If I get fired can I get unemployment benefits in Washington

It depends on WHY you get fired. If it's for misconduct (like stealing, fighting, not showing up), Washington ESD will likely deny your claim. But if it's for poor performance or not being a good fit, you can probably get benefits. Customer complaints alone usually aren't enough to disqualify you unless they involve serious misconduct.

I got fired from my last job for attendance issues and still got approved for unemployment. Washington ESD looks at whether you were fired for 'misconduct connected with work' which has a pretty specific legal definition. Being slow at your job probably doesn't qualify as misconduct.

If you do get fired and need to reach Washington ESD about your claim status, I'd recommend checking out Claimyr (claimyr.com). They helped me get through to an actual person at Washington ESD when I was stuck in adjudication for weeks. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Way better than trying to call yourself and getting busy signals all day.

The key thing to remember is that Washington ESD will investigate any firing. They'll contact your employer and ask for documentation about why you were terminated. If your boss can't prove misconduct with written warnings or clear policy violations, you'll likely get approved. Being 'too slow' is usually considered lack of ability rather than willful misconduct.

honestly the unemployment system is so messed up, even if you deserve benefits they'll probably find some reason to deny you first. I got denied initially when I was clearly fired unfairly and had to appeal. took months to get my money

What kind of retail job is it? Some companies are really good about documenting performance issues before firing people, others just do it suddenly. If they haven't given you written warnings about your performance, that actually helps your case for unemployment.

Same thing happened to my sister - she was 'too slow' at her cashier job and got fired. Washington ESD approved her claim no problem because the employer couldn't show it was intentional misconduct. You should be fine as long as you weren't deliberately being slow or ignoring training.

Make sure you understand the difference between being fired and being laid off. If they're firing you specifically for performance, you'll need to go through adjudication where Washington ESD investigates. If they're just eliminating your position or cutting hours, that's a layoff and you'll get benefits automatically.

I work in HR and can tell you that 'customer complaints about being too slow' is rarely enough to constitute misconduct for unemployment purposes. Your employer would need to show you were deliberately slow or ignoring direct instructions to work faster. Natural pace differences aren't misconduct.

Just want to say I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier when I needed to talk to Washington ESD about my weekly claim getting stuck. Worked great - they called me back within a few hours and I was connected to an actual ESD agent. Definitely worth it if you run into issues with your claim.

Whatever you do, don't quit before they fire you thinking it'll look better. Quitting makes it much harder to get unemployment benefits. If you think you're going to get fired anyway, let them fire you and then file for UI immediately.

The unemployment office will ask you detailed questions about what led to your firing. Be honest but also emphasize that you were trying to do your best and following all workplace rules. Performance issues due to lack of ability are treated very differently than deliberate rule violations.

ugh I hate how stressful job insecurity is. I was in a similar situation last year where I thought I might get fired and the anxiety was killing me. ended up finding a new job before anything happened but the whole experience sucked

I've been through the whole Washington ESD adjudication process for a firing and it's not as scary as it sounds. They'll contact your employer, review any documentation, and make a decision based on the facts. As long as you weren't doing anything intentionally wrong, you should be fine.

Pro tip: if you do get fired, file your unemployment claim online immediately. Don't wait thinking you need to find another job first. You can look for work while receiving benefits, and there's usually a waiting week anyway so the sooner you file, the sooner you can start getting payments.

Actually had to use Claimyr myself recently when Washington ESD said my claim was under review but wouldn't tell me why. The agent they connected me with was able to explain the issue and tell me exactly what documents I needed to submit. Saved me weeks of wondering what was going on.

Bottom line: being fired for poor performance is usually not disqualifying for unemployment benefits in Washington. The bar for 'misconduct' is pretty high - they're looking for things like theft, violence, or deliberately violating clear workplace policies. Being naturally slow at customer service doesn't meet that standard.