If you get fired can you collect unemployment - Washington ESD rules?

What exactly counts as misconduct though? They said I wasn't meeting productivity standards but I was never written up or given any formal warnings.

Misconduct has to be deliberate or connected to willful disregard of company policies. Poor performance alone usually isn't misconduct unless you were actively refusing to do your job or ignoring direct instructions.

Did your employer try to fight it? I'm worried they'll contest my claim and say I was fired for cause.

They did contest it initially but I provided documentation showing I was never disciplined and the adjudicator sided with me. Make sure you keep any emails or paperwork from your termination.

Never heard of that service - does it actually work? I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for two weeks about my adjudication.

Yeah it definitely works. They handle all the calling and waiting for you, then connect you directly to an Washington ESD agent. Way better than spending your whole day redialing.

What if they said you weren't following safety protocols? Would that count as misconduct?

Depends if it was willful. If you genuinely didn't know the protocol or made an honest mistake, probably not misconduct. If you knew the rules and deliberately ignored them, then yes.

This is correct. Washington ESD looks at whether the behavior was deliberate and whether you had knowledge of the policy you allegedly violated.

How long does the whole process usually take? I really need to know when I might see some money coming in.

If there's no dispute, you could see payments within 2-3 weeks. If your employer contests and it goes to adjudication, could be 4-6 weeks or longer.

This is exactly why I used claimyr when I had adjudication issues. They got me through to an agent same day and I was able to get my claim moving again.

might have to try that... getting desperate here

Probation period doesn't matter for unemployment purposes. What matters is whether you have enough work history to qualify for benefits and whether the termination was for misconduct.

Good to know. I worked for 8 months at my previous job before this one so I should have enough work history.

Should I mention that I think they were looking for a reason to fire me? Or just stick to what they officially said?

Just state the official reason they gave you. You can provide additional context if Washington ESD asks during the investigation, but keep your initial application factual.

How did you prove that the real reason was retaliation? Did you have documentation?

I had emails where I reported the safety issues and then suddenly started getting negative reviews. The timing was pretty obvious.

Exactly! My manager tried to tell me I couldn't get benefits but I filed anyway and got approved.

When do I start doing the weekly claims? Right after I file or after I get approved?

You start filing weekly claims the week after you become unemployed, even if your claim is still being processed. Don't wait for approval.

How much does that service cost? Seems like something that would be expensive.

It's worth it when you consider how much time you save not having to call repeatedly. Much better than losing whole days trying to get through on your own.

Three times?? What kind of jobs were you working?

Retail mostly. High turnover industry. Sometimes they just decide they don't like you and find a reason to get rid of you.

That's good to know. I was worried I'd be wasting my time if they were going to deny me anyway.

Good point about appeals. A lot of people don't realize they can fight the initial decision if they disagree with it.

Glad it worked for you! Saves so much hassle compared to the regular phone system.

That's encouraging. I might need to use that service too if I run into problems with my claim.

Thanks everyone for all the advice. Going to file my claim this afternoon. Feeling much more confident about it now.