Can I get Washington ESD unemployment if I quit to go to school full-time?
I've been working at a retail job for two years but got accepted into a nursing program that starts in September. The classes are full-time during the day so I can't keep my current job. If I quit to go to school, can I still collect unemployment benefits from Washington ESD? I heard there might be special rules for people going to approved training programs but I'm not sure if college counts. Has anyone done this before?
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Jamal Wilson
Generally speaking, if you voluntarily quit your job in Washington, you're disqualified from receiving UI benefits unless you have what's called 'good cause.' Going to school usually doesn't qualify as good cause for quitting. However, there are some exceptions for approved training programs through WorkSource.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•What kind of training programs are approved? Is nursing school something that would qualify?
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Jamal Wilson
•It has to be through an approved Washington ESD training program, not just any school. You'd need to get pre-approval before quitting your job.
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Mei Lin
I tried this exact thing last year and got denied. Washington ESD said quitting for school isn't good cause even though I was trying to better myself. It's frustrating because other states allow it.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•That's so discouraging! Did you try to appeal the decision?
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Mei Lin
•Yeah I appealed but lost. The judge said I had other options like going to school part-time or finding a different job with flexible hours.
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Liam Fitzgerald
•That's ridiculous. How are people supposed to advance their careers if they can't get support while in training?
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Amara Nnamani
There are specific Training Benefits programs through Washington ESD, but you have to qualify and get approved BEFORE you quit your job. The Commissioner Approved Training (CAT) program allows you to collect benefits while in school, but nursing might not qualify since it's not considered a high-demand occupation in some areas.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•How do I find out if nursing qualifies in my area? And do I need to apply for this program before I quit?
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Amara Nnamani
•Yes, you absolutely must apply and get approved before quitting. Contact your local WorkSource office to see what training programs are pre-approved in your area.
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Giovanni Mancini
I was in a similar situation trying to reach Washington ESD about training programs and couldn't get through on the phone for weeks. Finally used Claimyr.com to get connected to an actual agent who explained all the training benefit options. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made the whole process so much easier than trying to call myself.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•I've never heard of Claimyr before. Does it actually work to get through to Washington ESD?
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Giovanni Mancini
•Yeah it worked for me. Saved me hours of trying to call and getting busy signals or being put on hold forever.
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NebulaNinja
•Interesting, I might try this. I've been trying to get through to ask about my adjudication for weeks.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
why would you quit a job to go to school when you could just do online classes or night school? seems like poor planning to me
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•Nursing programs require clinical rotations during the day. You can't do them online or at night.
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Liam Fitzgerald
•Not everyone has the luxury of part-time options. Some careers require full-time commitment to the program.
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Dylan Mitchell
I think there's also something called the Trade Readjustment Allowance if your job was affected by trade, but that's pretty specific circumstances.
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Amara Nnamani
•That's different - TRA is for workers whose jobs were lost due to foreign trade, not for voluntary quits.
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Dylan Mitchell
•Oh right, my bad. Got confused about the different programs.
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Jamal Wilson
Another option might be to see if you can get laid off instead of quitting. Sometimes employers are willing to do this if you explain your situation, especially if they were going to need to reduce hours anyway.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•That's an interesting idea. Would that make me eligible for regular unemployment benefits?
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Jamal Wilson
•Yes, if you're laid off through no fault of your own, you'd be eligible for regular UI benefits. But you'd still need to be able and available for work, which could be an issue if you're in school full-time.
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Sofia Morales
•The able and available requirement is the real killer here. Even if you get benefits, you have to be looking for work and available to start immediately.
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Dmitry Popov
Have you looked into financial aid for the nursing program? Pell grants, student loans, work-study programs? That might be a better route than trying to get unemployment.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•I've applied for financial aid but it doesn't cover living expenses fully. I still need money for rent and food while I'm in school.
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Dmitry Popov
•Look into emergency financial aid at your school too. Many colleges have hardship funds for students in transition.
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Ava Garcia
This whole system is backwards. People should be encouraged to get training and education, not penalized for it. Other countries support people who want to improve their skills.
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Liam Fitzgerald
•Completely agree. The system seems designed to keep people in low-wage jobs instead of helping them advance.
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StarSailor}
•It's because unemployment is supposed to be temporary support while looking for work, not career change funding. That's what student aid is for.
