Can I receive Washington ESD unemployment if I resign from my job?

What exactly counts as 'good cause'? The management situation is pretty bad but I'm not sure if it meets their definition.

Good cause includes things like workplace harassment, discrimination, unsafe conditions, or if your employer significantly changed your job without notice. You'd need to document everything and be prepared to prove your case during adjudication.

How long did the appeal process take for you? I'm worried about going months without any income.

My appeal took about 6 weeks, but I know some people wait longer. Make sure you keep applying for jobs and document your job search even while appealing.

Never heard of this service before. Does it actually work for getting through to Washington ESD?

Yeah, I used it last month when I needed to check on my adjudication status. Way better than trying to call them directly and getting busy signals all day.

While I understand the sentiment, quitting without a plan can create serious financial hardship. It's better to explore all options first.

Easy to say when you're not the one who needs to pay rent next month

HR is basically useless at my company, but I guess I should try to document that I attempted to go through them.

Exactly - even if HR doesn't help, having a paper trail showing you tried all internal options strengthens your case if you do end up needing to appeal a denial.

It's more about unrealistic expectations and verbal abuse, but not necessarily discrimination. The manager yells at everyone pretty equally.

Verbal abuse could potentially count as creating a hostile work environment. Do you have any witnesses or documentation of the incidents?

That's so frustrating! Did you end up appealing the decision?

I started the appeal process but ended up finding another job before it was resolved. The whole system is designed to make it as difficult as possible.

I've been trying to job hunt but it's hard to interview when you're working full time, especially with the toxic environment making everything more stressful.

I get that it's tough, but even taking sick days or using lunch breaks for phone interviews is better than quitting without a backup plan.

Where can I find the specific criteria? The Washington ESD website is confusing.

Check WAC 192-150-200 for the full legal definition. It's dense but that's what they base their decisions on.

Good point. I should probably start keeping a journal of incidents. Better to have too much documentation than not enough.

Absolutely. Washington ESD adjudicators want specific facts, not general complaints about workplace culture.

Constructive discharge is really hard to prove though. Washington ESD sets a pretty high bar for that.

True, but it's worth understanding as an option. You need to show the employer deliberately made conditions intolerable to force you out.

That's probably smart. Better to get official guidance than rely on forum advice for something this important.

Agreed. Every situation is different and Washington ESD can be unpredictable with these borderline cases.

How long is the waiting period typically?

It varies, but you're looking at least a few weeks while they investigate. Could be longer if they need to do interviews or gather more information.

This is the reality check everyone needs to hear. The system isn't designed to help people escape bad jobs.

Yeah, I'm starting to realize I need to be more strategic about this decision. Thanks everyone for the reality check.

Good point. I definitely don't want to get caught in a lie during the investigation.

Exactly. Better to have a weak case based on truth than a strong case based on lies that gets discovered.

Thanks everyone for all the advice. I have a lot to think about and probably some more research to do before making this decision.

Definitely worth talking to Washington ESD directly about your specific situation. That's where Claimyr really helps - actually getting through to speak with someone who can give you official guidance.