Washington ESD - if i get fired am i eligible for unemployment benefits?
So I'm pretty sure my boss is about to fire me next week and I'm wondering if I can get unemployment from Washington ESD. I've been working at this retail job for about 8 months and my manager has been writing me up for being late a few times and some customer complaints. Nothing too serious I think but they seem to be building a case. If they terminate me will I be able to file for UI benefits? I really need the income while I look for something else.
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Chloe Davis
It depends on why you're being fired. Washington ESD will approve your claim if you're terminated for reasons outside your control, but if it's for misconduct they might disqualify you. Being late repeatedly could be considered misconduct, but minor infractions usually aren't enough for a complete disqualification.
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Omar Farouk
AuthorWhat counts as misconduct exactly? I was maybe 10-15 minutes late like 3 times in the past 2 months, nothing major.
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Chloe Davis
Washington ESD looks at whether you willfully violated company policy. A few instances of tardiness usually won't disqualify you unless it was part of a pattern of deliberate misconduct.
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AstroAlpha
You should definitely apply even if you're not sure. Let Washington ESD make the determination. The worst they can do is say no, but if you don't apply you definitely won't get benefits.
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Omar Farouk
AuthorGood point, I'll file as soon as they let me go. How long does it usually take to get approved?
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AstroAlpha
Usually 2-3 weeks if there are no issues, but if your employer contests it could take longer for adjudication.
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Diego Chavez
I was in a similar situation last year - got fired for attendance issues. Washington ESD initially denied my claim but I appealed and won. The key is documenting everything and showing you weren't being deliberately defiant. Also, if you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD on the phone, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Omar Farouk
AuthorThanks for the tip! How long did your appeal take to get resolved?
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Diego Chavez
About 6 weeks total, but it was worth it. I got all my back benefits once they approved it.
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Anastasia Smirnova
Never heard of Claimyr before, is it legit? I hate trying to call Washington ESD.
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Diego Chavez
Yeah it's real, saved me hours of redialing. Just helps you get through the phone queue.
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Sean O'Brien
MAKE SURE YOU DOCUMENT EVERYTHING! Get copies of any write-ups, save text messages or emails, keep a record of your actual work performance. If they contest your claim you'll need evidence that the firing wasn't justified misconduct.
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Omar Farouk
AuthorI don't have copies of the write-ups they gave me, think I can get them from HR?
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Sean O'Brien
You can request them but they might not give them to you once you're terminated. Try to get them before you're fired if possible.
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Zara Shah
this happened to my friend too and she got unemployment no problem even though she was fired for calling in sick too much
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Chloe Davis
That's because illness-related absences usually aren't considered misconduct, especially if she had legitimate medical reasons.
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Zara Shah
oh ok that makes sense, she was actually sick not just skipping work
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Luca Bianchi
Washington ESD is a joke anyway, they'll probably lose your paperwork or put you in adjudication hell for months. The whole system is designed to deny claims and make you give up.
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AstroAlpha
That's not really fair - most claims get processed without major issues. The problems usually happen when there are eligibility questions that need investigation.
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Luca Bianchi
Tell that to my cousin who's been waiting 8 weeks for his claim to get approved while Washington ESD 'investigates' whether he quit or was fired.
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GalacticGuardian
You mentioned customer complaints - what kind of complaints? If it's something like theft or harassment that could definitely be considered gross misconduct and would disqualify you.
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Omar Farouk
AuthorNothing like that, just stuff like not being friendly enough or not following up on returns properly. Customer service type issues.
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GalacticGuardian
Those sound like performance issues rather than misconduct. Washington ESD usually doesn't disqualify for poor performance unless it was willful.
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Anastasia Smirnova
When you do apply make sure you have all your employment info ready - dates, wages, reason for separation. Washington ESD needs all that stuff for your claim.
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Omar Farouk
AuthorDo I need pay stubs or will they get that info from my employer?
