One more thing - if you win your appeal, Washington ESD should also remove the misconduct determination from your record. That's important for future benefit claims. Make sure they do that as part of the decision.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - got denied for "misconduct" after questioning some questionable practices at my workplace. Reading through everyone's responses here has been really helpful. It sounds like Washington ESD has a pretty specific legal standard for gross misconduct and refusing unsafe work definitely shouldn't meet that threshold. @Zara, your case sounds really strong especially with that employee handbook documentation. I'm also going to try that Claimyr service to actually get through to someone at ESD - the phone system has been impossible. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, this community is invaluable when dealing with these bureaucratic nightmares.

For what it's worth, I think Washington's unemployment benefits are actually pretty decent compared to other states. The maximum here is higher than a lot of places and the fact that there's no state income tax helps too.

One last thing - if you do get laid off and file for unemployment, consider it an opportunity to maybe learn new skills or get training. WorkSourceWA has some decent programs that might help you find better paying work when you're ready.

This has been really informative! I'm bookmarking this thread for reference. The work search requirements seemed so intimidating at first but breaking it down like this makes it much more manageable.

One thing I've learned from experience is that quality really matters over quantity. While you need 3 activities minimum per week, doing 5-6 well-targeted, thoughtful job search activities is much better than rushing through 10 random applications. Washington ESD can see through generic mass applications during audits. I keep a detailed log with company research notes, why I'm interested in each position, and any follow-up actions planned. It's helped me have much better conversations when I do get interviews, and I feel confident my documentation would pass any audit.

One last tip - if you get called back from furlough early, make sure to stop filing weekly claims immediately. Washington ESD gets really picky about people who continue claiming after returning to full-time work.

Just wanted to share my experience from last year - I was furloughed for 3 months and partial UI was a lifesaver. One thing I learned the hard way is to keep VERY detailed records of your work schedule changes. Washington ESD asked me to provide documentation about 6 weeks into my claim, and having everything organized (pay stubs, emails from HR, my work calendar) made the process smooth. Also, don't stress too much about the job search requirements if you have a definite return date - my employer provided that info to ESD and I was exempt. The whole process was way less scary than I expected!

Bottom line - if you're dealing with harassment or unsafe conditions, you may have a case for benefits even after quitting voluntarily. But you need solid documentation and should be prepared for the process to take time. Don't let a bad situation get worse though - your mental health is important too.

I'm going through something similar right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful. One thing I learned from my research is that Washington does recognize "constructive discharge" - basically when working conditions become so intolerable that a reasonable person would feel compelled to quit. The key is showing that you made reasonable efforts to resolve the situation first and that quitting was your last resort. Document every incident with dates, times, witnesses if any, and keep records of any complaints you've made to HR or management. Even if HR was unhelpful, having that paper trail shows you tried to work within the system before leaving.