Washington ESD unemployment when fired for cause - any chance of getting benefits?

You can still file for unemployment even if you were fired. Washington ESD will investigate and determine if the termination was for "misconduct" or just poor performance. Being late might not automatically disqualify you.

I went through this exact situation last year. File your claim immediately and be completely honest about why you were terminated. Washington ESD will contact your employer to get their side of the story. The key is whether they consider it willful misconduct or just job-related issues.

I had a similar situation and couldn't get through to Washington ESD for weeks to check on my claim status. Finally used Claimyr.com to get connected to an actual agent who explained the whole process. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Really helped me understand what was happening with my adjudication.

UGH the Washington ESD system is so broken. I've been calling for 2 weeks straight about my disqualification and can't get through to anyone. The automated system just hangs up on you after being on hold forever!

Being fired for attendance issues doesn't automatically disqualify you from unemployment benefits. Washington ESD looks at several factors: was there a clear policy, did you know about it, was it consistently enforced, and was the final incident severe enough to warrant termination. Document everything about your termination and be prepared to explain your side during the fact-finding interview.

same thing happened to my brother last year, he got fired for being late but still got unemployment after they investigated

I'm going through adjudication right now for the same reason. Filed my claim 3 weeks ago and it's still pending. The waiting is killing me because I have bills to pay. Has anyone had success getting updates on their claim status?

Don't let them intimidate you! Employers often try to fight unemployment claims to keep their rates down. File your claim and let Washington ESD decide. The worst they can do is say no, but you might be surprised.

I was fired for cause 6 months ago and initially denied benefits. Had to file an appeal and eventually won after a hearing. The key was showing that while I made mistakes, it wasn't willful misconduct. Don't give up if you get denied initially.

Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even while your initial claim is under review. If you get approved, you'll get back pay for those weeks. If you don't file them, you lose those weeks forever.

Washington ESD is so understaffed right now. I've been trying to get through to them about my overpayment issue for a month. The phone system is a joke - it just hangs up on you when call volume is high.

I used to work in HR and saw this situation a lot. Attendance issues are tricky because it depends on your company's progressive discipline policy. If they didn't follow their own policy or if you had valid reasons for the absences, you have a good chance.

Whatever you do, don't lie or leave anything out when you file your claim. Washington ESD will find out the truth anyway, and being dishonest will definitely disqualify you.

Just an update - I actually got through to Washington ESD today using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. The agent explained that attendance issues usually aren't considered willful misconduct unless you were warned multiple times and continued anyway. Sounds like you have a decent chance of getting approved.

Been there! Got fired for performance issues last year and was stressed about unemployment. Turned out fine - got approved after a few weeks of adjudication. The key is that being a bad employee isn't the same as willful misconduct.

The whole system is designed to make you give up. Don't let them! Even if you get denied initially, appeal it. I know three people who got overturned on appeal after being denied for termination-related issues.

Filing for unemployment was the best decision I made after getting fired. Even though I was nervous about it, I got approved and it kept me afloat while job hunting. Don't let fear stop you from filing.

One more thing - if you do get approved, make sure you understand the job search requirements. You need to be actively looking for work and keeping records. Washington ESD can audit your job search log at any time.