Fired during probation period - can I still get Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

Yes, you can absolutely file for unemployment even if you were fired during probation! Being in a probation period doesn't automatically disqualify you from Washington ESD benefits. The key thing is WHY you were fired. If it was for misconduct (like stealing, violence, etc.) then you'd be disqualified. But if it was just performance issues or not being a good fit, you should be eligible.

i got fired after 3 weeks at my last job and still got approved for UI benefits. took forever to get through on the phone though to check my claim status

You should definitely file ASAP. I had a similar situation and used Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD when I needed to check on my claim status. The service helped me avoid spending hours on hold trying to reach an agent. You can check it out at claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Really saved me a lot of frustration.

The probation period thing is just a company policy, it doesn't affect your unemployment eligibility at all. What matters is that you worked enough hours to qualify and that you weren't fired for misconduct. Since you said it was performance issues, you should be fine. Just file your claim online through the Washington ESD website.

OMG I'm in almost the exact same situation!! Got let go after 2 months during my probation period. They said I wasn't "meeting expectations" but never gave me proper training. This is so stressful, I don't know how I'm going to pay my bills. Did you already file your claim?

One thing to keep in mind - even though you can file, your employer might contest the claim. Since they fired you for performance issues, they might try to argue it was misconduct to avoid having their unemployment insurance rates go up. Don't panic if this happens, you'll just need to provide your side of the story during the adjudication process.

The whole system is such a joke. Companies can fire you for any reason during probation and then fight your unemployment claim on top of it. It's like they want to screw you over twice.

Make sure you keep records of everything - your termination letter, any performance reviews, emails about your work, etc. If your employer does contest the claim, having documentation will help your case during adjudication.

I was also fired during probation last year and got approved for benefits. The key is being honest about what happened when you file. Don't try to make it sound better than it was, just tell the truth about the performance issues.

Just want to add that you should file your weekly claims even if your initial claim is still being processed. A lot of people don't realize you need to keep certifying every week to get benefits once you're approved.

If you do run into issues getting through to Washington ESD by phone, I can't recommend Claimyr enough. I was getting so frustrated trying to reach an agent to ask about my adjudication status. The service automatically calls and gets you connected when an agent is available. Worth every penny for the peace of mind.

Another thing - make sure you're actively looking for work and keeping a job search log. Washington ESD requires you to be able and available for work, and they randomly audit people to check their job search activities.

Don't stress too much about it. Performance issues during probation are pretty common and Washington ESD sees cases like this all the time. As long as you weren't doing anything seriously wrong, you should be approved.

I got let go during my probation period too but it was because I called in sick too many times. Still got approved for unemployment because Washington ESD said attendance issues due to illness aren't the same as misconduct.

File your claim today if you can. The sooner you file, the sooner your claim can start being processed. Even if it takes a few weeks to get approved, you'll get backpay to your filing date.

Good luck with your claim! Keep us posted on how it goes. This thread has been really helpful for me too since I might be in a similar situation soon.

One last tip - if you have any questions during the filing process, there's a chat feature on the Washington ESD website that can be helpful for basic questions. Though for complex issues you'll probably need to talk to an actual agent.

Just to follow up on the Claimyr thing - I used it again last week when I had questions about my continued claim eligibility. Got connected to a Washington ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending my whole morning on hold. The demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ really shows how much time it can save you.

Hope everything works out for you! Filing for unemployment after getting fired is never fun but at least the system is there to help when you need it.

I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago - got terminated after 7 weeks during my probation period for "not meeting performance standards." I was so worried I wouldn't qualify for benefits, but I filed anyway and got approved within about 3 weeks. The key thing that helped me was being completely honest on my application about why I was terminated. I didn't try to sugarcoat it or make excuses - just stated that my employer felt my performance wasn't meeting their expectations during the probation period. Washington ESD was totally understanding and my employer didn't even contest the claim. The whole process was way less scary than I thought it would be. Definitely file ASAP like others have said - you've got nothing to lose and everything to gain!