Washington ESD unemployment eligibility after being fired for performance - can you still collect?

You can definitely apply! Getting fired for performance issues doesn't automatically disqualify you from UI benefits in Washington. The key distinction is between misconduct (which disqualifies you) and poor performance or inability to do the job (which usually doesn't). Performance issues are generally considered a mismatch between you and the position rather than willful misconduct. File your claim as soon as possible - there's a waiting period anyway.

i got fired for performance last year and got approved for unemployment no problem. took like 3 weeks though because they had to do some kind of investigation thing

The Washington ESD will look at whether your termination was due to misconduct or just poor performance. Misconduct typically involves things like theft, harassment, insubordination, or willful violation of company policies. Simply not being good at your job or not meeting expectations usually isn't considered misconduct. Make sure to file your weekly claims even during the adjudication period - you can get backpay if approved.

I had a similar situation and spent weeks trying to get through to Washington ESD to check on my adjudication status. The phone lines are absolutely terrible - kept getting hung up on after waiting for hours. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real person at Washington ESD in like 20 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Totally worth it when you're stressed about your claim status.

PERFORMANCE FIRING IS NOT THE SAME AS MISCONDUCT!!! I can't believe how many people think getting fired automatically disqualifies you. Washington state specifically protects workers who get terminated for performance reasons. The employer has to prove you did something willfully wrong, not just that you weren't good at the job. Fight for your benefits!

Just make sure you have documentation about the performance issues if possible. Like emails about training requests, performance review copies, anything showing you were trying to improve. It helps if there's an adjudication hearing.

been there done that. got fired from retail job for being too slow apparently. filed for unemployment and got it no problem. washington esd was actually pretty reasonable about the whole thing

I'm confused about the difference between performance and misconduct. What if your boss says you were insubordinate because you questioned their feedback about your performance?

The adjudication process can be nerve-wracking but it's there to protect both employees and employers. Washington ESD takes a pretty balanced approach from what I've seen. They'll interview both parties and look at the facts.

File ASAP because there's a one-week waiting period before benefits start anyway. Even if your claim goes into adjudication, you want to get that waiting week out of the way. And definitely keep filing your weekly claims during the process.

Same boat here - got let go last month for not hitting sales targets. Washington ESD approved my claim after about 2 weeks of adjudication. The key was being able to show I was making good faith efforts to improve but the targets were unrealistic. Document everything!

Pro tip: when you're going through adjudication and need to talk to Washington ESD, don't waste hours calling their main line. I used a service that got me through immediately - way less stressful than the usual phone nightmare. Really helped me get clarity on my claim status.

The most important thing is to be completely honest in your application and any interviews. Don't try to spin the story or hide details. Washington ESD investigators can usually tell when someone's being evasive, and it hurts your credibility.

Make sure you understand the job search requirements too. Once your claim is approved, you'll need to log job search activities. Don't wait until the last minute to figure that part out.

I went through something similar and my biggest mistake was not appealing fast enough when I initially got denied. Don't panic if you get a denial letter - you have 30 days to appeal and many performance-based denials get overturned on appeal.

Quick question - does it matter what industry you're in? I've heard tech companies sometimes fight unemployment claims more aggressively than other industries.

Bottom line: performance termination ≠ misconduct in Washington state. File your claim and let Washington ESD sort it out. Worst case scenario, you get denied and can appeal. Best case, you get approved and have income while job searching. Nothing to lose by trying.

For what it's worth, I've seen way more performance-based claims get approved than denied. Washington state seems to err on the side of supporting workers who genuinely tried to do their job but it just wasn't a good fit.

One last tip: if you do end up needing to talk to Washington ESD during the process and can't get through on the phone, that Claimyr service people mentioned earlier actually works. I was skeptical at first but it saved me so much time and stress when I needed to clarify something about my adjudication.