Can I get EDD benefits if quitting due to doctor's disciplinary issues creating toxic workplace?

You *might* qualify for UI benefits if you can show you quit with \

Thank you for the detailed advice! We don't have HR (small medical office), but I've been documenting things in my personal notes. I haven't seen my own doctor about the anxiety yet - that's a good suggestion. How specific do I need to be when filing? I'm worried about making accusations against a doctor that could come back to haunt me professionally.

u definitely CANT get benefits if u quit!!! my cousin tried this and got DENIED. EDD doesnt care bout ur feelings, only if u got fired or laid off. dont believe ppl telling u otherwise!!!

This is actually incorrect. You can qualify for unemployment benefits in California if you quit with \

I was in almost the exact same situation in 2025! My boss was under investigation for insurance fraud and the office became unbearable. Everyone was getting yelled at daily and patients were calling constantly about what they heard.\n\nI quit after documenting everything for 6 weeks. I applied for EDD benefits explaining the situation as \

This is so helpful to hear someone succeeded in a similar situation! I hadn't heard of \

This happened to me and I got NOTHING from EDD!!!!! I quit because my boss was screaming at me everyday and throwing things. EDD said I should have reported it to HR first (we didn't even HAVE HR!) or called police if it was that bad instead of just quitting. The whole system is RIGGED against workers!!! They just assume we're all lazy and making up excuses to quit. I fought it for 3 months and still lost everything. California pretends to care about workers but the EDD is just as bad as any other state!!!

I'm sorry you had that experience. Each case really is different with EDD, and sometimes it comes down to how well you document things and even which examiner reviews your case. For workplace harassment claims, they do want to see that you tried to resolve it first, even in small companies without HR. Did you try discussing the issues with your boss or another supervisor before quitting? That step of trying to resolve it first is often critical for these types of claims.

hey just wondering but have u thought about applying for SDI instead of UI? if ur doctor will certify that ur anxiety/panic attacks prevent u from working? might be easier than proving the good cause quit thing with unemployment

I hadn't thought about SDI actually. I'm not sure if my condition is severe enough to qualify as a disability though? I can still work, just not in that specific toxic environment. But I'll definitely ask my doctor about this option too - thanks for suggesting another angle!

To directly answer your question: Yes, you can qualify for unemployment benefits in this situation, but you'll need to establish that:\n\n1. The work environment genuinely became intolerable (not just unpleasant)\n2. The conditions would affect any reasonable person's mental/physical health\n3. You attempted to resolve the issues before quitting\n4. You had \

Thank you for such a clear explanation. I have text messages where I've tried addressing the hostile behavior with my boss, plus I've started documenting specific incidents. Would emails I sent myself with dates/details of incidents help as evidence? I'm seeing my doctor next week about the anxiety symptoms and will ask for documentation.

Couldn't you just like report the doctor to the medical board urself for how he's treating staff? Maybe that would stop the behavior and u wouldn't need to quit at all.

He's already under investigation by them for something else (I don't know all the details). I think adding another complaint right now would just make him even more volatile toward staff. I'm really at the point where I need to leave for my own wellbeing.

One more thing that's really important - when you file your claim, do NOT select \

This is super helpful advice. I'm definitely going to use these exact terms on my application. If I do get scheduled for a phone interview, should I have my documentation in front of me to reference? And if I get denied and need to appeal, is that something I should try to handle myself or would hiring a lawyer be worth it at that point?

About the phone interview - YES have ALL your documentation in front of you! They may only give you 10-15 minutes, so being organized is key. I created a simple timeline with dates, incidents, and how they affected me.\n\nAs for appeals - I handled mine myself successfully, but it depends on how comfortable you are. The appeal hearing is like an informal court - the judge asks questions, and your former employer might attend to dispute your claim. If your case is well-documented and straightforward, you might be fine on your own. If there are complex legal aspects or if your employer brings legal representation, you might want to consider getting help.\n\nOh, and one more tip - if you're struggling to reach EDD by phone (which is almost guaranteed), Claimyr really did help me get through quickly. After days of calling and getting nowhere, I was able to talk to someone in minutes who helped me understand exactly what documentation I needed for my appeal. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km that shows how it works.

Thanks again! I just watched that video - seems like it would save a ton of time compared to the EDD phone nightmare I've heard about. I'll definitely consider using it if I need to reach someone quickly about my claim. I'm going to start organizing my timeline tonight.

why dont u just stick it out til they fire u? then u get unemployment for sure. quitting is always risky

I've thought about that, but honestly I don't think my mental health can take it. I'm having panic attacks just thinking about going in each morning. Also, they might not fire me but just make life miserable until I quit - that could take months of suffering with no guarantee of termination.