Washington ESD unemployment benefits after being terminated - am I eligible?

Yes, you can potentially get unemployment benefits even if you were terminated, but it depends on the reason. Washington ESD will review your case during adjudication to determine if you were fired for misconduct or just poor performance. Performance issues usually don't disqualify you unless there was willful misconduct involved.

File your claim right away! Don't wait. Even if Washington ESD needs to adjudicate your case, you want to get the process started. I was terminated last year and it took 3 weeks for them to make a decision, but I eventually got approved.

I had similar issues trying to get through to Washington ESD when I was going through adjudication. Spent hours on hold every day trying to check my claim status. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real person at Washington ESD. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Really helped me get answers about my case.

The key thing is whether your termination was for 'misconduct connected with work.' Simple poor performance usually doesn't count as misconduct under Washington ESD rules. Things like theft, harassment, or willful violation of company policy would be misconduct.

ugh the washington esd system is so confusing!! why cant they just tell you yes or no right away instead of making you wait weeks for adjudication

Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even during adjudication! A lot of people don't realize this and then they miss out on back pay if they get approved.

Been through this exact situation. Performance termination after 8 months - sounds familiar. Washington ESD approved my claim but it took almost a month. The waiting is the worst part.

What industry were you in? Some employers are more likely to fight unemployment claims than others. Retail and food service usually don't contest unless it's really bad.

Whatever you do, don't lie about anything to Washington ESD. They can verify employment info and if they catch you in a lie, you'll be disqualified for sure.

The Washington ESD adjudication process isn't fun but it's not as scary as it sounds. They'll send you a questionnaire about your termination, and your employer gets one too. Just be honest and provide details.

I've been using Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD and it's been a lifesaver. Way better than trying to call at 8am sharp and still not getting through.

File immediately and start looking for work right away. Even if you get approved, you'll need to meet job search requirements to keep getting benefits.

man i feel for you. getting fired sucks even when its not your fault. at least washington esd is usually reasonable about performance issues vs real misconduct

Make sure you have your employer's exact reason for termination. If they told you one thing but report something different to Washington ESD, that could help your case.

The Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier actually worked for me too. I was stuck in adjudication hell for weeks and couldn't get anyone on the phone at Washington ESD. Used their service and finally got to talk to someone who explained exactly what was happening with my case.

Don't let them intimidate you during the process. Employers sometimes try to make terminations sound worse than they were to avoid paying unemployment taxes.

You'll be fine. Performance issues are way different from misconduct in Washington ESD's eyes. Just file your claim and be patient with the adjudication process.