Washington ESD unemployment if fired for performance issues - can I still get benefits?

You can definitely file for unemployment even if you were terminated for performance issues. Washington ESD distinguishes between misconduct (which disqualifies you) and poor performance (which usually doesn't). Performance issues typically don't rise to the level of misconduct unless there was willful neglect or deliberate violations of company policy.

File your claim ASAP through the Washington ESD website. When they ask about why you left your job, be honest but frame it as 'discharged for performance' rather than 'fired.' The way you describe it matters. Your employer will have a chance to contest it but performance issues alone rarely lead to disqualification.

I had a similar situation and used Claimyr to get through to an Washington ESD agent when I had questions about my claim status. The service (claimyr.com) basically calls for you and gets you connected to a real person instead of dealing with busy signals. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Really saved me hours of trying to call myself.

washington esd will probably put your claim into adjudication since you were terminated. this means they'll investigate both sides of the story before approving or denying benefits. dont panic if your claim status shows pending for a few weeks - thats normal for these situations

UGH the whole system is so frustrating! I got fired for attendance issues (which were due to my kid being sick constantly) and it took them 5 WEEKS to approve my claim. Five weeks!! How are people supposed to survive that long without income?

One important thing to remember - even if your employer contests your claim, that doesn't mean you'll be denied. Washington ESD looks at the facts independently. They'll consider whether you were given adequate training, clear expectations, reasonable time to improve, etc. Poor performance alone isn't misconduct.

Make sure you keep copies of any documentation from your termination - final review, termination letter, etc. If Washington ESD contacts you for an interview during adjudication, having that paperwork ready helps support your case.

Been there myself. Got canned from my accounting job for 'not being detail-oriented enough' after 6 months. Still got unemployment though. The key is that performance issues aren't the same as willful misconduct. You weren't stealing or violating safety rules - you just couldn't meet their standards.

whatever you do DONT lie on your application. be honest about being terminated for performance. lying will get you in way more trouble than being fired ever could

Update on the Claimyr thing - I actually used it again this week to check on a different issue with my weekly claim. Still works great for avoiding the phone tree nightmare. Worth it when you actually need to talk to someone at Washington ESD.

I work in HR and see these situations all the time. Performance terminations rarely result in unemployment denial unless there were serious policy violations involved. Sounds like you have a good case - just be prepared for the waiting period during adjudication.

File online through secure.esd.wa.gov and make sure you start filing your weekly claims right away even if your initial claim is still pending. You don't want to miss any weeks.

The fact that your supervisor kept changing expectations actually works in your favor. That shows the performance standards weren't clear or consistent, which strengthens your case for benefits.

same thing happened to my brother last year and he got approved for benefits. took about a month total but he got paid retroactively for the whole time including the waiting period

Just remember you'll also need to meet the job search requirements once you're approved. Keep track of your applications and be prepared to show evidence of your work search activities.

Update - I tried that Claimyr service mentioned earlier and actually got through to Washington ESD today! Took about 2 hours but way better than the weeks I've been trying on my own. Finally got answers about my pending adjudication.

Filed my claim 3 days ago after getting terminated for performance and already see it's in adjudication status. The waiting is killing me but at least I know it's moving forward. Your situation sounds similar to mine - hang in there!

One final piece of advice - if Washington ESD does contact you for a phone interview during adjudication, answer honestly but stick to the facts. Don't bad-mouth your former employer, just explain your side of what happened with the performance issues. They're looking for whether it constitutes misconduct, and poor performance typically doesn't meet that bar.