does adjudication usually take? I need to know for budgeting purposes.

It varies but typically 2-6 weeks depending on how quickly they can reach both parties and how complex the case is.

If you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your adjudication status, Claimyr can help you get through to an agent quickly instead of spending hours trying to call yourself.

That sounds similar to my situation. Did your employer contest your claim?

They provided their side of the story but didn't actively fight it. I think they knew they couldn't prove misconduct.

Good to know there's a second chance. How long do you have to file an appeal?

You have 30 days from the date on the determination letter to file an appeal.

I'll check that out, thanks. Any other resources you'd recommend?

The Washington State Department of Commerce also has some good information about unemployment benefits and job search resources.

Glad it worked out for you. That gives me hope that my situation might turn out okay too.

Just stay positive and be patient with the process. It's frustrating but most people who were fired for performance reasons end up getting benefits.

How many job applications do you need to do per week in Washington?

You need to make at least 3 job search activities per week and keep a log of your search activities.

The job search requirements can be confusing. If you need help understanding what counts as a valid job search activity, talking to a Washington ESD representative can clarify things.

You're absolutely right. I'm going to file my application today. Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice and encouragement!

Good luck! Keep us posted on how it goes.