Washington ESD unemployment benefits after getting fired - what qualifies?

You can definitely apply for unemployment even if you were fired! Washington ESD looks at whether you were fired for 'misconduct' or not. Poor performance usually doesn't count as misconduct unless it was willful or you ignored repeated warnings. Since you mentioned safety complaints, that could actually work in your favor if they retaliated against you.

got fired myself 2 months ago and got approved for benefits after they investigated. took about 3 weeks for the adjudication process but they ruled in my favor. you should file asap don't wait

I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD when my claim got stuck in adjudication for misconduct review. Spent hours on hold every day for weeks. Finally found this service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to an agent in like 20 minutes. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved my sanity honestly.

The key factors Washington ESD considers for misconduct are: was it willful, was it work-related, and did it harm the employer's interests. Simply being bad at your job usually doesn't meet this standard. However, things like theft, violence, or repeatedly ignoring direct orders would be misconduct. Your situation sounds like it might qualify for benefits.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS RIGGED! They'll find any excuse to deny your claim and then you have to fight for months to get what you deserve. I got fired for 'attitude problems' which is complete BS but they still made me jump through hoops for 2 months before approving my benefits.

Don't let negative experiences scare you off from applying. Most cases get resolved without needing appeals. The important thing is to file your initial claim right away and be completely honest about the circumstances of your termination. Washington ESD will investigate and make a fair determination.

same thing happened to my brother except he got fired right after he filed a workers comp claim. obvious retaliation but they still had to go through the whole adjudication process. took forever but he won in the end

One important note - even if your employer contests your claim, you should continue filing your weekly claims during the adjudication process. If you're ultimately approved, you'll receive backpay for those weeks. If you stop filing, you could lose those benefits even if you win your case.

also make sure you're doing your job search requirements even during adjudication. they still expect you to be looking for work and keeping track of your contacts

Don't worry too much about the adjudication process. I got fired for 'not being a good fit' which sounds similar to your situation and I was approved without any issues. Washington ESD is pretty fair about distinguishing between actual misconduct and employer excuses.

I got denied initially for 'poor performance' but won on appeal. The hearing officer said that unless the poor performance was willful or the employee ignored specific training/warnings, it doesn't constitute misconduct. Document everything and don't give up if you get denied at first.

If you do need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your claim status or adjudication, I highly recommend checking out Claimyr. I was stuck trying to reach them for weeks about my misconduct determination and Claimyr got me through immediately. Way better than spending all day redialing.

Here's what I wish someone had told me: file immediately, be completely honest, keep all documentation, continue filing weekly claims even during adjudication, and don't panic if your employer contests it. Most wrongful termination cases where there wasn't actual misconduct get approved eventually.

got fired for attendance issues but still got approved because I had medical documentation for most of the absences. the key is having documentation to support your side of the story

One thing to watch out for - some employers will lie or exaggerate the reasons for termination when Washington ESD contacts them. Make sure you have your own documentation to counter any false claims they might make during the investigation.

if they try to claim you were fired for misconduct, you'll get a chance to respond during the fact-finding process. don't panic if you get a letter asking for more information - just answer honestly and provide any supporting documents

The bottom line is that Washington state generally favors workers in unemployment cases unless there's clear evidence of serious misconduct. Poor performance or personality conflicts usually aren't enough to disqualify you from benefits.

Make sure to file online through the Washington ESD website as soon as possible. The sooner you file, the sooner your benefit year starts. Even if there's adjudication, you'll get backpay from your filing date if approved.

Good luck with your claim! Remember that getting fired doesn't automatically disqualify you - it all depends on the specific circumstances. Based on what you've described, you have a good chance of being approved.