How long after being fired can I apply for Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

You can apply immediately! Don't wait - the sooner you file your initial claim with Washington ESD, the sooner your benefit year starts. Even if you were fired, you might still qualify depending on the circumstances. Washington ESD will investigate during adjudication to determine if you were terminated for misconduct or not.

I was in the same situation last year - fired for what they called 'performance issues' but I knew they were just downsizing. Filed my claim the next day and got approved after about 3 weeks of adjudication. The key is being honest about why you were terminated when you file.

Actually had a nightmare trying to get through to Washington ESD when my claim got stuck in adjudication hell. Kept calling for weeks with no luck. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an actual person at Washington ESD. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Game changer for actually reaching someone.

File ASAP! There's no waiting period after termination. The important thing is that your benefit year starts from when you file, not when you were fired. Also make sure you're available for work and actively job searching because those requirements start immediately.

just file it now why would you wait??? the longer you wait the longer it takes to get money. i filed same day i got fired and started getting payments like 4 weeks later

One thing to keep in mind - if your employer contests your claim saying you were fired for misconduct, it could delay things significantly. Washington ESD will need to do a fact-finding interview with both you and your employer. Be prepared to explain your side of the story clearly and provide any documentation you have.

The system is so broken. I've been waiting 6 weeks for my adjudication to complete and can't get anyone on the phone at Washington ESD. Keep getting the busy signal or they hang up after hours on hold. It's ridiculous that they make it this hard when people need help.

File immediately but be prepared for a long wait if you were fired. Mine took 2 months to get approved because they had to investigate whether I was terminated for cause. The good news is if you get approved, they backdate the payments to when you first filed.

Don't listen to people saying to wait. I made that mistake and lost 2 weeks of potential benefits because I thought I needed to wait. File your claim online at esd.wa.gov right now. Even if there are issues with your termination, it's better to have the claim started.

The real question is whether you'll qualify at all if you were fired. Washington ESD is pretty strict about misconduct. If they determine you were fired for cause, you could be disqualified for weeks or even permanently from that job. I'd be prepared for that possibility.

I was fired for being late too much and still got approved. They said it wasn't willful misconduct since I had transportation issues. Don't assume you'll be denied - let Washington ESD make that determination. File now and see what happens.

Word of advice - when you file, don't just say you were 'fired.' Explain the full circumstances. If you say attendance issues, explain what caused them. Washington ESD looks at the whole picture, not just the employer's version.

Whatever you do, make sure you're doing your weekly claims even while adjudication is pending. I forgot to do mine for 2 weeks and had to go through a whole additional process to get those weeks certified. Such a pain.

I'm going through something similar right now. Got fired 3 weeks ago for 'attitude problems' which I think is BS. Still waiting to hear back from Washington ESD but at least I filed right away. The waiting is killing me though.

File today!! I waited almost a week because I was embarrassed about being fired and it was the stupidest thing I ever did. Every day you wait is money you're losing. The worst they can do is deny you, but at least you'll know.

Make sure you have all your employment information ready when you file - dates of employment, your employer's address, your supervisor's name, etc. It'll make the process go smoother. And definitely register for WorkSourceWA at the same time.

Been there, done that. Filed immediately after getting fired for 'productivity issues' and got approved after 4 weeks. The key is being truthful and providing context for whatever happened. Washington ESD isn't out to screw you over, they just need to follow the rules about misconduct.

Last tip - screenshot everything during your application process and keep records of all your communications with Washington ESD. If there are any issues later, you'll want that documentation for appeals or clarifications.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago - got fired from my retail job for what they called "customer service issues" but I knew they were just cutting hours across the board. Filed my claim the very next day and I'm so glad I did. The whole process took about 5 weeks from filing to getting my first payment, but they backdated everything to my filing date so I didn't lose any money by applying immediately. My employer did contest it initially, but after the fact-finding interview where I explained my side of the story, Washington ESD ruled in my favor. Don't let being "fired" scare you - they really do look at whether it was actual misconduct or just performance/business reasons. The worst case is they deny you, but if you don't apply at all you're guaranteed to get nothing. Go file tonight!