Washington ESD unemployment benefits if fired from job - do I qualify?

Thanks, that's encouraging. I had a couple absences for being sick and one for my kid's emergency room visit. Hopefully they'll see those as legitimate reasons.

Yeah definitely file. I got fired for what my boss called 'poor performance' but Washington ESD approved my claim because they said it wasn't misconduct, just not being good enough at the job which isn't my fault really.

Good to know they contact the employer. I'm worried my supervisor might exaggerate the attendance thing but I kept records of when I called in sick.

Keep those records! If Washington ESD denies your claim initially, you can appeal and provide documentation. I had to do that when my employer lied about why I was fired.

3 weeks isn't too bad. Did you have to do anything special during the investigation or just wait?

Just had to do a phone interview where they asked about the circumstances. I explained about the bus route changes and provided my attendance record. Pretty straightforward.

Yes! And make sure you're documenting your job search activities. Washington ESD requires 3 job search activities per week and they can audit your search log at any time.

Good point about the job search requirement. I should start keeping track of applications even before my claim gets approved.

Interesting, never heard of that before. Is it legit? I've heard stories about people getting charged for things that should be free.

Yeah it's legit, they just help you get through the phone system. I used it when my claim was stuck in adjudication and couldn't get answers any other way. Made the whole process much less stressful.

I've used Claimyr too - it's really helpful when you need to reach an actual person at Washington ESD instead of just the automated system. Wish I'd known about it earlier.

That's reassuring. How long does the appeals process usually take?

It varies but usually a few months. You can represent yourself or get help from a lawyer. The important thing is to keep filing your weekly claims even during the appeal process.

This is true. I work in HR and we rarely challenge unemployment claims unless there was really serious misconduct like theft or violence. Most attendance issues aren't worth fighting over.

That makes me feel better. I was a good employee otherwise, just had some attendance problems due to circumstances mostly beyond my control.

Good advice. I'll make sure to explain about being sick and my kid's ER visit, not just that I missed work.

Yes, context matters a lot. I got approved even though I was fired because I explained the whole situation honestly and provided documentation.

You're right, I should probably file today. No point in waiting and potentially missing out on benefits I might be entitled to.

Exactly. The earlier you file, the earlier your claim can be processed. Even if there's an investigation, at least the clock starts ticking.

Sorry to hear about your experience. Did you eventually get approved on appeal or are you still fighting it?

I did get approved on appeal but it took 4 months total. Just saying don't expect it to be easy or quick.

Every case is different though. Some people get approved right away, others have to appeal. It really depends on the specific circumstances and how well you can document your side of the story.

That's encouraging. Sounds like they do actually look at the circumstances rather than just automatically denying claims for fired employees.

Yeah they have to investigate. It's not just about being fired, it's about whether what you did was actually misconduct according to their definition.

Good luck with your claim! Sounds like you had legitimate reasons for questioning the safety issues.

Safety concerns are definitely not misconduct. I'd be surprised if they deny your claim for that. Might want to contact OSHA too if there were actual safety violations.

If you need to check on your adjudication status and can't get through to Washington ESD, that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier is really helpful for reaching an actual person who can give you updates.

You need to be honest about the reason for separation. They'll find out anyway when they contact your employer, and lying on your application is misconduct that will definitely disqualify you.

Yeah definitely be honest. Not worth risking getting caught in a lie over something that might not even disqualify you anyway.

They specifically ask about the reason for separation on the application. Just tell the truth - being fired doesn't automatically disqualify you but lying will.

That's good to hear. I've been worried that getting fired automatically means no benefits but sounds like that's not the case.

Washington ESD is generally pretty fair. The key is just being honest and providing documentation when you can. Don't stress too much about it.

Good for you! Hopefully the process goes smoothly. Remember to keep certifying your weekly claims even while they're investigating.

Glad you filed! Keep us posted on how it goes. Always good to hear real experiences with the Washington ESD process.

Great news! If you need to follow up on your claim status at any point, remember that Claimyr option I mentioned. Much easier than trying to get through the regular phone lines.