How soon can I file for unemployment after being fired from my job in Washington?
Got terminated yesterday from my warehouse job and I'm wondering how quickly I can start the unemployment process. My manager said it was due to attendance issues but I feel like they were looking for reasons to let me go. I know there's usually a waiting period but I'm not sure if that means I can't even apply right away or if I just won't get paid immediately. Does anyone know the timeline for filing with Washington ESD after getting fired? I need to get this started ASAP since I've got rent due in two weeks.
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Nia Thompson
You can file your initial claim immediately - there's no waiting period to submit the application itself. The waiting week just affects when you get paid, not when you can file. Go to esd.wa.gov and start your claim today if possible.
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Luca Greco
•Thanks! I wasn't sure if I needed to wait or something. I'll get on that website right now.
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Mateo Rodriguez
•yeah definitely file asap, the sooner you file the sooner your claim gets processed
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Aisha Hussain
File immediately but be prepared for potential adjudication if they contest your claim. Being fired for attendance could be considered misconduct depending on the circumstances. Make sure you have documentation of any medical issues or other legitimate reasons for absences.
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Luca Greco
•Oh no, I didn't think about them contesting it. Most of my absences were when my kid was sick and I couldn't find childcare. Would that help my case?
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Aisha Hussain
•That could definitely help establish good cause for your absences. Keep any medical records, school notices, or other documentation that shows legitimate reasons.
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GalacticGladiator
I filed the day after I got fired last month and it took forever to get through to anyone at Washington ESD to check on my claim status. The phone system is absolutely terrible - kept getting hung up on after waiting for hours. Finally found out about claimyr.com which actually got me through to a real person. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Game changer for dealing with their impossible phone system.
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Luca Greco
•Never heard of that service before. Did it actually work for you?
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GalacticGladiator
•Yeah it did! I was skeptical at first but it connected me to an actual Washington ESD agent within like 20 minutes instead of the usual hours of busy signals.
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Ethan Brown
•Interesting, I might have to check that out. The regular phone number is basically useless.
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Yuki Yamamoto
MAKE SURE YOU FILE IMMEDIATELY!!! The longer you wait the more you're potentially losing in benefits. I made the mistake of waiting a week thinking I needed to let the dust settle first and that was a week of benefits I'll never get back.
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Luca Greco
•Wait, so if I file today but my claim gets approved later, I won't get paid for the days before I filed?
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Nia Thompson
•Correct - your claim start date is when you file, not when you lost your job. So file today even if you're not sure about all the details yet.
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Mateo Rodriguez
warehouse jobs are tough, been there. file right away and start looking for work immediately too because they'll want to see job search activities
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Luca Greco
•How many jobs do I need to apply to each week? Is there a specific number?
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Aisha Hussain
•You need to make at least 3 job search activities per week in Washington. Keep detailed records of what you apply for and when.
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Carmen Ruiz
The whole system is designed to make it as hard as possible to get benefits. File immediately but don't expect it to be easy or quick, especially if your employer fights it.
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Luca Greco
•Great, that's exactly what I needed to hear when I'm already stressed about money...
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Nia Thompson
•Don't let that discourage you - many claims go through without issues. Just be prepared and organized with your documentation.
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Aisha Hussain
Key timeline points: File immediately (today if possible), complete your weekly claims every week even while pending, respond to any adjudication requests within 10 days, and keep detailed job search records from day one. The waiting week means your first payable week won't be paid, but you still need to file for it.
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Luca Greco
•This is really helpful. So I file today, then file weekly claims even before I'm approved?
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Aisha Hussain
•Exactly. You file your initial claim once, then file weekly claims every week to maintain your claim. Don't skip weeks thinking you'll file later.
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Andre Lefebvre
i got fired for attendance too last year and my claim went through fine. just be honest about everything and explain your side of the story if they ask
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Luca Greco
•That makes me feel a little better. Did your employer try to fight your claim?
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Andre Lefebvre
•they did actually but i had good documentation about why i missed work and it worked out
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GalacticGladiator
One more thing about that Claimyr service I mentioned - I used it again last week when I had questions about my job search requirements and it was super easy. Way better than trying to get through the regular way.
