If fired can I get unemployment benefits through Washington ESD?
I got terminated from my job yesterday and I'm not sure if I can file for unemployment. My supervisor said it was due to performance issues but I feel like they never gave me proper training or clear expectations. I've been working there for 8 months. Can I still apply for unemployment benefits through Washington ESD if I was fired? What do I need to know before I file my claim?
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Leo McDonald
Yes, you can potentially get unemployment even if you were fired, but it depends on the reason. Washington ESD will determine if you were terminated for 'misconduct' or not. Performance issues usually don't count as misconduct unless it was willful or deliberate.
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Norah Quay
•That's helpful to know. They said it was performance but I really think it was more about lack of training. Should I mention that in my application?
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Leo McDonald
•Absolutely mention the lack of training. Document everything you can remember about what training was or wasn't provided.
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Jessica Nolan
I went through this exact situation last year. Filed my claim and it went into adjudication for like 6 weeks while they investigated. Washington ESD contacted both me and my former employer to get both sides of the story.
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Norah Quay
•6 weeks?? That's a long time to wait. Did you eventually get approved?
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Jessica Nolan
•Yeah I got approved. The key was having documentation about the performance issues they claimed and showing I was trying to improve.
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Angelina Farar
•Similar thing happened to me but I had trouble reaching anyone at Washington ESD during the adjudication process. Kept calling but could never get through.
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Sebastián Stevens
File your claim ASAP even if you're not sure about eligibility. The waiting period starts from when you file, not when they approve it. You have nothing to lose by applying and Washington ESD will make the determination about misconduct.
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Norah Quay
•Good point about filing right away. I was worried about filing if I might not qualify but you're right, better to start the process.
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Bethany Groves
•This is so true! I waited 2 weeks thinking I wouldn't qualify and basically lost 2 weeks of potential benefits.
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KingKongZilla
The misconduct standard in Washington is pretty specific. It has to be willful disregard of employer's interests or deliberate violation of workplace rules. Poor performance due to inability or lack of training typically doesn't meet that standard. Make sure to gather any emails, performance reviews, or documentation about your work situation.
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Norah Quay
•I have some emails where I asked for additional training and didn't really get a response. Would those help my case?
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KingKongZilla
•Yes, those emails would be very helpful evidence showing you were trying to improve and seeking support.
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Rebecca Johnston
•Save everything! Screenshots, printed emails, any written communication. Washington ESD wants to see the full picture.
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Nathan Dell
I had such a hard time getting through to Washington ESD when my claim went to adjudication after being fired. Spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Made the whole process so much easier.
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Maya Jackson
•Never heard of that service. Is it legit? I'm getting frustrated trying to reach anyone at Washington ESD myself.
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Nathan Dell
•Yeah it's totally legitimate. They basically help you get through the phone system and connect with an actual person. Saved me hours of calling and getting nowhere.
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Tristan Carpenter
•That sounds too good to be true but if it actually works I might try it. My claim has been pending for 3 weeks now.
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Amaya Watson
Just be honest in your application about what happened. Don't try to make it sound better or worse than it was. Washington ESD investigators are pretty good at getting to the truth anyway.
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Norah Quay
•Yeah I plan to be completely honest. I'm not trying to hide anything, I just genuinely think it was unfair.
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Grant Vikers
•Honesty is definitely the best policy with these claims. They'll figure out if you're lying anyway.
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Giovanni Martello
UGHHH the whole system is so frustrating! I got fired for 'insubordination' but it was really just me questioning why we were doing something that seemed inefficient. Took 2 months to get my benefits approved because Washington ESD had to investigate everything.
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Savannah Weiner
•2 months is ridiculous! Did you have to appeal or did they eventually approve it through the initial review?
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Giovanni Martello
•They approved it after the adjudication but man those 2 months were rough financially.
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Levi Parker
•The waiting periods for these investigations are getting longer and longer. Really puts people in tough spots.
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Libby Hassan
You should also know that even if your initial claim gets denied, you can appeal the decision. The appeal process gives you another chance to present your case with more documentation and sometimes a hearing.
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Norah Quay
•Good to know there's an appeal option if needed. Hopefully it won't come to that but it's reassuring.
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Hunter Hampton
•Appeals can actually be more thorough than the initial review. Sometimes they catch things that were missed the first time.
