If I get fired can I file for unemployment in Washington - what are my chances?

Yes, you can file for unemployment even if you're fired, but it depends on WHY you were fired. Washington ESD will review your case to determine if you were terminated for 'misconduct.' Being late occasionally usually won't disqualify you, but if they can prove a pattern of willful misconduct, you might get denied.

File immediately if you get terminated, regardless of the reason. Let Washington ESD make the determination about eligibility. Even if they initially deny you, you can appeal the decision. The worst that happens is they say no, but you won't know unless you try.

I was in a similar situation last year and got approved even though I was fired for attendance. The key is being honest about what happened but also explaining any circumstances that contributed to the issues. Washington ESD looks at the whole picture, not just the employer's side.

Honestly, trying to reach Washington ESD by phone is nearly impossible. I spent hours calling and either got busy signals or got disconnected. There's actually a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual person at Washington ESD when I needed to check on my claim status. You can see how it works at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Made the whole process so much easier.

Been fired twice in my career and got unemployment both times. The first time was for attendance (similar to your situation) and the second was for 'not being a good fit.' Washington ESD approved both claims. Employers contest a lot of claims but that doesn't mean they'll win.

Make sure you document everything that's happening at work right now. Save any emails, write down dates of conversations with your supervisor, etc. If they do fire you and contest your claim, having documentation helps your case.

washington unemployment system is so backed up right now, took me 6 weeks to get my first payment even though i was approved. just be prepared for delays

I'm a former HR manager and I've seen plenty of unemployment claims get approved even when we contested them. Unless there's clear evidence of serious misconduct like theft or violence, most attendance-related terminations don't disqualify someone from benefits. Washington ESD tends to err on the side of the employee.

File immediately after termination - like within a day or two. There's a waiting period before benefits start anyway, so the sooner you file, the sooner you can start getting payments. And start job searching right away because you'll need to prove you're looking for work.

The whole system is set up to help people who lose their jobs through no fault of their own, but it also recognizes that sometimes employees make mistakes. Being late occasionally isn't usually considered willful misconduct unless you ignored repeated warnings and continued the behavior.

Don't stress too much about it. I know tons of people who got fired and still got unemployment. The system isn't designed to punish people for being human and making mistakes. Just file your claim and see what happens.

Pro tip: when you file your claim, focus on any external factors that contributed to your attendance issues. Were you dealing with transportation problems? Family issues? Health problems? Washington ESD considers these mitigating circumstances.

Another thing - if you do get denied initially, don't panic. A lot of people win their appeals. I had to appeal mine and won because I was able to explain the circumstances better in the hearing than in the initial application.

I used Claimyr when I needed to talk to someone at Washington ESD about my disqualification. Saved me hours of trying to call on my own. Sometimes you really need to speak to a human to explain your situation properly, and they make that possible.

The most important thing is to file your claim as soon as possible after termination. Don't wait to see if you can find another job first - there's a waiting period anyway, and you want to establish your claim date as early as possible.

Been through this exact situation. Got fired for attendance issues and was terrified I wouldn't qualify. Washington ESD approved my claim after about 3 weeks of review. The key is being honest about what happened and explaining any circumstances that contributed to the problems.

One more thing - make sure you're completely honest in your application. Washington ESD will contact your employer and if your stories don't match, it can hurt your credibility. Better to be honest about mistakes than to try to cover them up.

I was in HR for years and saw hundreds of unemployment claims. Attendance issues alone rarely disqualify someone unless there's a clear pattern of willful misconduct. A few late arrivals and sick days don't usually meet that threshold. File your claim with confidence.

Final thought - even if you do get denied initially, don't give up. The appeal process exists for a reason and lots of people win on appeal. I've seen cases where ESD reversed their initial decision after hearing more details.