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Zoe Dimitriou
•How much does something like that cost? I'm already broke from being unemployed.
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GalacticGladiator
•It's worth checking out their site for current info. For me it was worth it just to not waste entire days trying to get through on the phone.
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Nia Thompson
Quick reminder that Washington has eliminated the one-week waiting period as of 2023, so you should get paid for your first eligible week. This is different from how it used to work.
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Luca Greco
•Wait, really? So there's no waiting week anymore at all?
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Nia Thompson
•That's correct - they eliminated the waiting week requirement. You get paid for all eligible weeks now.
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Aisha Hussain
•This is accurate. The waiting week was removed in Washington state, unlike many other states that still have it.
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QuantumQuest
Make sure you have your Social Security card and ID ready when you file. The system will ask for a bunch of personal info and employment history.
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Luca Greco
•Do I need pay stubs or anything like that?
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QuantumQuest
•Not usually for the initial filing, but keep them handy in case they ask for verification later.
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Ethan Brown
Just went through this process myself two months ago. The key is filing immediately and being consistent with your weekly claims. Don't wait thinking you need to have everything perfect first.
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Luca Greco
•How long did it take for your first payment to come through?
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Ethan Brown
•About 3 weeks for me, but I think I was lucky. Some people wait longer if there are issues.
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Yuki Yamamoto
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO FILE TODAY. Stop reading reddit and go file your claim RIGHT NOW. Every day you wait is money you can't get back!
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Luca Greco
•Okay okay, I'm convinced! Going to file right now. Thanks everyone for the advice.
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Mateo Rodriguez
•good luck! hope it goes smoothly for you
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Jamal Anderson
Also remember that being fired doesn't automatically disqualify you from unemployment. They have to prove it was for misconduct, not just poor performance or attendance issues that weren't entirely your fault.
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Luca Greco
•That's reassuring. I was worried that being fired meant I couldn't get benefits at all.
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Jamal Anderson
•Nope, lots of people who get fired still qualify. It depends on the specific circumstances and whether it rises to the level of misconduct.
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Mei Zhang
been unemployed for 6 months now and let me tell you the sooner you start this process the better. also start applying to jobs immediately because the market is rough right now
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Luca Greco
•6 months? That's scary. Are you still getting benefits?
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Mei Zhang
•yeah but you only get 26 weeks total in washington so i'm getting close to the end. really need to find something soon
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Liam McGuire
Quick tip - when you file online, do it during off-peak hours if possible. The system gets really slow during busy times and might time out on you.
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Luca Greco
•What are the best times to use the website?
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Liam McGuire
•Early morning or late evening usually work best. Avoid Monday mornings when everyone's trying to file their weekly claims.
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Amara Eze
I used that Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier and it really does work. Got connected to Washington ESD way faster than I ever did calling directly. Definitely worth trying if you need to talk to someone about your claim.
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Luca Greco
•Good to hear more confirmation about that service. I'll keep it in mind if I run into issues.
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Giovanni Ricci
•Same here, used it last month when my claim was stuck in adjudication. Much better than the regular phone system.
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NeonNomad
whatever you do don't lie about why you were fired. they'll find out and it'll make everything worse. just be honest and let them decide
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Luca Greco
•I wasn't planning to lie, just wasn't sure how to explain the attendance thing in the best way.
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NeonNomad
•just tell them exactly what happened and why you missed work. if you had good reasons they'll take that into account
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Fatima Al-Hashemi
Filing immediately is definitely the right move. I waited a few days when I got laid off thinking I needed to organize everything first, and I regretted it. The sooner you get in the system the better.
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Luca Greco
•Seems like everyone is saying the same thing - file now, worry about details later. I'm convinced.
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Nia Thompson
•Exactly right. You can always provide additional information later if needed, but you can't go back and change your filing date.
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Dylan Mitchell
Hope everything works out for you. Being unemployed is stressful enough without having to worry about whether you'll qualify for benefits. File today and take it one step at a time.
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Luca Greco
•Thanks for the encouragement. This whole situation has been pretty overwhelming but everyone's advice has been really helpful.
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Dylan Mitchell
•You'll get through it. The unemployment system isn't perfect but it's there to help people in situations like yours.
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