How to collect Washington ESD unemployment if fired - need guidance

Yes, you can definitely apply for unemployment even if you were fired. Washington ESD will investigate whether the termination was for 'misconduct' or not. Performance issues usually don't qualify as misconduct unless they were willful or repeated violations after warnings. You should file your claim immediately - benefits can be backdated but there are time limits.

File online at esd.wa.gov as soon as possible. You'll need your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment history for the past 18 months. The system will ask specific questions about why you were terminated - be honest and detailed in your answers.

I was in a similar situation last year where I got fired and was worried about getting benefits. The whole process was confusing and I couldn't get through to Washington ESD on the phone for weeks. I ended up using Claimyr.com which helped me actually reach an agent - they have this system that calls for you and gets you connected. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Really saved me a lot of stress during an already difficult time.

WASHINGTON ESD WILL PROBABLY DENY YOU FIRST TIME ANYWAY! They always side with employers. My friend got fired for 'attitude problems' and they said it was misconduct even though he was just standing up for himself. The system is rigged against workers.

The key thing is whether you were fired for 'misconduct' or not. Performance issues, attendance problems, or just not being a good fit usually don't count as misconduct. Misconduct has to be willful violation of company policy or something that shows you deliberately disregarded your job duties. Safety complaints actually protect you in many cases.

same thing happened to me but it was retail not manufacturing. got fired for being 'difficult' after I complained about schedule changes. Still got my benefits approved after like 3 weeks of waiting

One important thing - you'll need to serve a waiting week before you can start receiving benefits. This means your first week of unemployment won't be paid, but you still need to file that weekly claim to establish your claim. After that, you'll file weekly claims every Sunday for the previous week.

Make sure you're actively looking for work too. Washington ESD requires you to make job search contacts every week and keep a log. I think it's 3 contacts per week now? You'll need to report this when you file your weekly claims.

Don't let your employer intimidate you into not filing. I almost didn't apply because my boss told me I wouldn't qualify since I was 'fired for cause.' Turns out being late a few times isn't misconduct and I got approved. They're required to provide you with information about filing for unemployment when they terminate you.

If you do run into issues getting through to Washington ESD, seriously consider using Claimyr. I know I mentioned it before but it really helped me when I was dealing with complications after being terminated. The system is designed to handle the high call volume that makes it impossible to reach agents normally.

The whole unemployment system is so confusing. I got fired from my last job too and it took forever to figure out what I was supposed to do. The Washington ESD website has a lot of information but it's hard to navigate when you're stressed about money.

File your claim this week if you can. Even if there are issues or your employer contests it, you want to get the process started. Washington ESD can take time to investigate and make decisions, so the sooner you file, the better.

this is probably a dumb question but do you have to be completely unemployed to get benefits? I might be able to pick up some part time work while I look for something full time

Keep records of everything related to your termination. If your employer provided any documentation about why you were fired, keep copies. If they contest your claim, Washington ESD will want to see evidence from both sides.

I went through this exact same thing 6 months ago. Got fired for 'performance' but really it was retaliation for filing a workers comp claim. Washington ESD approved my benefits after about 2 weeks. The employer tried to contest it but couldn't prove misconduct. Don't give up if they initially deny you - you can appeal.

just wanted to say hang in there. losing your job is stressful enough without worrying about whether you'll get benefits. most people who get fired for non-misconduct reasons do get approved eventually

One more tip - when you file your initial claim, be very detailed in explaining the circumstances of your termination. Don't just say 'performance issues.' Explain exactly what happened, mention the safety complaints, and be clear that you weren't willfully violating any policies.

Just to follow up on the Claimyr thing - I ended up needing to use it again when I had questions about my job search requirements. It's really handy when you need to talk to someone who can look at your specific account and give you accurate information instead of just general advice.

Bottom line - file your claim ASAP and don't let anyone tell you that you can't get benefits just because you were fired. Let Washington ESD make that determination based on the facts. Most terminations don't involve misconduct, even if the employer tries to make it sound worse than it was.