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Miguel Silva
I used Claimyr last month when I had questions about my weekly claim requirements. Super helpful and way faster than trying to get through the regular phone lines. Definitely recommend it if you need to talk to someone at Washington ESD about your specific situation.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•How much does Claimyr cost to use?
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Miguel Silva
•They have different options but it was worth it for me to get actual answers instead of guessing about my claim status.
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Zainab Ismail
My sister did something similar - she worked part-time while going to nursing school and qualified for some benefits because she was still employed but working reduced hours. Maybe look into that option?
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•That's a good point. If I could find a part-time job that works with my school schedule, I might be able to get partial benefits.
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Jamal Wilson
•Yes, if you're working part-time and earn less than your weekly benefit amount, you might qualify for partial unemployment benefits.
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Connor O'Neill
Whatever you do, DON'T quit before talking to Washington ESD first. I made that mistake and it took months to sort out. Get everything in writing about what programs you might qualify for.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•Good advice. I definitely don't want to mess this up and be left with no income.
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Yara Nassar
•Yeah, Washington ESD can be really strict about the voluntary quit rules. Better to be safe than sorry.
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Keisha Robinson
Check if your nursing program qualifies for any state workforce development grants too. Washington has various programs to help people train for in-demand careers.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•I hadn't thought of that. Do you know where I'd look for those kinds of programs?
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Keisha Robinson
•Start with the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges website. They list various workforce training grants and programs.
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GalaxyGuardian
I'm in a similar boat planning to go back to school next year. Following this thread for advice. It's so confusing trying to figure out all the rules and requirements.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•Right? I wish there was clearer information about all these different programs and what actually qualifies.
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Paolo Ricci
•The Washington ESD website has some info but it's pretty hard to understand. Talking to an actual person seems like the only way to get clear answers.
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Amina Toure
One more thing to consider - some nursing programs have partnerships with hospitals that provide financial support or guaranteed jobs after graduation. That might be worth looking into as an alternative to unemployment benefits.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•That's a great suggestion. I'll ask the nursing program about any partnerships or financial support they offer.
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Oliver Zimmermann
•Yeah, hospitals are desperate for nurses right now. Many will pay for your education in exchange for a work commitment.
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Natasha Volkova
Bottom line - if you quit to go to school without pre-approval for a training program, you probably won't get unemployment. But definitely talk to Washington ESD before making any decisions. Every situation is different.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•Thanks everyone for all the advice. I'm going to contact WorkSource and see about getting pre-approved for training benefits before I make any decisions about quitting.
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Amara Nnamani
•Smart approach. Getting pre-approval is definitely your best bet if you want to have any chance at benefits while in school.
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Javier Torres
Good luck with nursing school! It's tough but so worth it. Healthcare workers are really needed right now.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•Thank you! I'm really excited about the career change, just want to make sure I can afford to make it happen.
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Emma Davis
Just wanted to add that I used Claimyr recently to get clarity on my claim status when it was stuck in adjudication. Really helped to actually talk to someone who could explain what was happening instead of just waiting and wondering.
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CosmicCaptain
•How long did it take to get connected through Claimyr?
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Emma Davis
•Way faster than trying to call directly. I think I got through in under an hour versus the weeks I'd been trying the regular number.
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Malik Johnson
This thread has been really helpful. I had no idea there were training benefit programs available. Shows how confusing the whole system is.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•I agree! I learned so much from everyone's responses. Definitely gives me a better idea of what questions to ask when I contact Washington ESD.
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Isabella Ferreira
Remember that even with training benefits, you usually have to maintain satisfactory progress in your program and might have to pay back benefits if you don't complete it. Just something to keep in mind.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•Good point. I'm committed to finishing the program so that shouldn't be an issue, but it's important to know about those requirements upfront.
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Lucas Turner
I went through a similar situation a few years ago when I wanted to transition into healthcare. What saved me was finding out about the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding through my local American Job Center. It's different from regular unemployment but can provide financial support while you're in approved training programs. The key is that nursing is often considered a high-demand occupation, so you might have better luck with WIOA than trying to get unemployment after quitting. I'd suggest visiting your local WorkSource office in person - they can walk you through all the different funding options available and help you apply before you leave your current job. Don't give up on your nursing dreams!
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Nia Thompson
•This is exactly the kind of information I was hoping to find! I hadn't heard of WIOA funding before. Do you know if there are income requirements or other qualifications I need to meet? And did you have to commit to working in a specific area after completing your training? I'm definitely going to visit WorkSource in person - seems like there are so many programs I didn't even know existed.
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