Just got terminated yesterday - can I file ESD unemployment while interviewing for new jobs?

First, take a deep breath! This happens to good employees all the time. For your ESD question - YES, file immediately. There's a one-week waiting period anyway, and you can always stop claiming if you get hired. For the interview, keep it simple and professional - say something like \

Thank you so much for this advice! I've applied for benefits right after posting this. I like the \

definetly file for uI right away!! i was in the same boat last year got fired on a wednesday and had interview friday. told the new place it was a mismatch of expectaions and they didnt even care. got the job AND my unemployment for the 3 weeks between. the ESD website is a nightmare tho, took me like 6 tries to get my claim actually submitted

That's really encouraging to hear! Did you have any issues with your claim being questioned since you were fired vs laid off? I'm worried about being denied.

ya they put me in adjudication for like 2 weeks but i got approved. just make sure u answer everything honestly but dont volunteer extra info that makes u look bad

You absolutely need to file for unemployment ASAP - it's not like they give you the money right away anyway. It takes forever. And the job search requirements don't kick in for a bit. As for the interview, DO NOT SAY YOU WERE FIRED!!! That's interview suicide! Just say \

Thanks for this. Just to clarify - on the ESD application it asks for reason for separation. Would I still put \

With ESD you HAVE to be honest. Put the actual reason they gave you for termination, but when they contact your employer, they'll ask if you're eligible for rehire, which you said you are. If your employer confirms that, you should be fine. Just be prepared for adjudication where you'll need to explain your side. For the INTERVIEW though, that's where you use the more neutral language!

If you're having trouble reaching ESD to ask questions about your claim (which is likely given how busy they are), try using Claimyr. It helped me get through to an actual ESD agent when I was in a similar situation - fired right before I had interviews lined up. You can check out their website at claimyr.com or see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. I was skeptical at first but it saved me hours of frustration when I needed to explain my specific termination situation to ESD.

does that service actually work?? I've been trying to get through to ESD for 2 weeks with no luck

It worked for me! I got through to ESD in about 25 minutes instead of spending days hitting redial. Was especially helpful when my claim went to adjudication and I needed to explain my side of the termination.

One thing no one has mentioned yet - if you file for UI and then get the job, you'll need to report any hours/pay when you do your weekly claims. If you work full-time hours (even at a new job), you won't receive benefits for those weeks, but your claim stays open for a year. This is important because if the new job doesn't work out during your benefit year, you can resume claiming without filing a whole new application.\n\nFor the interview explanation, I'd recommend using \

I didn't know that about the claim staying open! That's really helpful. The interview went okay - I used the \

LOL just tell them the TRUTH!!! These companies ALWAYS lie about why they fire people to avoid lawsuits. I BET you were really fired because of age discrimination or something else illegal and they made up \

I strongly advise against this approach. While honesty is important, badmouthing former employers in interviews is universally considered a red flag, regardless of whether your complaints are justified. It's about demonstrating professional communication and emotional intelligence in difficult situations.

DISAGREE!! I've always been 100% honest in interviews and gotten plenty of jobs. These HR people can smell fake corporate speak a mile away. But whatever, the OP can decide what works for them.

Update us on how the interview went! And for your ESD claim, make sure you carefully explain your side of the termination story. When I got let go last year, it went to adjudication and they actually sided with me because my employer couldn't provide documentation of the supposed performance issues. They'll give you a chance to tell your side, but it might be a few weeks before they contact you for that.

Interview went better than expected! They seemed to accept my explanation without digging too deep. As for ESD, I filed this morning and got a confirmation number, so now I guess I wait? The confirmation page said something about sending in job search logs starting week 3.

Great news about the interview! For the job search logs, you'll need to do 3 job search activities each week and document them. Keep detailed records even before you're required to submit them - the date, company name, position, how you applied, contact info, etc. ESD can audit these later. Hope you get the job so you don't need benefits for long!

i got fired from amazn last year and i just told interviewrs it was cuz of layoffs lol no one ever checks

This is risky advice. Some companies absolutely DO check, especially larger ones with formal reference processes. Better to be truthful but strategic in how you frame things.

Important ESD info: When you file, they'll eventually contact your former employer who will give their reason for termination. If it conflicts with yours, or if they claim misconduct, your claim will go to adjudication. During this time, CONTINUE FILING WEEKLY CLAIMS even though you won't receive payments until adjudication resolves. The adjudicator will contact both you and your employer for statements.\n\nSince you mentioned you're rehireable, that's a good sign your employer isn't claiming serious misconduct, which improves your chances. Even performance-based terminations often qualify for benefits if you were genuinely trying to meet expectations. Being fired for simple inability to meet performance standards (despite good faith efforts) usually doesn't disqualify you from benefits.

Thank you for explaining this so clearly! This whole process is new to me. My former employer said they'd

That's very good news! If they said they won't contest it, that usually means they'll either not respond to ESD's inquiry (which typically results in automatic approval after a deadline) or they'll confirm the separation without claiming disqualifying misconduct. Still, continue filing weekly claims and meeting job search requirements just to be safe.