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Sofia Peña
Make sure you start filing your weekly claims as soon as you submit your initial application, even while it's under review. You don't want to miss any weeks.
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Norah Quay
•Oh I didn't know about the weekly claims. Do I file those online through the Washington ESD website?
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Sofia Peña
•Yes, through your eServices account on the Washington ESD site. You file them every week to certify you're still unemployed and looking for work.
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Aaron Boston
•And make sure you keep records of your job search activities! Washington ESD requires that for continuing benefits.
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Sophia Carter
I've seen cases where people got fired but the employer didn't contest the unemployment claim, so it got approved pretty quickly. Sometimes employers don't want to deal with the paperwork and just let it go through.
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Chloe Zhang
•That happened to me! I was worried about being fired but my old job never responded to Washington ESD's inquiry so my claim was approved.
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Brandon Parker
•Lucky! My employer definitely contested mine and it dragged out for weeks.
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Adriana Cohn
Whatever you do, don't quit while you're waiting for them to fire you thinking it'll be better for unemployment. Quitting makes it much harder to get benefits than being fired for performance.
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Norah Quay
•Good advice but too late for me since I already got fired yesterday. But good to know for future reference.
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Jace Caspullo
•Yeah quitting is almost always worse for unemployment unless it's for very specific reasons like unsafe working conditions.
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Melody Miles
Don't stress too much about it. Performance-related terminations usually qualify for unemployment in Washington. The system is designed to help people who lost their jobs through no major fault of their own.
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Norah Quay
•Thanks, that's reassuring. I'm definitely going to file my claim today and see what happens.
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Nathaniel Mikhaylov
•Good luck! The process can be slow but most legitimate claims do get approved eventually.
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Eva St. Cyr
Another tip - if Washington ESD schedules a phone interview with you during the adjudication process, make sure you answer that call! Missing it can delay your claim even more.
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Kristian Bishop
•Yes! And if you miss the call, they usually give you a chance to reschedule but it adds more time to the process.
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Kaitlyn Otto
•I missed my first interview call and had to wait another 2 weeks for them to reschedule. Don't make my mistake!
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Axel Far
Someone mentioned Claimyr earlier and I wanted to add that I used them too when I couldn't get through to Washington ESD during my adjudication. Really helped me talk to someone who could explain what was happening with my claim status.
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Jasmine Hernandez
•Did they charge a lot for that service? I'm interested but money is tight right now.
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Axel Far
•It's worth checking out their website to see what works for your situation. The peace of mind of actually talking to someone was huge for me.
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Luis Johnson
Just remember that even if you get approved, your benefits will be based on your earnings history from the past year, not your most recent job. So if you haven't been working long at this job, your benefit amount might be lower than expected.
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Norah Quay
•I worked at a different job before this one earlier in the year, so hopefully that helps with the benefit calculation.
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Ellie Kim
•Yeah they look at your total earnings over the past 4 quarters, so multiple jobs can actually help your benefit amount.
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Fiona Sand
One more thing - make sure your contact information is up to date in your Washington ESD account. They need to be able to reach you for any interviews or additional information requests.
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Norah Quay
•Good reminder, I should double-check all my contact info before I submit the application.
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Mohammad Khaled
•And check your spam folder regularly! Sometimes their emails end up there.
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Alina Rosenthal
The bottom line is file your claim now and let Washington ESD make the determination. You've got nothing to lose and potentially benefits to gain. Performance issues are usually not considered misconduct.
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Norah Quay
•That's the consensus I'm getting from everyone. Thanks for all the helpful advice! I'm going to file my claim right now.
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Finnegan Gunn
•Good luck with your claim! Hope it goes smoothly for you.
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Miguel Harvey
I had a similar experience and used Claimyr when I needed to check on my claim status during adjudication. The video demo on their site really shows how the service works if anyone's curious about it.
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Ashley Simian
•I might check that out if my claim gets complicated. The regular Washington ESD phone lines are impossible to get through on.
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Oliver Cheng
•Same here, I've been trying to call for weeks with no luck. Might be worth looking into.
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Taylor To
Update us on how it goes! Always interested to hear how these cases turn out, especially since yours sounds pretty straightforward for approval.
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Norah Quay
•Will do! I'll post an update once I hear back from Washington ESD. Fingers crossed it goes smoothly.
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Ella Cofer
•Hope it works out for you! Sounds like you have a good case based on what everyone's saying here.
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