Fired for tardiness can I get unemployment benefits from Washington ESD?

You can definitely apply for unemployment benefits even if you were fired. Washington ESD will review your case to determine if the termination was for 'misconduct' or not. Being late occasionally might not qualify as misconduct, especially if there were legitimate reasons like transportation issues. The key is whether your employer can prove it was willful and substantial misconduct.

File ASAP! Even if they deny you initially, you can always appeal. I was fired for attendance and got approved after explaining my situation. Washington ESD looks at the whole picture, not just what your employer says.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD by phone, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me connect with an actual agent. They have a video that explains how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Saved me hours of busy signals when I needed to discuss my disqualification issue.

tardiness is usually not considered misconduct unless it was really excessive or you ignored warnings. sounds like you had legitimate reasons too. definitely file your claim online at esd.wa.gov

This is exactly why I hate at-will employment. Companies can fire you for anything and then you have to fight for basic benefits. The whole system is rigged against workers.

Same thing happened to my cousin last year. She was late because of childcare issues and got fired. Washington ESD approved her claim after she explained the situation during a phone interview.

Make sure when you file your initial claim that you're completely honest about why you were terminated. Don't try to hide it or make it sound better than it was. Washington ESD will contact your employer anyway, so consistency is key.

ugh been there. got fired for being late when my car broke down and couldn't afford to fix it right away. still got unemployment though so don't give up

If your claim goes into adjudication (which it probably will since you were fired), be prepared for it to take 2-4 weeks. During that time, keep filing your weekly claims even though you won't get paid yet. That's really important.

The fact that you were only 10-15 minutes late is actually good for your case. That's not the kind of excessive tardiness that usually qualifies as misconduct. Plus transportation issues are often considered beyond your control.

File your claim today if you haven't already. Even if there's a chance of denial, you want to get the process started. The sooner you file, the sooner you'll know where you stand.

If Washington ESD denies your initial claim, don't panic. You have 30 days to file an appeal and many people win on appeal even after being denied initially.

Another tip - when you're doing your job search requirements, keep detailed records. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week and they do audit people sometimes.

honestly the worst part about getting fired is the stress of not knowing if you'll get benefits. just remember that most people who apply do get approved, especially for minor issues like occasional tardiness

Just remembered - if you need to speak with Washington ESD about your claim status or have questions, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier really does work. Much easier than trying to call directly.

I got fired for attendance issues about 2 years ago and Washington ESD approved my claim. Key is being honest and explaining any circumstances that were beyond your control.

Make sure you understand the difference between 'misconduct' and just being a poor fit for the job. Minor tardiness usually falls into the latter category, which doesn't disqualify you from benefits.

Bus delays are definitely a legitimate reason for occasional tardiness. I'd emphasize that in your claim - shows it wasn't intentional or willful on your part.

Whatever you do, don't let this discourage you from filing. I see too many people assume they won't qualify and never even try. Washington ESD is pretty fair about these situations.

One more thing - when you file your weekly claims, be completely accurate about any work or income. Even small amounts need to be reported or you could face overpayment issues later.

Final thought - if you do run into issues reaching Washington ESD during your claim process, seriously consider using Claimyr. It's at claimyr.com and they have a demo video that shows exactly how it works. Saved me so much frustration.

I was in a very similar situation last year - got fired for being late about 10-15 minutes several times due to my elderly mother's medical appointments that I had to drive her to. Washington ESD approved my claim after I explained the circumstances during the phone interview. The key thing is that occasional tardiness for legitimate reasons like transportation issues or family emergencies usually doesn't meet the "willful misconduct" standard. Make sure to file your claim ASAP and be completely honest about the bus delays and personal issues when you explain your situation. Even if your employer provided documentation of the tardiness, Washington ESD will consider your side of the story and the underlying reasons. Don't let this discourage you - you have a good chance of getting approved!

I went through something similar about 8 months ago - got terminated for tardiness issues that were mostly due to childcare complications when my babysitter would cancel last minute. I was typically 15-20 minutes late maybe once or twice a week. Washington ESD approved my claim after about 3 weeks of adjudication. During the phone interview, they asked detailed questions about why I was late and whether I had tried to resolve the issues. I explained the childcare situation and that I had been actively looking for more reliable care. The key thing that seemed to help was showing that the tardiness wasn't intentional or due to negligence on my part. Your bus delays and personal issues sound like legitimate circumstances that were beyond your control. Definitely file your claim and don't get discouraged if it takes a few weeks - the back pay will cover all the weeks you're eligible for once approved.

I went through a very similar situation about 6 months ago - got fired for attendance issues that were mostly due to public transit delays and some family medical emergencies I was dealing with. I was usually about 10-20 minutes late a few times per month, nothing excessive. Washington ESD approved my claim after about 2.5 weeks of review. The adjudicator I spoke with during the phone interview was really understanding when I explained that the tardiness was due to circumstances largely outside my control. She asked if I had communicated with my employer about the transportation issues and if I had tried to find solutions, which I had. The key things that seemed to help my case were: 1) The tardiness wasn't extreme (not hours late), 2) There were legitimate external factors causing it, and 3) I had been a good employee otherwise. Your situation with bus delays and personal issues sounds very similar to mine. Definitely file your claim right away - even if your employer contests it, Washington ESD will give you a fair hearing to explain your side. Don't let the stress get to you too much, most people in situations like ours do get approved once they can tell their story.