Got fired after putting in two weeks notice - can I still get Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

Yes, you can definitely file! Since they terminated you before your notice period ended, that's considered an involuntary separation in Washington ESD's eyes. You didn't quit - they fired you. File your claim ASAP because there's usually a one-week waiting period anyway.

This happened to my friend last year. Washington ESD approved her claim because getting fired after giving notice is still getting fired. Just make sure you're honest about everything when you file.

Actually had a similar situation and couldn't get through to Washington ESD for weeks to ask questions. Ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made the whole process way less stressful since I could actually talk to someone who knew the rules.

Wait, are you sure about this? I thought if you give notice you're voluntarily quitting no matter what happens after that. The unemployment office might see it differently.

You're in a good position here. Washington ESD looks at the final action that ended your employment. Since your employer terminated you before your notice period was complete, that's considered involuntary separation. Document everything - when you gave notice, when they terminated you, any communication about it. This will help if there are any questions during the claim process.

This is why I never give two weeks notice anymore. Companies will screw you over every time.

File immediately! The sooner you file, the sooner your claim gets processed. Even if you're only going to be unemployed for a few weeks, you might as well get those benefits.

Thanks everyone! I'm going to file tonight. Really appreciate all the help understanding how this works.

Had something similar happen and it took forever to get through to Washington ESD to confirm I was doing everything right. If you run into that problem, definitely check out that Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier. Made a huge difference when I needed to talk to someone quickly.

Make sure you report your last day of work correctly when you file. Since they terminated you early, your last day is when they actually terminated you, not your original last day.

This is actually pretty common. Employers do this to avoid having someone around who might be disgruntled or distracted. At least you can get unemployment for the gap!

One more thing - when you file, be clear about the timeline. You gave notice on Thursday, they terminated you before that notice period ended. That shows this was their decision, not yours.

Don't forget you'll need to do weekly claims even if it's just for a few weeks. And yes, you'll need to do job search activities unless you qualify for some exemption.

I was in a similar spot last year and used Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD when I had questions about my claim. Really helped me understand what I needed to do. The whole calling situation with unemployment offices is just brutal otherwise.

Make sure your employer doesn't try to contest your claim by saying you quit. Having that documentation about them terminating you early will be important if they do.

Quick question - will this affect your new job at all? Like will they care that you filed for unemployment?

Good luck with everything! At least you turned a crappy situation into something that works in your favor.

Just remember to stop filing claims once your new job starts. Washington ESD is pretty strict about that stuff.

This thread is super helpful. I'm in almost the exact same situation and was worried I wouldn't qualify. Thanks everyone!

Update us on how it goes! Always curious to hear how these situations work out.

One last tip - if your claim gets stuck in adjudication for some reason, don't panic. It happens sometimes but usually gets resolved. That Claimyr service people mentioned can help if you need to talk to someone about the status.

This is exactly the kind of situation where documenting everything pays off! Since your employer terminated you before your notice period ended, you're definitely looking at involuntary separation. The fact that you have text messages from your boss telling you not to come back is perfect evidence. Washington ESD will see this as them ending the employment relationship, not you quitting. Just be thorough when filling out your application - mention when you gave notice, when they terminated you, and that you have a job starting in a few weeks. The timing actually works out well since there's usually a waiting week anyway. You should be able to get benefits for those gap weeks without any issues.