Can I get Washington ESD unemployment if I quit my job to attend college full-time?
I've been working at a retail store for 2 years and got accepted into a nursing program that starts this fall. The program is full-time during the day which conflicts with my work schedule. My manager said they can't accommodate the schedule change so I'm thinking about quitting to focus on school. Would I be eligible for unemployment benefits from Washington ESD if I quit to go back to school? I know you usually can't get UI if you quit voluntarily but wondering if there are exceptions for education. Has anyone been in this situation before?
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Libby Hassan
Unfortunately, quitting your job to go to school generally doesn't qualify you for unemployment benefits in Washington. You need to be available for work and actively seeking employment to receive UI benefits. Going to school full-time would likely make you unavailable for work.
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Levi Parker
•That's what I was afraid of. So there's really no way around this? Even for job training programs?
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Libby Hassan
•There might be some exceptions for approved training programs through WorkSource, but regular college usually doesn't qualify. You'd need to check with Washington ESD directly.
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Hunter Hampton
Actually, there are some situations where you can get unemployment while in school. If your program is considered job training or if you can prove you're still available for work during certain hours, you might qualify. The key is being able and available for work.
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Levi Parker
•Really? How would I prove I'm available for work if I'm in classes all day?
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Hunter Hampton
•You'd need to show you can work evenings, weekends, or have flexibility in your schedule. It's tricky but not impossible.
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Sofia Peña
•This is getting confusing. I thought if you quit voluntarily you automatically get disqualified?
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Aaron Boston
I went through something similar last year. The Washington ESD rules are pretty strict about quitting to go to school. However, if you can show that your education is directly related to getting employment in your field AND you remain available for suitable work, there might be options. You'll definitely need to call Washington ESD to discuss your specific situation.
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Levi Parker
•Did you end up getting approved? What did they tell you when you called?
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Aaron Boston
•I had to go through adjudication and it took about 6 weeks. They eventually approved me because I could work weekends and my program was vocational training. But honestly, getting through to someone at Washington ESD was the hardest part.
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Sophia Carter
If you're having trouble reaching Washington ESD by phone (and trust me, you will), I recently discovered this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to actual agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.
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Levi Parker
•Interesting, I've never heard of that. Is it legit? Do they charge a lot?
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Sophia Carter
•Yeah it's legitimate. They focus on helping you actually connect with agents rather than sitting on hold forever. Much easier than the normal calling process.
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Chloe Zhang
•I'm always skeptical of third-party services for government stuff but if it actually works...
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Brandon Parker
WAIT. Before you quit, have you tried asking for a leave of absence instead? Some employers will give you unpaid leave for education, and if they refuse, that might change your eligibility situation. Also, make sure you understand the difference between quitting and being constructively discharged.
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Levi Parker
•I hadn't thought about leave of absence. That's a good point. What do you mean by constructively discharged?
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Brandon Parker
•Constructive discharge is when your employer makes working conditions impossible, forcing you to quit. If they won't accommodate reasonable scheduling requests for education, it might qualify.
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Libby Hassan
•That's a stretch though. Most employers aren't required to accommodate school schedules, especially in retail.
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Sofia Peña
This whole system is so confusing! Why make it so complicated for people trying to better themselves through education? Seems backwards.
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Adriana Cohn
•I agree, it's frustrating. The system is designed to help people who lose jobs involuntarily, not those making career changes.
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Sofia Peña
•Still seems like education should be an exception, especially for healthcare programs where there's such a shortage.
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Hunter Hampton
One more thing to consider - some nursing programs have evening or weekend options. Have you looked into part-time programs that would let you keep working? That way you wouldn't need to quit at all.
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Levi Parker
•The program I got into is only offered during the day, but I could look into other schools. Good suggestion.
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Hunter Hampton
•Definitely worth exploring. Community colleges often have more flexible scheduling for nursing prerequisites too.
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Libby Hassan
Just to clarify the rules since there's some confusion here - in Washington, you generally cannot receive unemployment benefits if you quit your job to attend school full-time. The key requirements are that you must be able and available for work. If your school schedule prevents you from being available for full-time work, you won't qualify.
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Levi Parker
•So even if I could work evenings and weekends, if my main focus is school during the day, I still wouldn't qualify?
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Libby Hassan
•It depends on how many hours you're available and what type of work you're willing to accept. Washington ESD looks at each case individually.
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Aaron Boston
•This is why calling them directly is so important. Every situation is different and they need to evaluate your specific circumstances.
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Chloe Zhang
I tried calling Washington ESD about a similar question last month and could never get through. The phone system is absolutely terrible. Maybe I should try that Claimyr thing someone mentioned earlier.
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Sophia Carter
•Definitely recommend it. I wasted so many hours trying to call the regular way before I found out about Claimyr.
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Chloe Zhang
•Did it actually get you through to a real person? Not just another automated menu?
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Sophia Carter
•Yep, connected me to an actual Washington ESD agent who could answer my questions. Made all the difference.
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Levi Parker
Thanks everyone for all the input. Sounds like my best bet is to try calling Washington ESD directly to discuss my specific situation. If that doesn't work out, I'll look into the Claimyr service to actually get through to someone. Really appreciate all the advice!
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Libby Hassan
•Good luck! Make sure you have all your employment details ready when you call - they'll want to know your work history and the exact nature of your nursing program.
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Brandon Parker
•And don't forget to explore that leave of absence option with your current employer first. That could solve everything.
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Adriana Cohn
Just wanted to add that if you do end up qualifying somehow, make sure you understand the job search requirements. You'll still need to be actively looking for work and documenting your job search activities even while in school.
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Levi Parker
•Good point. How many jobs do you need to apply for each week in Washington?
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Adriana Cohn
•It varies based on your situation, but typically 3 job search activities per week. Could be applications, networking, interviews, etc.
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Sofia Peña
•That seems like a lot when you're also trying to focus on studies.
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Hunter Hampton
One last thought - have you considered applying for financial aid for your nursing program? Grants and student loans might be a better option than trying to navigate the unemployment system while in school.
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Levi Parker
•I've applied for FAFSA but won't know about aid until closer to the start date. Trying to explore all options in case that doesn't cover everything.
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Hunter Hampton
•Smart approach. There are also scholarships specifically for nursing students that might help bridge the gap.
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Aaron Boston
Final reminder - if Washington ESD does approve you for benefits while in school, they can always review your case later. Make sure you're completely honest about your availability and school schedule. Getting caught in a misrepresentation can lead to serious overpayment issues.
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Levi Parker
•Definitely don't want to deal with overpayment problems. Better to be upfront about everything from the start.
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Libby Hassan
•Exactly. The penalties for misrepresentation are severe and can affect future benefit eligibility too.
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Brandon Parker
•This is why getting proper guidance from Washington ESD directly is so important. Don't just guess about the rules.
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Jamal Anderson
I'm in a somewhat similar situation - considering going back to school for a different program. From what I've read here and researched myself, it seems like the key is really whether you can demonstrate you're still "able and available" for work. Have you looked into whether your nursing program has any clinical rotations or externships that might count as job-related training? Sometimes those programs have different rules. Also, definitely document everything with your current employer about the schedule conflict - if they truly can't accommodate ANY flexibility for your education, that might strengthen your case. The constructive discharge angle mentioned earlier could be worth exploring too.
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