Can you get unemployment for being fired in Washington state?

That's helpful, thank you. How do they determine what counts as misconduct? I was trying my best but the job requirements kept changing.

Misconduct has to be deliberate or willful violation of company policy. Poor performance due to lack of training or ability generally doesn't qualify as misconduct.

Did your employer contest your claim? I'm worried they'll fight it and say I was fired for cause.

They did contest it initially but after the fact-finding interview, Washington ESD sided with me. Just make sure you document everything and be truthful.

Never heard of that service before, does it actually work? I've been calling Washington ESD for days with no luck.

Yeah it worked for me. Saved me hours of redialing and actually got me through to someone who could review my case properly.

Interesting, I'll check that out if I have trouble reaching them. Thanks for the tip.

This is really detailed, thanks. What if you were fired for attendance issues? I had some medical problems that caused me to miss work.

Attendance due to medical issues is usually not considered misconduct, especially if you had valid reasons and tried to communicate with your employer about it.

That's not really accurate. While the system has issues, most legitimate claims do get approved if you follow the process correctly.

easy for you to say, ive been dealing with their bs for months

File as soon as possible! You want to get your claim started right away since there's usually a one-week waiting period before benefits begin.

Definitely don't wait. I made that mistake and it delayed everything by a week.

Exactly right. One-time mistakes or isolated incidents usually don't constitute misconduct unless they're severe violations.

That makes me feel better. My situation sounds similar - isolated performance issues rather than ongoing problems.

What kind of documentation should I gather? I don't have much from my job.

Any emails about performance, write down dates and details of conversations with your supervisor, keep your termination letter if you got one.

Also write down your version of events while it's fresh in your memory. Include names, dates, and specific incidents.

How much does something like that cost though? I'm already stressed about money.

It's worth checking out their site to see if it makes sense for your situation. For me it was definitely worth not spending hours on hold every day.

How long did the whole process take from filing to getting your first payment?

about 3 weeks total but that included the waiting week. would have been faster if my employer hadnt contested it initially

How long do you have to file an appeal if you get denied?

You have 30 days from the date of the determination to file your appeal. Don't wait - file as soon as you get the denial notice.

That's good advice. I was worried about how to word everything but honesty is probably the best policy.

Exactly. They've heard every story and they can spot BS from a mile away. Just tell the truth and let them make the determination.

My situation definitely wasn't anything like that, just performance-related issues. Sounds like I should be okay.

Yeah, performance issues are usually fine unless there's evidence you were deliberately not doing your job or ignoring direct instructions.

Do they usually schedule those pretty quickly or does it take a while?

In my experience it was about 2-3 weeks after filing, but it can vary depending on their workload.

This is exactly why having a way to actually reach them is so helpful. Claimyr saved me when I needed to follow up on my interview scheduling.

That's reassuring to hear from someone on the employer side. I was worried they'd automatically fight it.

Nah, unless there's documentation of serious policy violations or theft or something, most companies just let it go through.

You're right, I'm probably overthinking this. I'll file tomorrow morning.

good luck! remember to keep filing your weekly claims even if theres a dispute going on

That's a good way to think about it. I definitely wasn't being negligent, just struggling with unclear expectations.

Exactly. That's a failure of management, not misconduct on your part. You should be fine.

Will do! Thanks everyone for all the helpful information. Feeling much better about the whole situation now.

Good luck with your claim. Remember the key is just being honest and thorough in your application.

Good point, I need to register with WorkSource Washington too, right?

Yes, you'll need to register there and log at least 3 job search activities per week to maintain eligibility.

Actually it's now 2 job search activities per week as of 2023, but yes you definitely need to register and keep detailed records.

Seems like several people have had success with that. I'll definitely keep it in mind if I run into issues getting through to them.