Washington ESD unemployment benefits after getting fired - can I claim?

Yes, you can definitely file for unemployment benefits even if you were fired. Washington ESD doesn't automatically deny claims for termination. What matters is whether you were fired for 'misconduct' or not. Performance issues usually don't count as misconduct unless they involve willful disregard of your job duties. You should absolutely file your claim right away since there's a waiting period.

I got fired last year for being late too many times and still got approved for benefits. File your claim online at esd.wa.gov and be honest about what happened. They'll investigate and make a decision.

The key thing is to file immediately. Don't wait to see if you can get another job first. Your benefit year starts when you file, not when you get approved. And make sure you have all your employment information ready - dates, wages, reason for separation.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD by phone to ask questions about your claim, I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to an agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked when I couldn't get through on my own.

This is exactly what happened to me! Got fired for 'performance' but it was really retaliation for filing a complaint. I filed for unemployment anyway and got approved after they did their investigation. Your employer has to prove misconduct, not just say you were a bad employee.

When you file, you'll need to report exactly what your employer told you about why you were fired. Don't try to guess or interpret - just state the facts. If they said performance issues, write performance issues.

ugh the washington esd system is so confusing. i got fired 3 months ago and im still fighting with them about my claim. they said i quit but i was definitely fired. now i have to do some appeal thing

I work in HR and see this all the time. Being fired for performance doesn't automatically disqualify you from unemployment. Washington ESD looks at whether you were willfully violating company policies or just couldn't meet the standards despite trying.

File online at esd.wa.gov and make sure you start doing your weekly claims right away even if your initial claim is still being processed. You don't want to miss any weeks.

Just wanted to say don't give up if your claim gets denied initially. Lots of people win on appeal even when their first claim gets rejected. The initial decision isn't always right.

Make sure you document everything about your termination while it's still fresh in your memory. Write down exactly what was said, who was there, dates, etc. This could be important if your employer contests your claim.

I tried calling Washington ESD yesterday about my claim status and was on hold for 3 hours before getting disconnected. Someone mentioned Claimyr earlier - has anyone actually used it successfully?

Another thing to remember - if your claim goes into adjudication, don't panic. That just means they're investigating the circumstances of your termination. It's pretty normal for fired employees.

The Washington ESD website has a lot of good information about eligibility. Look for the section on separation issues - it explains what counts as misconduct and what doesn't.

Don't let your employer intimidate you into not filing. They might tell you that you won't qualify or that it will hurt your chances of getting hired elsewhere. That's not true.

I got fired for 'insubordination' last year because I refused to do something unsafe. Still got my unemployment benefits after Washington ESD investigated. Safety complaints are protected.

If you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your specific situation, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier might be worth trying. I've heard good things about it from other people who couldn't get through the regular phone lines.

Just to add - make sure you're actively looking for work and keeping a job search log. You'll need to certify that you're looking for work when you file your weekly claims.

One last thing - if you do get approved, your benefits will be based on your earnings over the past year, not just your last job. So don't worry if your final paycheck was smaller than usual.

You should also know that even if your employer contests your claim, you can still receive benefits while the appeal process is going on. You just might have to pay them back if the appeal doesn't go your way.