Do I qualify for Washington ESD unemployment if I was fired from my job?

You can definitely apply even if you were fired. Washington ESD doesn't automatically deny claims for terminations - they look at the specific reason. If it was attendance related, they'll want to know if the absences were excused or if you followed company policy. The key question is whether you were fired for 'misconduct' which has a specific legal definition.

I was in a similar situation last year. Got fired for being late too many times (bus issues) and Washington ESD still approved my claim after an adjudication period. They interviewed both me and my former employer to get the full story. The process took about 3 weeks but I eventually got benefits.

Just apply anyway. Even if you think you might not qualify, let Washington ESD make that determination. The worst they can say is no, but you might be surprised. I've seen people get approved for unemployment after being fired for things that seemed like clear misconduct but turned out to be more complicated.

Here's what I learned from my experience - if you do get your claim flagged for adjudication because of the firing, be prepared for a long wait to talk to someone at Washington ESD. I spent weeks trying to call them to check on my status. Eventually I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to an agent the same day. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration.

The unemployment system is so messed up. They make it impossible to reach anyone when you need help and then penalize you for not responding fast enough to their requests. I hope you have better luck than I did.

Make sure you apply within the first week of being unemployed or you might lose out on benefits for that week. Washington ESD has specific deadlines and they're not very forgiving about late applications.

honestly i got fired for way worse stuff than attendance and still got unemployment lol. washington esd approved my claim even though i was terminated for arguing with customers. as long as it wasnt theft or something really bad you should be fine

I work in HR and see this all the time. Being fired doesn't automatically disqualify you from unemployment. The employer has to prove misconduct, which is harder than most people think. Attendance issues rarely qualify as misconduct unless there's a clear pattern of job abandonment or deliberate policy violations.

Whatever you do, be completely honest on your application. If Washington ESD finds out you lied about anything, that's when you'll really get in trouble. Tell them exactly what happened with your attendance and let them decide.

Same thing happened to my brother last year. Got fired from his delivery job for too many late arrivals and Washington ESD still gave him benefits. The adjudication took about a month but he eventually got backpay for the whole period too.

PRO TIP: Start looking for work immediately even if you're waiting for your claim to be approved. Washington ESD requires you to make job search contacts every week and they can ask for proof at any time. Don't wait to start that process.

I got terminated for attendance issues too but mine was because I kept calling in sick without proper documentation. Washington ESD denied my claim initially but I appealed and won. Sometimes you have to fight for it.

The whole system is designed to make you give up. Half the people who qualify for benefits never apply because they think they won't get approved. Don't be one of those people - apply and see what happens.

Just remember that even if you get approved, you still need to actively look for work and report your job search activities. Don't think unemployment is a vacation - Washington ESD takes the work search requirements seriously.

I used Claimyr when I couldn't get through to Washington ESD about my disqualification. Best decision I made during that whole ordeal. Got connected to an agent who explained exactly what I needed to do to fix my claim status.

Bottom line - apply for benefits, be honest about what happened, keep looking for work, and don't give up if you hit obstacles. The system isn't perfect but most people who qualify eventually get their benefits if they stick with it.