Washington ESD unemployment if fired from job - eligibility questions

That's helpful, thanks. They said I wasn't meeting sales targets but I was never formally coached or given improvement plans. Does that matter to Washington ESD?

Absolutely that matters. Lack of formal progressive discipline often works in your favor during the adjudication process.

How long did the whole process take from filing to getting your first payment?

About 5 weeks total. The adjudication took 3 weeks, then once approved it was another 2 weeks for the first deposit.

I have some text messages from my supervisor but not much else. Should I gather anything specific before filing?

Save those texts! Also try to document your work schedule, any training you received, and dates of any meetings with management. This all helps during adjudication.

Never heard of that before. Is it legit or some kind of scam?

It's legitimate. They basically handle the phone calling process for you so you don't have to sit there redialing constantly. Really helpful when you need to check on adjudication status.

I understand the frustration, but the system does need to verify eligibility to prevent fraud. Most legitimate claims do get approved eventually.

yeah i get that but when you're worried about rent it doesn't feel like 'eventually' is good enough

Exactly. During adjudication they'll likely call or send paperwork to both you and your former employer. Be sure to respond promptly to any requests for information.

Good call filing right away. The sooner you file, the sooner the process starts. Keep filing your weekly claims even during adjudication.

Common misconception. Misconduct for Washington ESD purposes usually means willful violation of company policy, criminal activity, or deliberate disregard of employer interests. Poor performance alone typically doesn't qualify as misconduct.

Oh wow I had no idea. That's actually really good to know for future reference.

That's encouraging to hear. My situation feels pretty gray area so hopefully they'll see it the same way.

Yeah just be completely honest in all your communications with them. They can usually tell when people are trying to hide something.

Wait, I have to start job searching immediately? I thought I had a week or two to get my affairs in order first.

Nope, starts with your first weekly claim. You need to be actively searching and log it properly or it can cause issues with your benefits.

How long after filing did you have to do the hearing? And did you need a lawyer or anything?

It was about 6 weeks after filing. You don't need a lawyer but you can have one if you want. I just represented myself and brought my documentation.

Good advice. I'm definitely planning to just tell them exactly what happened, even if it doesn't make me look great.

That's the right approach. Washington ESD has heard every story - honesty is always the best policy.

That's good to know. I did have a different job for part of last year before starting at the retail place.

Yeah Washington ESD looks at your entire base period, so all qualifying wages during that time frame will factor into your benefit calculation.

This is exactly why I started using Claimyr. The constant busy signals and dropped calls were driving me crazy. Much easier to let them handle the calling while I do other things.

I might have to check that out. This is ridiculous how hard it is to reach anyone there.

How many job contacts do you need per week? And where exactly do you log them?

It's 3 job search activities per week minimum, logged in your WorkSourceWA account. Can be applications, networking events, job fairs, etc.

That does sound subjective. Did they give you any specific examples or was it just general feedback?

Just general stuff about not being a 'team player' and having a negative attitude. Nothing concrete that I can point to as misconduct.

That's reassuring. I feel like my case is pretty gray area so hopefully they'll give me the benefit of the doubt.

Exactly. As long as you weren't stealing, fighting, or blatantly violating clear policies, you've got a decent shot at approval.

Good point. I wasn't sure if I should keep filing while the decision was pending.

Definitely keep filing. You can't get retroactive benefits for weeks you didn't claim, even if you're eventually approved.

File as soon as possible. There's a waiting week anyway, so the sooner you start the process, the better.

Will do. Thanks for all the advice everyone. Nice to know I'm not alone in dealing with this stuff.

I'll try that tomorrow morning. Though honestly the Claimyr thing mentioned earlier sounds pretty tempting too.

Early morning calling works sometimes, but when you really need to get through, having a service handle it definitely takes the stress out of the situation.