Can you receive Washington ESD unemployment if fired from your job?

Yes, you can absolutely apply for unemployment benefits even if you were fired. Washington ESD will review your case during adjudication to determine if the termination was for 'misconduct' or not. Performance issues alone usually don't disqualify you unless there was willful misconduct involved. File your claim right away - you have nothing to lose by applying.

I got fired from my last job too and still received UI benefits. The key is whether Washington ESD considers it misconduct or not. Poor performance, personality conflicts, or even insubordination that isn't severe usually won't disqualify you. Definitely file - the worst they can say is no.

Just went through this exact situation myself. Got canned for 'attitude problems' which was really just me standing up for unsafe working conditions. I was super worried about filing but a friend told me about this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents by phone. Used it to talk to someone about my case and they confirmed I should definitely apply. There's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Worth checking out if you need to speak to someone directly about your situation.

DONT GET YOUR HOPES UP TOO HIGH! I got fired for being late a few times and they denied my claim saying it was misconduct. Had to appeal and it took forever. The system is rigged against workers if you ask me. But yeah you should still try I guess.

The specific Washington ESD criteria for misconduct is pretty narrow. They look for willful disregard of employer interests, violation of workplace rules, or behavior that shows intent to harm the employer. Questioning workflow decisions or even heated disagreements usually don't meet this standard unless you were threatening, using profanity, or deliberately sabotaging work.

Update: I filed my claim online through SecureAccess Washington and it went through without any immediate red flags. Now just waiting to see if it goes into adjudication. Fingers crossed!

My brother got fired for attendance issues and still got unemployment. Like others said, it really depends on the specific circumstances and whether Washington ESD considers it misconduct.

I work in HR and see this stuff all the time. Unless there was theft, violence, or really egregious behavior, most terminations don't rise to the level of misconduct for UI purposes. Employers sometimes contest claims just to try to save money on their unemployment tax rate.

been thru this twice unfortunately... first time got approved, second time had to appeal but won eventually. def file asap dont wait

The thing people don't realize is that Washington ESD has to prove misconduct, not the other way around. The burden is on them to show you did something that justifies denying benefits. Your employer will have to provide documentation of the misconduct.

Check if your company has any written policies about the behavior they're claiming was misconduct. If they can't point to a specific policy you violated, it strengthens your case that it wasn't misconduct.

I had a similar experience where I got fired for 'attitude' but it was really because I reported safety violations to OSHA. Got my unemployment approved after adjudication. Stand your ground and tell your story honestly.

One thing to keep in mind is that even if Washington ESD initially denies your claim, you have the right to appeal. I've seen plenty of people win on appeal even when the initial decision went against them.

This whole thread is making me feel better about my own situation. Got fired last month and was too scared to apply thinking I wouldn't qualify. Going to file today after reading all this.

The key thing Washington ESD looks for is whether the behavior was a one-time incident or part of a pattern, and whether you knew it could result in termination. Sounds like your situation was a one-time disagreement without prior warnings.

I'm a former Washington ESD adjudicator and cases like yours were pretty common. We'd look at the employee handbook, any progressive discipline, witness statements, and the employee's work history. A single incident of questioning management without profanity or threats usually doesn't meet the misconduct standard.

Final update if anyone's still following: My claim was approved without even going to adjudication! Got my first payment this week. Thanks everyone for the encouragement to apply even though I was fired.