Can you still get Washington ESD unemployment if you get fired from your job?

Yes, you can absolutely still get unemployment benefits even if you were fired! Washington ESD doesn't automatically disqualify you just because you were terminated. The key is whether you were fired for 'misconduct' or not. Performance issues usually don't count as misconduct unless it was willful or repeated after warnings. You should definitely file your claim right away.

I went through this exact same situation last year. Got fired for 'attitude problems' but it was really because I questioned some sketchy billing practices. Filed for unemployment and got approved after about 3 weeks. The adjudication process was nerve-wracking but they ruled in my favor since I wasn't fired for actual misconduct.

If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD by phone, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to actual agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals when I needed to resolve an issue with my weekly claim.

DONT COUNT ON GETTING APPROVED!! I got fired for being late a few times and they denied my claim saying it was misconduct. Had to appeal and it took MONTHS to get resolved. The whole system is designed to deny as many people as possible.

File immediately! Don't wait even a day. Your benefit year starts when you file, not when you were terminated. And make sure you're honest about why you were fired - they'll contact your employer anyway so lying will just hurt your case.

same thing happened to my brother except he got fired for arguing with customers. They approved his claim because the employer couldn't prove it was willful misconduct or whatever. took about a month though

Just to clarify the misconduct standard - Washington ESD looks for behavior that's willful, wanton, or in deliberate disregard of your employer's interests. Things like theft, violence, insubordination, or repeated policy violations after warnings typically qualify. Performance issues, personality conflicts, or good faith safety complaints usually don't.

When you file, make sure you have all your employment info ready - dates, wages, reason for separation. The online system times out if you take too long and you'll have to start over. Also start your job search activities right away because they'll ask about that on your weekly claims.

If your claim goes into adjudication (which it probably will since you were fired), be patient but persistent. Mine took 6 weeks to resolve and I had to call multiple times to get updates. The waiting is the worst part but most people do get approved if it wasn't actual misconduct.

I used to work in HR and can tell you that most companies don't fight unemployment claims unless it's something really serious. The 'performance issues' reason is usually just to cover their bases legally. Your safety complaint angle actually sounds like it could be retaliation which would definitely work in your favor.

Whatever you do, don't let them intimidate you into not filing. Some employers will try to scare you by saying you won't qualify or that it will hurt your future job prospects. That's BS. File your claim and let Washington ESD decide.

Quick tip - when you're dealing with adjudication and need to talk to someone at Washington ESD, I found success using Claimyr to get through. Way better than spending hours on hold. They helped me explain my situation properly to the adjudicator.

The key thing is to be completely honest when you file. If you try to hide anything or make it sound better than it was, and they find out during the investigation, it will hurt your credibility. Just tell them exactly what happened and why you think it was really about the safety complaints.

Been there. Got fired from a retail job for 'poor customer service' but really it was because I wouldn't push the credit card applications on elderly customers. Filed for unemployment and got approved after about a month. The adjudicator understood that I was doing the right thing ethically.

Make sure you understand the appeals process too, just in case. If they deny your initial claim, you have 30 days to appeal. Most people who appeal termination decisions win if it wasn't clear misconduct. Don't give up if you get denied initially.

One more thing - start looking for work immediately even if you're waiting for your claim to be approved. They'll ask about your job search activities on every weekly claim and you need to show you're actively looking. Keep a log of where you apply.

The bottom line is that getting fired doesn't automatically disqualify you from unemployment. File your claim, be honest about what happened, and don't let them scare you out of benefits you've earned. The system is there to help people who lose their jobs through no fault of their own, which sounds like your situation.

If you need help navigating the phone system to check on your claim status, that Claimyr service mentioned earlier really does work. I was skeptical at first but it saved me so much frustration trying to get through to Washington ESD during my adjudication period.