Washington ESD - are you eligible for unemployment if fired from your job?

That's somewhat reassuring. Should I mention the bus situation when I file my claim?

Absolutely. Document everything - bus schedules, any communication with your employer about the transportation issues, and whether you tried to resolve the problem.

How long did the investigation take? I'm worried about the adjudication process taking forever.

Mine took about 3 weeks. They contacted my former employer and me separately to get both sides of the story.

I'll start the application process today. Do I need to mention I was fired or can I just say I'm no longer employed?

You have to be honest about being terminated. Lying on your unemployment application is fraud. But being fired for tardiness isn't the same as being fired for theft or violence.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already tight on money after losing my job.

It's worth checking out their site for details. For me, getting through to resolve my claim was more important than continuing to waste time on hold.

Never heard of this service before. Seems weird that you'd need to pay someone to call a government agency for you.

How did the appeal process work? Was it complicated?

Not too bad actually. You just have to write a letter explaining your side and they'll schedule a hearing. The hearing officer was actually pretty fair.

This is really helpful. I definitely wasn't trying to hurt my employer - I genuinely had bus issues and tried to make up the time.

Did you ever talk to your boss about changing your schedule or finding solutions? That could help show you weren't being willfully negligent.

Good point. I was hesitating because I thought getting fired meant automatic disqualification.

Lots of people get unemployment after being fired. The bar for misconduct is actually pretty high - it's not just poor performance.

I get that, but it wasn't like I was skipping work. The bus route to my job had major delays during construction season.

There's a difference between holding employees accountable and creating impossible situations. If public transit is unreliable, that's not really the employee's fault.

Fair enough. I guess it depends on whether the employer was aware of the transportation issues and worked with you on solutions.

Should I gather documentation about the bus delays and construction in my area?

Absolutely! Transit agency notices, construction schedules, anything that shows the delays were legitimate and not your fault.

That gives me hope. Did he have to go through an appeal or was he approved initially?

Initially denied, approved on appeal. The hearing officer said transportation issues weren't willful misconduct in his case.

I'm curious about this too. The regular phone number for Washington ESD is basically unusable.

Yeah, I spent literally weeks trying to get through the normal way. This actually worked and saved me so much frustration.

Starting the application right after I post this. Thanks everyone for the encouragement and advice.

Good luck! Remember you have appeal rights if the initial decision doesn't go your way.

This whole thread has been really helpful. I was convinced I wouldn't qualify but now I feel like I have a real chance.

The worst they can do is say no, and then you can appeal. Don't give up before you even try.

I did try leaving earlier but the construction delays were so unpredictable. Some days I'd be 20 minutes early, other days still late despite leaving at the same time.

That actually helps your case - shows you were making good faith efforts to be on time.

I never thought about employers having financial incentives to contest claims. That makes sense though.

Exactly. Their UI rates can increase based on claims, so some employers will contest even legitimate claims.

Seems like a few people have had good experiences with it. I'll keep it in mind if I run into problems with my claim.

The Washington ESD phone system is legitimately broken. Any service that can actually get you through to a human is probably worth it.

Thank you so much for all the detailed advice. I'm feeling much more confident about filing now.

This has been a really informative thread. Good luck with your claim!

I really appreciate everyone taking the time to help. Going to file my claim this afternoon and gather all my documentation about the bus issues.

Keep us posted on how it goes! These threads help other people in similar situations.