Just to clarify the terminology - Washington ESD uses 'good cause' for voluntary quits and 'misconduct' for involuntary terminations. Your situation falls under good cause since you voluntarily quit due to substantial changes in working conditions.

I went through something very similar with Washington ESD last year. The term you're looking for is "good cause" - that's the legal standard they use to determine if you had a valid reason to quit and still qualify for benefits. A reduction from $18 to $12 per hour (33% cut) combined with cutting your hours from 40 to 15 per week is absolutely textbook good cause. Your total weekly pay dropped from $720 to $180 - that's a 75% reduction! No reasonable person could be expected to continue working under those conditions. The adjudicator clearly made an error. File your appeal immediately and gather all documentation showing the wage and hour changes. This should be an easy win on appeal.

Just remembered - if you do end up calling ESD and they tell you that you might qualify, make sure to get the agent's name and reference number for your call. That documentation could be helpful if there are any issues with your claim later.

I'm in a similar boat with my retail job cutting my hours from 35 to about 12 per week over the last month. Reading through all this advice, it sounds like partial unemployment might be the way to go while documenting everything. Has anyone here actually applied for partial benefits in Washington? I'm curious about how the process works and if it's worth the hassle.

Honestly this thread is making me feel better about my own unemployment experience. It's nice to know other people have gone through the same confusion and stress.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact same situation last year. I was laid off from my warehouse job and made the mistake of waiting almost a month to apply because I kept thinking they might call me back. Lost out on about $1,200 in benefits that I never got back. Washington ESD is pretty strict about the timeline - you can file up to a year after your separation date, but you only get paid for the weeks you actually file claims for. So even though you have a year to start your initial claim, every week you wait is money lost forever. My advice is to file today if you haven't already, and don't look back. Even if your employer does call you back to work, you can always stop filing weekly claims at that point. But at least you'll have the safety net in place!

Just wanted to add that you should also prepare for questions about why you didn't file a police report for the assault. I went through something similar and the employer's lawyer kept pushing on that point. Have a clear answer ready - maybe you trusted your company's process initially, or you were focused on resolving it internally first. Don't let them make you feel like not involving police somehow invalidates what happened. Also, practice explaining the constructive dismissal concept in simple terms. I found it helpful to say something like "They made my work environment so hostile and unbearable after I reported illegal activity that any reasonable person would have felt they had no choice but to resign." The judge needs to understand you didn't just quit on a whim - you were essentially forced out through their actions. You've got this! The fact that ESD already sided with you shows your case has merit.

I went through an ESD appeal hearing last year after quitting due to workplace retaliation, and I want to share some practical tips that really helped me: 1. **Practice your opening statement** - You'll likely get 2-3 minutes at the start to tell your story. Practice a clear, concise summary hitting the key points: assault → proper reporting → retaliation → constructive dismissal. 2. **Organize evidence by theme, not just chronology** - I had folders for "Initial Incident," "Company Response," "Retaliation Evidence," and "Attempts to Resolve." Made it easier to find documents when the judge asked specific questions. 3. **Prepare for the "why didn't you just find another job?" question** - They often ask this. Good answer: "I tried to resolve the situation internally first because I valued my position and wanted to give my employer a chance to address the illegal activity properly." 4. **Those HR callbacks are GOLD** - Seriously, this is probably your strongest piece of evidence. Companies don't ask people back if they legitimately had cause to terminate or if the resignation was voluntary in the way they claim. The hearing itself was less scary than I expected. The judge was professional and asked fair questions to both sides. Trust that ESD already found in your favor for good reason - now you just need to reinforce that decision. You've got strong facts on your side!

One more tip for anyone dealing with this - if you're applying for rental assistance through a nonprofit organization, they're usually more flexible with documentation than government programs. I've seen them accept email confirmations or even screenshots from your SAW account when people couldn't print. But definitely start with the official payment history first since that's what most places prefer.

Just to add another perspective - I work as a case manager for rental assistance programs in Washington state. The payment history from your SAW account is definitely the gold standard and what we see most often. One thing I always tell clients is to make sure the document shows the state seal/logo and your full name clearly. Also, if you've had any breaks in your benefits or payment issues, it's helpful to include a brief note explaining any gaps in the payment history. Most programs understand that Washington ESD has had processing delays, so don't worry if there are some irregular dates - just be prepared to explain if asked.