Washington Unemployment
CommunityGovernment Services
Can't reach Washington Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the ESD
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the ESD drops your call
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Can I qualify for ESD benefits if I quit my job due to inflexible work hours?
I've been struggling at my job for quite a while now. For the past 4-5 months, I've repeatedly asked my manager to reduce my hours because my current schedule is causing serious burnout. I've submitted formal requests, talked to HR, and even provided documentation about my situation, but they've flatly refused to accommodate me. They literally told me it's "not even an option" to adjust my schedule or reduce hours. I'm at my breaking point and thinking about quitting because I just can't keep up with these hours anymore. My health is suffering and I'm making mistakes at work from exhaustion. If I quit in this situation, would I possibly qualify for unemployment benefits? I know ESD usually doesn't approve benefits if you voluntarily quit, but I've genuinely tried everything to make this work. Has anyone dealt with something similar or know what counts as a "good cause" quit in Washington state? Thanks for any insights!
Join the conversation
Why can people on strike get unemployment benefits but those who quit can't? ESD rules confusion
I was just talking with my brother-in-law who's part of a union that's threatening to strike next month, and he mentioned something that doesn't make sense to me. He said if they go on strike, they can file for unemployment while striking. But when I left my toxic job last year, ESD denied my claim because I 'voluntarily quit.' How is that fair? Both are voluntary decisions to stop working, right? Does anyone know the actual rules for strike-related unemployment in WA? Seems like a strange loophole in the system.
Join the conversation
There's also a timing factor with strikes that most people don't realize. The labor dispute disqualification has a "waiting week" too - so sometimes very short strikes (under a week) don't even come into play with unemployment because by the time you could file and serve your waiting week, you're back at work anyway. Probably why there's so much confusion about this topic.
That's a really good point! Our strike lasted 3 weeks, so we definitely hit that threshold. But for shorter actions, it probably doesn't even matter.
my mom works for esd (not saying this as official advice just what she told me) and she said the big difference is that with strikes theyre looking at if you are "directly involved in the labor dispute" vs if you quit they're looking at if you had "good cause" which is a totally different standard. so its not really a fair comparison to begin with
This is an excellent point. ESD applies different sections of the law to different situations. For voluntary quits, they look at RCW 50.20.050 regarding "good cause" provisions. For labor disputes, they apply RCW 50.20.090 which has completely different criteria. They're evaluated under separate standards.
Called Governor's Office to expedite adjudication - told to expect call but nothing happened
After 6 weeks of my ESD claim sitting in adjudication, I finally reached out to the Governor's Office to see if they could help speed things up. Someone there took my info and specifically told me to 'answer your phone tomorrow' for a call back from ESD. I made sure to keep my phone with me all day, didn't even shower without it nearby, but never got any call. Does this mean they're ignoring my case? Is this normal or should I be worried? Has anyone else tried contacting the Governor's Office and actually gotten results? I'm getting really desperate - rent is due next week and I literally have $47 in my account.
Join the conversation
I had almost the exact same situation in January. Governor's office said I'd get a call the next day, and nothing happened. I waited 3 days, then called the Governor's office back. They apologized and escalated again. Got a call from ESD the next morning at 8:15am, and they resolved my adjudication that same day. My advice: be persistent with the Governor's office. They're actually trying to help, but sometimes your request falls through the cracks on the ESD side. Good luck!
btw if ur really down to ur last $47 u should call 211 right away they can connect u with emergency rent assistance while ur waiting for unemployment to come thru
That's really good advice, thank you! I'll call them tomorrow morning. I've never used 211 before but at this point I need all the help I can get.
ESD adjudication for 8 weeks after ADA accommodation denied - employer claiming I quit
I've been dealing with a health issue and my doctor provided an ADA accommodation request to my employer about 2 months ago. They flat out told me they couldn't accommodate what my doctor requested and didn't offer ANY alternatives. My doctor's note specifically stated that if they couldn't accommodate me, I should seek other employment for my health. When I informed my supervisor I'd need to look for other work (as my doctor directed), she immediately processed it as a 'voluntary resignation.' I never actually said I was quitting right then and there! Filed for unemployment right after and my claim has been stuck in adjudication for 8 WEEKS now. I've called ESD every single day, sent them all my medical documentation, doctor's notes, and explanation of what happened. Is this even legal? Doesn't refusing an ADA accommodation without offering alternatives count as discrimination? Will ESD eventually rule in my favor or am I just wasting my time calling them daily? Getting desperate as savings are running out fast.
Join the conversation
One thing that helped me was gathering evidence that other employees had similar accommodations granted. Do you know if anyone else at your company ever received the same or similar accommodation that you requested? That could really strengthen your case with ESD by showing the company was being discriminatory specifically to you.
That's a really good point! Now that I think about it, there was someone in another department who got a similar accommodation last year. I'm still in touch with a few former coworkers - I'll ask if they'd be willing to provide statements about this. Thank you for the suggestion!
Based on what you've shared, I think you have a strong case. ESD typically considers these factors in determining if you quit or were effectively discharged: 1. Did you take all reasonable steps to preserve your employment? 2. Was the employer's action or inaction the real cause of separation? 3. Would a reasonable person in your situation with your medical constraints feel compelled to leave? The fact that your doctor specifically stated you should seek other employment if accommodations weren't possible creates a compelling argument that you had no reasonable alternative. Just make sure ESD has this documentation clearly spelled out. 8 weeks is unfortunately not unusual for complex adjudication cases, especially those involving medical issues and potential discrimination.
Thank you for laying this out so clearly. I definitely did try to preserve my employment by providing the accommodation request and giving them the chance to work with me. I guess I just need to keep being patient and make sure they have all the documentation. It's just so frustrating being in financial limbo for 8+ weeks while they decide.
Late weekly claim due to holiday weekend - will ESD still accept it?
I'm panicking a bit right now. I always file my weekly claim first thing Sunday morning (like clockwork for the past 3 months), but this Memorial Day weekend threw me completely off. My kid got sick Saturday night, spent all day Sunday dealing with that mess, and completely forgot about my claim until I woke up in a cold sweat at 5:30am Monday. Filed immediately at 6am Monday morning instead of my usual Sunday routine. \n\nThe system accepted my claim, but now I'm worried it'll get rejected for being late. Does the holiday weekend give any grace period? Or am I going to lose a week of benefits because I filed one day late? The ESD website is super unclear about holiday weekends and I can't afford to miss a payment right now with rent due next week.
Join the conversation
Tami Morgan
One more important thing to consider: if you do quit, continue filing weekly claims while your eligibility is being determined, even though you won't receive benefits immediately. If you're eventually approved through adjudication or appeal, you'll get back payments for all those weeks you properly filed. If you wait to start filing weekly claims until after approval, you won't get paid for those missed weeks.
0 coins
Tony Brooks
AuthorThat's really good to know. I would have assumed I should wait until approved before filing weekly claims. If I do end up quitting, I'll make sure to start filing right away even during the adjudication process.
0 coins
Ella rollingthunder87
my frend went thru this exact thing last year!!!! he had to get his doctor to write a letter saying the hours were causing his anxiety to get worse. it took like 3 months but he got approved. dont give up!!!
0 coins