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Anastasia Smirnova
They'll get it from your employer but having your own records helps if there are any discrepancies.
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Nia Harris
I got fired from a warehouse job 2 years ago for safety violations and still got unemployment. Washington ESD said the violations weren't serious enough to be considered misconduct. Every case is different though.
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Omar Farouk
AuthorThat's encouraging! Did your employer try to fight it?
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Nia Harris
They contested it initially but Washington ESD sided with me during the phone interview. Having documentation of my overall good performance helped.
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Diego Chavez
Just to follow up on the Claimyr thing - if you end up needing to talk to Washington ESD about your claim status or appeal, it's seriously worth checking out. I wasted so many hours trying to get through on my own.
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Mateo Gonzalez
How much does it cost though? I'm already going to be broke if I lose my job.
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Diego Chavez
I don't remember the exact cost but it was way cheaper than taking unpaid time off work to sit on hold all day.
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Aisha Ali
The most important thing is to file your claim as soon as you're terminated. Don't wait around trying to figure out if you're eligible - that's Washington ESD's job to determine.
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Omar Farouk
AuthorCan I file online or do I have to call?
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Aisha Ali
You can do it online through the Washington ESD website. Much easier than trying to get through on the phone initially.
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Ethan Moore
ugh dealing with unemployment is so stressful when you're already worried about money
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Omar Farouk
AuthorTell me about it, I'm already losing sleep over this whole situation.
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Ethan Moore
hang in there, at least you're being proactive about figuring out your options
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Yuki Nakamura
Also remember that even if Washington ESD initially denies your claim, you have the right to appeal. A lot of people don't realize that and just give up after the first denial.
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Omar Farouk
AuthorHow long do you have to file an appeal?
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Yuki Nakamura
I think it's 30 days from when you get the denial notice, but don't quote me on that. Check your denial letter for the exact deadline.
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StarSurfer
The fact that you're asking about this ahead of time shows you're thinking smart. Most people wait until after they're fired and then panic.
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Omar Farouk
AuthorYeah I figured I should know my options before it happens. Thanks everyone for all the advice!
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Carmen Reyes
One more thing - if you do get approved, don't forget about the job search requirements. Washington ESD requires you to actively look for work and log your job search activities.
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Omar Farouk
AuthorHow many jobs do you have to apply for each week?
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Carmen Reyes
I think it's 3 job search activities per week, but it doesn't have to be just applications. Networking, training, and other activities count too.
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Chloe Davis
That's correct - 3 job search activities per week and you need to keep records of everything you do.
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Andre Moreau
Being fired sucks but at least you have some options. Better than being in limbo not knowing what's going to happen.
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Omar Farouk
AuthorTrue, I'd rather know one way or the other so I can plan accordingly.
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Zoe Christodoulou
My advice is to start looking for new jobs now even before you get fired. That way if you do get unemployment you're already ahead of the game on your job search requirements.
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Omar Farouk
AuthorGood idea, I've been putting off updating my resume but I should probably do that this weekend.
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Zoe Christodoulou
Exactly! Better to be prepared than scrambling later.
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Jamal Thompson
Washington ESD has gotten better about processing claims than they were during the pandemic, so don't let the horror stories scare you too much.
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Luca Bianchi
Better is relative - they're still a bureaucratic nightmare half the time.
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Jamal Thompson
Fair point, but most straightforward claims do get processed without major issues these days.
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Mei Chen
Keep us posted on how it goes! Hoping everything works out for you.
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Omar Farouk
AuthorWill do, thanks again everyone. This thread has been super helpful!
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Diego Chavez
Last thought - if you do need to contact Washington ESD and are having trouble getting through, seriously check out that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier. It made such a difference when I was dealing with my appeal. The video demo really shows how much time it can save you.
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CosmicCadet
I might have to try that myself, I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for a week about my own claim issue.
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Diego Chavez
Definitely worth it if you're stuck in phone hell. Way better than spending your whole day redialing.
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