Can I qualify for ESD benefits with autoimmune disease if I quit? Able & available concerns

Hi there. You're asking about a really important distinction in ESD rules. Generally, to qualify for regular unemployment benefits, you must be physically able to work and available for work. If you quit because of a medical condition but aren't able to work, regular UI probably isn't the right fit. However, you might have other options:\n\n1. If your doctor recommends reduced hours or different work accommodations, you might qualify for partial unemployment if your employer can't accommodate those needs and you have to quit.\n\n2. Have you considered applying for disability benefits instead? Social Security Disability might be more appropriate than unemployment if your condition prevents you from working.\n\n3. Check if your employer offers short-term or long-term disability insurance.\n\nThe key documentation is a letter from your doctor detailing your work limitations and why your current position isn't compatible with your health needs.

Thank you for the detailed response. My doctor recommended reduced hours and work from home options, but my employer says they can't accommodate either. I hadn't thought about partial unemployment - that's helpful. Does anyone know if quitting with doctor documentation counts as \

i went thru something simillar with my arthritis. ESD denied me at first but i apealed. u need TO MAKE SURE ur doctor writes a note saying ur ABLE to work but only with certain limits. if the note says ur totally disabled they will deny u 100%. my doctor wrote that i could work but needed to sit every 2 hours and my employer said they couldnt do it so i quit and got approved on appeal.

That's really helpful to know! So it sounds like the wording from my doctor is super important. Did you have to go through a hearing for your appeal or did they just review your documentation?

had a phone hearing with a judge. took like 3 months to get scheduled tho. make sure u keep filing ur weekly claims even while waiting!!!

I'm going through something similar with Lupus, and it's a complete nightmare trying to get through to ESD to get proper guidance. I've been on hold for HOURS multiple times. My advice is to make sure you have DOCUMENTATION FOR EVERYTHING!!! Every doctor visit, every accommodation request to your employer, every response. The system is designed to deny first and ask questions later. \n\nMost people don't know this, but if you can prove your employer couldn't/wouldn't accommodate your DOCUMENTED medical restrictions, that's considered

I had the same experience with trying to reach ESD - it was impossible until I tried Claimyr.com which got me through to an actual agent in about 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Completely changed my experience with getting my questions answered about my medical separation from work. For complex situations like medical accommodations and quitting, talking to an actual agent is way better than trying to figure it out yourself or waiting for them to call back (which they never did for me).

Whoa, I didn't know something like that existed! I wasted so many hours on hold. Will definitely try this next time, thanks!

You should probably just apply for disability if you can't work. Unemployment is for people who CAN work but don't have a job.

It's actually more nuanced than that. You can qualify for unemployment with medical restrictions if you can still perform some types of work but your employer can't accommodate your specific needs. This is considered a good cause quit under ESD rules. Disability is for those who cannot perform any substantial gainful activity, which is a much higher threshold to meet.

Oh I didn't know that, thanks for explaining

I work as an employment consultant and deal with this situation frequently. Here's what you need to know about quitting for medical reasons and ESD benefits:\n\n1. Medical reasons CAN qualify as \

what counts as reasonable accomodatons? my boss says i can take breaks whenever i want for my condition but i need more than that like maybe working from home 2 days a week

Under the ADA, reasonable accommodations can include modified work schedules, remote work, special equipment, or reassignment to a different position. However, employers don't have to provide accommodations that would cause \

This whole system is such a joke. I had to quit my job because of my back injury and ESD rejected me TWICE even with doctor's notes and everything. They said I \

I'm sorry you had such a terrible experience. Did you appeal the decisions or just give up? I'm trying to figure out if it's even worth applying or if I should just look into disability instead.

I appealed the first time but gave up after the second denial. The stress was making my condition worse. If I could do it over, I would have gotten a lawyer for the appeal. They know all the exact words that need to be in the doctor's letter. That's what my friend did and she won her appeal.

One more important thing to consider: ESD may put you on a \

That's really helpful! My doctor has already documented that I need frequent breaks and can't stand for more than 20 minutes at a time. I'll ask if he can add more specifics about what kind of work I could do. Thank you!