Can you get unemployment for insubordination - Washington ESD approval odds?

Insubordination cases can go either way with Washington ESD depending on the specific circumstances. The key question is whether your actions constituted willful misconduct or if it was just a disagreement about work procedures. If you were simply questioning policy in good faith, that's different from outright refusing to follow direct orders.

I got fired for 'insubordination' two years ago and Washington ESD approved my claim after review. My case was that I refused to do something unsafe at a construction site. The adjudication took about 3 weeks but they determined it wasn't misconduct since I was protecting myself and others.

Just went through this whole process myself and it was a nightmare trying to get through to Washington ESD to explain my situation. Spent hours on hold every day for two weeks. Finally found out about this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person at Washington ESD within minutes. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration!

INSUBORDINATION IS SUCH A CATCH-ALL TERM!! I swear managers use it whenever they want to fire someone they don't like. Unless you were screaming at your boss or refusing direct orders, questioning company policy should NOT be grounds for termination with cause.

When you file your claim, make sure to tell your side of the story clearly. Washington ESD will contact your former employer to get their version too. The adjudication process will weigh both sides. Don't just accept their 'insubordination' label - explain what actually happened and why your actions were reasonable.

The definition of misconduct in Washington is pretty specific. It has to be willful disregard of employer's interests or deliberate violation of rules. Simply questioning a policy change during a meeting doesn't sound like it meets that threshold unless there's more to the story.

Been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about my own claim issues and can never get through. The phone system is absolutely terrible. How do people actually talk to someone there?

File your claim ASAP regardless of the insubordination issue. Even if they initially deny it, you can always appeal. Don't let time pass because there are strict deadlines for filing.

Had a similar situation at my old retail job. Manager said I was being insubordinate for questioning why we had to stay 2 hours past closing to reorganize the stockroom. Got fired but Washington ESD approved my claim because asking reasonable questions about working conditions isn't misconduct.

Whatever you do, don't lie or exaggerate when Washington ESD contacts you. Just stick to the facts of what happened. If your questioning was professional and work-related, that should be enough to show it wasn't willful misconduct.

anyone else think its crazy how employers can just label anything 'insubordination' and try to deny unemployment? like where's the worker protection in this state

I work in HR and see these cases all the time. Most 'insubordination' terminations are really just personality conflicts between employees and managers. Washington ESD knows this and they're pretty good at distinguishing between real misconduct and workplace politics.

Make sure you understand the difference between being fired 'for cause' vs misconduct that disqualifies you from unemployment. Even if your employer says it was for cause, Washington ESD makes their own determination about whether it rises to the level of disqualifying misconduct.

Quick question - were you in a union? If so, they might be able to help with documentation or even filing a grievance that could support your unemployment claim.

My friend used that Claimyr service last month when she couldn't get through to Washington ESD about her disqualification. Said it was worth every penny to actually talk to someone who could explain what was happening with her claim. Might be worth looking into if you need to follow up on your case.

Just remember that even if you get denied initially, you have the right to appeal. Sometimes the first adjudicator doesn't have all the context and the appeals process gives you another chance to present your case to someone else.

Bottom line: questioning company policy in good faith during a work meeting is not misconduct. You weren't refusing to work, being disrespectful to customers, or violating safety rules. Washington ESD should see this for what it is - a bogus termination.

Keep us updated on how it goes! Always curious to hear how these insubordination cases turn out with Washington ESD.

One last tip - if Washington ESD does contact your former employer, they'll probably stick to their insubordination story. Don't let that discourage you. The adjudicator will weigh both sides and make their own judgment about whether it was really misconduct.

Good luck with your claim! Based on everything you've shared, this sounds like a case where Washington ESD should approve benefits. The key is that you were acting in good faith as an employee, not trying to undermine authority or be disruptive.

I went through something very similar about 6 months ago. Got fired for "insubordination" after I questioned why we weren't following proper safety protocols during equipment maintenance. My supervisor didn't like being challenged and wrote me up for "undermining management decisions." Washington ESD approved my claim after about 4 weeks of review. The key thing that helped my case was that I could show my questions were legitimate workplace concerns, not just me being difficult. I wrote down everything I remembered about the incident - dates, who was present, exactly what was said. When the adjudicator called, I explained that I was trying to do my job responsibly, not being insubordinate. They saw right through my employer's BS excuse. Your situation sounds even more clear-cut than mine was - questioning policy efficiency in a team meeting is exactly the kind of professional discussion employees should be having. I'd be shocked if Washington ESD doesn't approve your claim.

I'm going through a similar situation right now - got terminated for what they called "insubordination" but really it was just asking questions about a new process that didn't make sense. Reading through everyone's experiences here is giving me some hope that Washington ESD will see through the employer's labeling. It seems like the key is being able to show that your actions were reasonable and work-related, not actually refusing to do your job or being disrespectful. I've already filed my claim and am waiting for the adjudication process to start. The waiting is the hardest part when you're suddenly without income, but it sounds like most people who had legitimate cases like this eventually got approved. Thanks to everyone sharing their stories - it really helps to know others have been through this and come out okay on the other side.

I'm new to this community but dealing with a very similar situation right now. Just got terminated yesterday for what my manager called "insubordination" after I questioned why we were implementing a new scheduling system that seemed to create more problems than it solved. I brought up my concerns during our weekly team meeting - wasn't confrontational or disrespectful, just asked if we had considered the potential issues I was seeing. Apparently that was enough to get me written up and then fired the next day. Reading through all these responses is giving me hope that Washington ESD might see this for what it really is - a manager who doesn't like being questioned rather than actual misconduct. I'm planning to file my claim today and document everything I can remember about what happened. It's reassuring to see so many people who've been through similar situations and eventually got their benefits approved. Thanks for sharing your experiences everyone - it really helps to know I'm not alone in dealing with this kind of workplace BS.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation right now! Got fired last month for "insubordination" after I questioned a new workflow procedure during a staff meeting. I asked why we were switching to a more complicated system when the old one was working fine, and my supervisor took it as "challenging authority." Never raised my voice, wasn't rude, just genuinely wanted to understand the reasoning behind the change. Two weeks later I was terminated for "undermining management decisions." I filed my Washington ESD claim immediately and I'm currently in the adjudication phase. Reading everyone's experiences here gives me so much hope - it really does seem like ESD can tell the difference between legitimate workplace concerns and actual misconduct. The waiting is killing me financially but I'm trying to stay positive. It's such a relief to find this community and realize I'm not the only one dealing with managers who use "insubordination" as a way to silence any questions or feedback from employees.