Can you get unemployment if fired in Washington State - need help understanding eligibility

Yes you can definitely get unemployment if you were fired, but it depends on WHY you were fired. Washington ESD will look at whether it was misconduct or just performance/business reasons. If they fired you for attendance, stealing, or breaking company policy that's misconduct and you'd be disqualified. But if it was performance issues or layoffs you should be eligible.

I was in the exact same situation 6 months ago. Got fired for 'not meeting expectations' but really they were just cutting staff. I applied anyway and got approved after about 3 weeks. Washington ESD will contact your employer to get their side of the story, so be honest about what happened when you file.

You should definitely apply. Washington state has what's called 'good cause' termination vs misconduct. Performance issues usually fall under good cause unless you were deliberately not doing your job or violated clear policies. The key is being able to show you were trying to do the work but couldn't meet their standards for legitimate reasons.

Just went through this whole process and it was a nightmare trying to reach anyone at Washington ESD to check on my claim status. If you do file and need to talk to someone, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual person. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

The system is so messed up, they make it impossible to get help when you need it most. I've been trying to call Washington ESD for two weeks about my adjudication and can never get through. At least filing online is pretty straightforward though.

I got fired from my job at Boeing and still got unemployment. As long as you weren't stealing or doing something obviously wrong you should be fine. The burden of proof is on your employer to show it was misconduct.

File online at esd.wa.gov - it's much easier than calling. You'll need your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment history for the last 18 months. Make sure you have your last employer's exact business name and address.

One more thing - make sure you start filing your weekly claims right away even if your initial claim is still pending. You can't get paid for weeks you don't file, and it shows Washington ESD you're serious about looking for work.

Same thing happened to my sister. She got fired for 'attitude problems' but really her manager just didn't like her. She got unemployment after they did an investigation. The key is being completely honest about what happened and not trying to hide anything.

Don't let them intimidate you! Employers try to scare people into not filing by making them think they won't qualify. If you worked and paid into the system, you deserve benefits when you lose your job through no fault of your own.

Washington ESD gets backed up during busy periods so don't panic if it takes a few weeks to hear back. I know someone who used that Claimyr service the other person mentioned when they needed to check on their claim status. Apparently it really does help you get through to talk to an actual person instead of getting the runaround.

Quick question - do you have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits? I forgot about that when I was collecting last year and got hit with a big tax bill.

Also make sure you understand the work search requirements. You need to be actively looking for work and available to accept suitable employment. Can't just collect benefits without trying to find a new job.

The most important thing is to file as soon as possible. There's a waiting week in Washington so you won't get paid for the first week anyway, but you need to get the process started. Don't overthink it - just apply and let them sort out the details.

Good luck! The worst they can do is say no, and then you can appeal if you disagree with their decision. At least you'll know for sure instead of wondering what if.

One final tip - keep detailed records of everything. Save all correspondence from Washington ESD, document your job search activities, and keep track of any income you earn while claiming. Being organized will save you headaches later if any issues come up.

Update us when you hear back! Always curious how these situations turn out. And remember, if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD during the process, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really does work. Sometimes paying a little to save hours of frustration is worth it.

You got this! Most people who get fired for performance reasons do get approved. The system isn't perfect but it generally works in favor of workers who lost their jobs through no real fault of their own.

Perfect thread timing - just helped someone else in a similar situation yesterday. The key takeaway is don't let fear of denial stop you from applying. Washington's unemployment system is designed to help people who lost work through no fault of their own, which includes most terminations that aren't for serious misconduct.

Glad this worked out! For anyone else reading this later - don't let employers scare you away from filing. Know your rights and use the benefits you've earned.

Just wanted to add that timing really matters here - don't wait around hoping your old employer will change their mind or offer you your job back. File immediately because there's usually a one-week waiting period before benefits start, and you can't get retroactive payments for weeks you didn't file. I made that mistake once and lost out on two weeks of benefits. Also, even if you're not 100% sure about your eligibility, it's better to apply and let Washington ESD make the determination rather than self-reject. The worst case scenario is they say no and you're in the same position you're in now.

I went through almost the exact same situation about 8 months ago - got fired for "performance issues" from a customer service job where I felt like the expectations were impossible to meet. I was terrified to file because my manager made it sound like I'd never qualify, but I'm so glad I did it anyway. The whole process took about 5 weeks from filing to getting my first payment, and yes they did contact my old employer, but Washington ESD ultimately ruled in my favor. The key thing that helped me was keeping a simple timeline of what happened - when I was hired, what training I received (or didn't receive), any feedback I got, and the circumstances around being fired. When they called me for the fact-finding interview, I just stuck to the facts and didn't get emotional about it. The investigator was actually pretty understanding and seemed to recognize that it was more about unrealistic job expectations than any wrongdoing on my part. Don't let fear stop you from applying - you've paid into this system and deserve to use it when you need it!

I'm in a very similar boat right now - got let go from my office job three weeks ago for "not being a good fit" which I think was really just code for budget cuts. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so reassuring! I keep second-guessing myself about whether to file, but it sounds like the consensus is definitely to apply right away. One question I haven't seen addressed - if you do get approved and start receiving benefits, but then your former employer decides to contest it later, what happens? Can they take away your benefits retroactively or do you get to keep what you've already received while they sort it out? I'm worried about getting approved initially and then having the rug pulled out from under me.

I was in a really similar situation about a year ago - got fired from my restaurant job for "poor performance" but honestly I think they were just looking for reasons to cut staff during a slow period. The whole thing felt really unfair since I was never given clear feedback about what I was doing wrong until the day they let me go. I was so nervous about filing because I thought being fired automatically disqualified you, but I'm really glad I applied anyway. The process took about 4 weeks from start to finish, and Washington ESD did contact my former employer to get their side of the story. I had to do a phone interview where they asked me to explain what happened from my perspective. I just stuck to the facts and explained that I felt I was doing my best but wasn't given adequate guidance on how to improve. They ended up approving my claim! The whole experience taught me that Washington's unemployment system really does try to be fair and distinguish between people who were fired for legitimate misconduct versus those who just couldn't meet unrealistic expectations or were let go for business reasons. Definitely apply - the worst they can say is no, and at least you'll know for sure rather than wondering what if.