Can you get unemployment if you get fired within 90 days in Washington?

Washington ESD looks at your entire base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters) to determine eligibility, not just your most recent job. If you worked 8 months at your previous job, that counts toward your wage credits. Being fired within 90 days doesn't automatically disqualify you - they'll review the circumstances of your termination during adjudication.

That's a relief! So they'll count my wages from both jobs when calculating my benefit amount?

Yes, all wages from your base period count. Just make sure to report the circumstances of your termination honestly when you file your claim.

wait i thought if you get fired you cant get unemployment?? this is confusing

Common misconception! You can get unemployment if you're fired for reasons other than misconduct. Being let go during probation for 'not working out' usually isn't considered misconduct.

oh wow didnt know that thanks

I was in a similar situation last year - fired after 6 weeks. The adjudication process took forever though. I couldn't get through to anyone at Washington ESD to check on my claim status. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

How long did your adjudication take? I'm worried about how long I'll have to wait.

About 4 weeks total, but that was partly because I couldn't reach anyone to provide additional info they needed. Once I got through with Claimyr's help, it moved much faster.

Never heard of that service but sounds sketchy to me. Why would you pay someone to make a phone call?

THE WASHINGTON ESD SYSTEM IS A JOKE!!! I've been waiting 6 weeks for my claim to be approved and can't get anyone on the phone. They just keep saying \

I feel your pain. Have you tried calling first thing in the morning right when they open? Sometimes that works better.

YES I've tried everything. I call at 8am sharp and still can't get through. It's like they don't want to help people.

Try that Claimyr thing the other person mentioned. My cousin used it and got through same day.

You need to file ASAP regardless. The waiting week starts when you file, not when you're approved. And make sure you have all your employer information ready - dates of employment, reason for separation, supervisor names, etc.

Good point about filing quickly. I'll gather all my employment docs tonight and file tomorrow morning.

Also start doing your job search activities right away even if your claim isn't approved yet. You need to log 3 job search activities per week in WorkSourceWA.

Same thing happened to my brother except he was there 3 months. They approved his claim but it took like 5 weeks. He said the hardest part was getting someone on the phone to explain what documents they needed.

That's the worst part - not knowing what's holding up your claim. Did he ever figure out what they needed?

Yeah eventually they wanted a written statement from his employer about the termination. But it took weeks to find that out because nobody would answer the phone.

Don't stress too much about the 90 days thing. I was fired after 1 month for 'performance issues' and still got approved. Washington ESD focuses more on whether it was misconduct or not. Just be honest about what happened and why you think you were let go.

That makes me feel better. My supervisor just said it wasn't a good fit, nothing about misconduct or anything serious.

Yeah that sounds like you should be fine. 'Not a good fit' during probation is pretty standard and usually not considered misconduct.

btw make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even while waiting for adjudication. lots of people forget this and then have to go back and claim all those weeks later which is a pain

Wait, I can file weekly claims before my initial claim is even approved?

yep you have to. they tell you to keep filing weekly even during adjudication otherwise you lose those weeks

Correct - you must continue filing weekly claims throughout the adjudication process or you forfeit those benefit weeks.

This whole thread is making me realize how broken the system is. Why is it so hard to get basic information about your own claim? Other states have way better online systems where you can actually see what's happening.

I know right? The website barely tells you anything useful. Just says 'adjudication in progress' for weeks with no updates.

That's why services like Claimyr exist. The system is so bad that people are willing to pay just to talk to a human being.

OP - definitely file your claim. I was in almost the exact same situation (fired at 2.5 months) and got approved. The key is being truthful about why you were terminated. If it was just performance/fit issues and not willful misconduct, you should be fine. Just be patient with the process.

Thanks for sharing your experience! How long did it take to get your first payment after approval?

About a week after approval. But the whole process from filing to first payment was about 6 weeks total due to adjudication delays.

6 weeks is actually pretty good these days. I've heard of people waiting 8-10 weeks recently.

One thing to watch out for - if your employer contests your claim, it can drag out the process even longer. Hopefully they won't since it sounds like a mutual understanding that it wasn't working out.

How would I know if they contest it? Do they notify me somehow?

Washington ESD will send you a notice if the employer responds with contradictory information. Then you might have to participate in a fact-finding interview or hearing.

Just went through this myself. Filed after being let go at 11 weeks. The adjudication was nerve-wracking but I got approved. My advice: file immediately, keep detailed records of everything, and don't give up trying to contact them if you need to provide additional info.

Did you have to do a fact-finding interview? I'm curious what kinds of questions they ask.

Yes, they asked about my job duties, training I received, specific incidents that led to termination, and whether I understood the job expectations. Pretty straightforward if you're honest.

this is why i never take probationary jobs anymore. too risky and then you have to deal with all this unemployment BS

That's not really realistic though. Most jobs have some kind of probationary period, even if it's not explicitly stated.

true but at least some are more upfront about it than others

Update: I used Claimyr yesterday after reading about it here and actually got through to a Washington ESD agent in about 20 minutes. She was able to check my claim status and tell me exactly what documents they still needed. Definitely worth it if you're stuck like I was. They explain everything on their site and the video demo shows exactly how it works.

Seriously? You actually talked to a real person? I might have to try this. I'm desperate at this point.

Yeah, real person who could access my account and everything. Way better than spending hours getting busy signals.

How much does it cost though? I'm already broke from being unemployed.

The waiting is the worst part of this whole process. I filed 3 weeks ago and still nothing. At least now I know from this thread that being fired quickly doesn't automatically disqualify you. That was my biggest worry.

Same here! This thread has been really helpful for understanding the process. Good luck with your claim.

Hang in there. The waiting sucks but most people do get approved eventually if they were fired for non-misconduct reasons.