Am I entitled to unemployment benefits in Washington - confused about eligibility

You might have a case for good cause quit, but it's not automatic. Washington ESD looks at whether you had compelling reasons to leave work. Substantial reduction in hours can qualify, but you need to document everything. Did you try to work with your employer first to get more hours?

I had something similar happen. The key is proving the hours reduction was substantial and beyond your control. If you went from full-time to 4 hours a week, that's definitely substantial. You'll need to show you tried to work with the employer first though.

This is exactly why I used Claimyr when I had to deal with Washington ESD about my quit situation. Trying to get through to explain the circumstances was impossible with their phone system. The service at claimyr.com helped me actually reach an agent who could walk through my specific situation. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

You need to be careful about the good cause quit requirements. Washington ESD is pretty strict about this. Just because your hours were cut doesn't automatically mean you qualify. You have to prove you exhausted all options to keep working.

ugh the washington esd system is so confusing!! i tried to figure out my eligibility for weeks and gave up. why cant they just have a simple yes/no thing instead of all this legal stuff

My brother went through this exact situation last year. He quit when his hours got cut to almost nothing and Washington ESD approved his claim. The key was showing he tried to work with the employer first and documenting the hours reduction. He had to go through adjudication but it worked out.

I used to work in HR and dealt with Washington ESD claims. Hours reductions can qualify for good cause, but you need solid documentation. Pay stubs showing the reduction, any written communication with your employer, notes about verbal conversations. The more evidence you have, the better your chances.

Don't get your hopes up too much. Washington ESD denies a lot of good cause quit claims. They're really picky about what counts as 'compelling' reasons. Even if you think you have a good case, they might still deny it.

I actually used Claimyr too when I had questions about my quit situation. The Washington ESD phone system was a nightmare - kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold for hours. With Claimyr I actually got to talk to someone who could explain the good cause requirements clearly.

Another thing to consider - if you're denied initially, you can appeal. A lot of people don't realize that. The appeals process gives you a chance to present your case more thoroughly to an administrative law judge.

Just file the claim and be honest about your situation. Explain the hours reduction, what you tried to do about it, and why you felt you had no choice but to quit. Let Washington ESD make the determination.

I was in retail management for years and saw this happen a lot. Employers sometimes cut hours hoping people will quit so they don't have to pay unemployment. It's not always intentional but it happens. Your situation sounds legitimate to me.

The Washington ESD website has a section about good cause quits but it's pretty vague. They basically say each case is individual and they look at all the circumstances. Not super helpful when you're trying to figure out if you qualify.

Make sure you apply ASAP if you're going to do it. There's a time limit on how long after you quit you can file. I think it's something like within a certain number of weeks but I'm not sure exactly.

I tried calling Washington ESD about my eligibility questions last month and it was a complete waste of time. Spent hours on hold just to get disconnected. That's when I found out about Claimyr - they actually got me through to talk to someone who could answer my questions.

Even if you're not sure you qualify, it's worth applying. The worst they can do is say no. If you don't apply, you're definitely not getting benefits. At least if you apply, you have a chance.

Something else to think about - even if your quit doesn't qualify as good cause, you might still be eligible for benefits later if you work at another job for a while. Washington ESD looks at your most recent separation from work.

The bottom line is that substantial hours reduction CAN be good cause for quitting in Washington. You have pay stubs showing the reduction and you tried to work with your employer. That's a reasonable foundation for a claim. File it and see what happens.