What disqualifies you from getting unemployment in Washington - need to know before I apply

What kind of documentation would I need? I have some emails from my boss that were pretty inappropriate but I'm not sure if that's enough.

Save those emails! Any written evidence of harassment or hostile work environment helps. Also try to get witness statements from coworkers if possible.

What counts as 'misconduct' though? I got fired for being late too many times but it was because of my car breaking down.

Misconduct has to be willful or deliberate violation of work rules. If you were late due to circumstances beyond your control, that's not misconduct. You should definitely apply and explain your situation.

I second this - even if you think you might be disqualified, it's worth applying anyway. Washington ESD will make the determination and you can always appeal if you disagree.

How much does that cost? I'm already tight on money so I can't afford expensive services right now.

It's way cheaper than losing weeks of benefits while trying to get through. The service is pretty straightforward to use and they focus on just getting you connected, not collecting a bunch of personal info.

I feel you! The Washington ESD website has all this info but it's written in such confusing legal language.

Try looking at the 'Eligibility' section on the Washington ESD website. It breaks down the requirements pretty clearly once you get past the initial jargon.

What counts as a 'job contact'? Does applying online count or do you have to actually talk to someone?

Online applications count! You just need to keep track of the company name, position, date you applied, and how you applied. The WorkSourceWA website has templates for keeping your job search log.

Pro tip: networking events and job fairs count as job contacts too, not just applications

How long did the appeal process take? I'm worried about going weeks without any income while fighting it.

Mine took about 6 weeks total, but they paid me retroactively once I won the appeal. It's stressful but worth fighting if you know you have a good case.

What about if you're going to school? I heard that can disqualify you too.

Going to school doesn't automatically disqualify you, but you have to prove you're still able and available for full-time work. Part-time classes are usually okay, but full-time school can be tricky.

This is good advice. I tried to bend the truth on my application thinking it would help and it just made things worse when they found out.

Exactly! Honesty is always the best policy with unemployment claims. They're going to verify everything anyway.

That's actually really helpful to know. I was thinking any disqualification meant I could never get benefits.

Yeah, I was disqualified for 8 weeks because of my quit situation but then I was able to start collecting. Just had to wait it out and keep applying for jobs.

This happened to me! I worked in Oregon and Washington in the same year and it was confusing as hell to figure out where to file.

Yeah it's definitely confusing but they have people who specialize in interstate claims. Don't let that stop you from filing.

How quickly were you able to get through to someone? I've been on hold for hours before and just given up.

That's exactly why I started using it. Instead of wasting my whole day calling over and over, I just let them handle getting me connected. Way less stressful.

Thanks everyone for all the advice! I think I'm going to go ahead and apply. Better to try and get denied than not try at all.

Good luck! Remember to keep copies of everything and document all your job search activities from day one.