Washington ESD unemployment after being fired for tardiness - can I still collect benefits?

You can definitely apply for benefits. Being late occasionally usually doesn't qualify as gross misconduct that would disqualify you from UI benefits. Washington ESD looks at whether your actions were willful and substantial. If you had legitimate reasons and weren't repeatedly warned, you might have a good case.

I got fired for attendance issues last year and still qualified for unemployment. The key is that it has to be willful misconduct, not just poor performance or isolated incidents. Three times in two months with valid reasons probably won't meet their misconduct threshold.

Just went through this exact situation. My claim was initially denied but I appealed and won. If Washington ESD denies your claim initially, don't give up. The appeal process really examines whether the employer followed proper progressive discipline procedures. Since you mentioned no formal write-ups, that works in your favor. I used Claimyr to get through to an agent quickly when I had questions about my case - they have a service that helps you reach Washington ESD by phone without waiting on hold for hours. Check out claimyr.com and their demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ

File your claim immediately regardless. Even if there's a chance of denial, you want to get your claim date established. The worst thing you can do is wait and potentially lose weeks of benefits while you're deciding whether to apply.

This whole system is so frustrating. Employers can fire you for almost anything and then you have to prove you deserve benefits. I got fired for being 5 minutes late ONCE and had to fight for months to get my unemployment approved. At least Washington ESD eventually sided with me but the stress was unreal.

Make sure you document everything about your termination. Get a copy of your employee handbook if possible, any emails about the incidents, and write down exactly what happened each time you were late. Washington ESD will want specifics if they do an investigation.

Same thing happened to my brother except he was late like 10 times in a month and still got unemployment lol. I think you'll be fine with just 3 times especially with good reasons.

One more thing - when you do your phone interview with Washington ESD (if they schedule one), be honest but focus on the legitimate reasons you were late. Don't volunteer information about other times you might have been late that weren't documented. Stick to the facts of your termination.

I'm dealing with something similar right now. Got fired for being late due to childcare issues. Filed my claim 2 weeks ago and still haven't heard anything from Washington ESD. The waiting is killing me.

Whatever you do, don't let your former employer intimidate you into not filing. Some employers will try to discourage you by saying you won't qualify. File anyway and let Washington ESD make the determination.

Just remember that even if your initial claim gets denied, you have the right to appeal. The appeal process is more thorough and often overturns initial denials, especially in cases like yours where the misconduct isn't clear-cut.

File your weekly claims even if your initial claim is under review. You can't get paid for weeks you don't claim, even if you're eventually approved. This is a mistake a lot of people make.

The job search requirement is still in effect too, so start looking for work and documenting your job search activities right away. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week.

Been there done that. Got fired for tardiness and ended up getting full benefits. The key is being able to show your lateness wasn't intentional or habitual. Car trouble and family emergencies are legitimate reasons that most reasonable people would understand.

Don't stress too much about it. Washington ESD is generally fair about these situations. They understand that life happens and occasional tardiness with valid reasons isn't the same as chronic attendance problems or willful misconduct.

Make sure you understand the difference between being fired for cause versus misconduct. Being late can be cause for termination but not necessarily misconduct that disqualifies you from benefits. That's an important distinction Washington ESD makes.

Whatever happens, don't give up if you get an initial denial. I've seen so many people just accept the denial and never appeal when they probably would have won. The appeal process exists for a reason and it's more thorough than the initial review.

I had a similar situation except I was late due to public transit issues. Washington ESD approved my claim after I explained the circumstances. They really do look at the whole picture, not just the fact that you were terminated.

Bottom line - file your claim, be honest about what happened, and don't assume you won't qualify. Washington ESD deals with these situations all the time and they're pretty good at distinguishing between genuine misconduct and isolated incidents with valid explanations.

I went through something very similar about 6 months ago. Got terminated for being late 4 times over 3 months due to various legitimate issues (sick child, car breakdown, etc.). I was really stressed about whether I'd qualify since I was technically fired, but Washington ESD approved my claim without any issues. The fact that you had valid reasons for each incident and weren't formally disciplined beforehand really works in your favor. They understand that life happens and occasional tardiness with legitimate explanations isn't the same as willful misconduct. I'd definitely recommend filing as soon as possible - even if there's any uncertainty, you want to get your claim date established. The worst they can do is say no, but from what you've described, I think you have a solid case. Don't let the termination scare you away from applying for benefits you're likely entitled to.