Washington ESD unemployment benefits if fired - do I qualify?

I did get written up twice for being late but never for missing entire days. Would that count as misconduct?

Hard to say without knowing all the details. Washington ESD will contact your employer and review their termination documentation during adjudication.

How long did it take for Washington ESD to make a decision on your claim?

About 3 weeks for the adjudication process. They called me and my former employer to get both sides of the story.

Is that like a paid service? I'm already broke from losing my job.

Yeah there's a cost but it was worth it to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD instead of getting hung up on constantly.

That's what I thought too. I tried to explain about my car breaking down but they didn't want to hear it.

Transportation issues usually aren't considered misconduct unless the employee made no effort to resolve them or notify the employer.

That's reassuring! I did have a couple warnings but I was trying to get my car fixed. Should I mention that in my application?

Absolutely mention you were working to resolve the transportation issue. Washington ESD wants to see you made good faith efforts.

Should I mention that I was looking for reliable transportation when I file my weekly claims?

Yes, document everything about your efforts to resolve the transportation issue. Keep records of repair attempts, alternate transportation you tried, etc.

Did you have to appeal or did they approve it on the first review?

first review but took forever. kept saying adjudication in progress

How long did it take for your claim to get approved? I'm worried about the wait time.

Mine took about 3 weeks because they had to do an adjudication to review why I was fired. But it was worth the wait!

What happens during this adjudication process? Do I need to provide documentation?

They'll do phone interviews with you and your employer. Bring any documentation about your car repairs or efforts to find alternative transportation. The more you can show you were trying to solve the problem, the better.

Just went through adjudication myself and it was stressful waiting for the decision. If you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your case, I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me through to an agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

I have receipts from the mechanic and texts I sent my supervisor about being late. Should I submit those?

Absolutely. Any documentation that shows you were trying to address the problem and communicate with your employer will help your case.

How do you appeal a Washington ESD decision? Is it complicated?

You have 30 days to file an appeal online or by mail. There's a hearing process where you can present your case to an administrative law judge.

You're right, I'll file today. Better to try than assume I won't qualify.

Exactly! And if they deny you initially, you can always appeal the decision.

What are the job search requirements? Do I need to apply to a certain number of jobs per week?

You need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep a log. Register with WorkSourceWA too if you haven't already.

How long was your adjudication stuck before you used that service?

About 5 weeks with no updates. After I got through to an agent they were able to tell me exactly what they needed from me to finalize the decision.

Good to know I'm not automatically disqualified. Thanks for sharing your experience!

same here got fired for being late and still got benefits. just be honest in your interview

That's what I'm worried about. I can't wait weeks without any income.

Look into local food banks and emergency assistance programs while you wait. Many cities have emergency rent assistance too.

That makes me feel better. My employer seemed pretty mad when they fired me so I'm sure they'll contest it.

Let them contest it. You still have a good chance of getting approved as long as you can show you weren't being deliberately irresponsible.

My employer contested mine too and I still won. The adjudicator was fair and listened to both sides.

That makes me feel a bit better. I was definitely trying to get to work on time, just had mechanical issues.

But if you had multiple warnings and didn't take steps to fix the transportation issue, they might still consider it misconduct.

I didn't know about filing weekly claims during adjudication. Thanks for that tip!

Yeah, a lot of people miss that and lose out on benefits. Keep filing every week no matter what the status shows.

That's not really helpful. Lots of people get approved on the first try, especially for attendance issues that aren't willful misconduct.

I'm just saying be prepared for them to initially deny it. The system is designed to discourage claims.

I actually got approved right away when I was fired for similar reasons. It depends on the specific circumstances.

I got one written warning but the other times were just verbal. Is that good or bad?

That's actually in your favor. Shows the employer didn't follow a consistent disciplinary process, which weakens their misconduct argument.

Definitely planning to be completely honest. I have nothing to hide, just had some car troubles.

Honesty is always the best policy with unemployment claims. They can usually tell when someone's not being straight with them.

I'm going to file right now. Thanks everyone for the advice and encouragement.

Definitely not giving up. I need these benefits to get back on my feet.

That's the right attitude. Document everything and be persistent with following up on your claim status.

Will do! Hoping it doesn't take too long since my situation seems pretty straightforward.

Good point. I'll make sure to keep detailed records of my job applications and be honest about everything.

Exactly. Honesty is always the best policy with Washington ESD, even if you think it might hurt your case.

might have to try that if my claim stays stuck much longer

The video demo I mentioned earlier shows exactly how it works - https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Pretty straightforward process.

Oh I didn't know about the waiting period. Thanks for the heads up.

Yeah it's standard. The first week you're eligible is called a waiting week - you file but don't get paid for that week.

Thanks, it's definitely been a rough couple of days but feeling more optimistic after all this advice.

Good to know. I'll keep that in mind if I need to go that route.

Agreed. I've seen plenty of people win on appeal even after being denied initially. Documentation is key.

That's really helpful to hear from someone on the employer side. I was worried they'd automatically side with the company.

Nope, Washington ESD is pretty fair about applying the misconduct standard. They know the difference between can't and won't.

I'll keep that in mind if I have trouble reaching them. Thanks!

Yeah, Claimyr was a lifesaver when I needed to get through to resolve my adjudication issue. Much easier than sitting on hold for hours.

Thanks for breaking it down simply. I feel much more confident about filing now.

The online filing is pretty straightforward too. Just have your employment history ready and answer everything honestly.

How many jobs do I need to apply for each week? I haven't started looking yet.

It's 3 job contacts per week in Washington. You can do applications, networking, job fairs, etc. Just keep good records of everything.

And register with WorkSourceWA - that's required too. They have job search resources that can help.

Thank you everyone for all the advice and encouragement. I'm going to file my claim today and feel much more prepared for the process now.

You've got this! Come back and let us know how it goes.