Can you claim Washington ESD unemployment if you resign from your job?

What exactly counts as 'good cause'? My supervisor has been making my work environment really hostile but I don't know if that's enough.

Good cause can include workplace harassment, discrimination, unsafe conditions, or substantial changes to your job terms. You'd need to document everything and be prepared to prove your case during the adjudication process.

How long did the appeals process take? I'm really worried about the time gap without income.

It took about 6 weeks total from my initial filing to getting my first payment after the appeal was approved. During that time I had no income which was really tough.

6 weeks?? That's crazy long. Did you try calling Washington ESD to check on your case status?

I did file a complaint with HR but they basically sided with my supervisor. I have emails documenting this whole process though.

Those emails could be really valuable if you do file for unemployment. Keep everything organized and make copies.

3 months?! That's terrible. Have you been able to reach anyone at Washington ESD to check what's happening?

tried calling like 100 times, always busy or i get disconnected. the online system just says 'pending' with no other info

I had the same problem reaching Washington ESD until someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to actual agents. I used it last month and finally got my claim status updated. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Way easier than spending hours on hold.

While the system does have challenges, saying they 'automatically deny' quit cases isn't accurate. Each case goes through adjudication where they review the specific circumstances.

maybe not 'automatically' but they sure make it hard. seems like they deny first and ask questions later

How many jobs do you have to apply for each week? I've never been on unemployment before so I don't know the requirements.

You need to make at least 3 job search contacts per week and keep detailed records. They can audit your job search log at any time.

That's encouraging to hear she eventually got approved. The waiting period sounds awful though.

yeah the waiting was really hard on her financially. she had to borrow money from family to get by

Good point. If I'm going to do this I should file right away. Is there anything specific I should say or not say when filing?

Be completely honest about your reasons for quitting and provide as much detail as possible. Don't try to hide the fact that you voluntarily left - they'll find out anyway when they contact your employer.

While the system can be frustrating, it's not designed to discourage legitimate claims. The requirements exist to prevent fraud and ensure benefits go to people who qualify.

tell that to all the people who get denied for technicalities and can't afford to fight appeals

That might be wise. In the meantime, keep documenting everything that happens with your supervisor. Having a solid paper trail will help if you do eventually need to quit and file for benefits.

Whatever you decide, if you need to reach Washington ESD for any reason, definitely check out claimyr.com. Saved me so much time and frustration trying to get through their phone system.

A penalty period on top of everything else? How long is that usually?

There isn't automatically a penalty period for voluntary quits if you're approved for good cause. You might be thinking of misconduct cases which can have a different disqualification period.

I've thought about that but I don't want to do anything that would hurt my professional reputation or references.

yeah that's smart. i was lucky my next employer didn't care about the circumstances

I figured they would contest it. That's why I'm trying to document everything so thoroughly.

Smart approach. The more evidence you have, the better your chances during adjudication.

3 interviews?? What kind of questions do they ask?

lots of details about exactly what happened, what you did to try to fix it, why you couldn't keep working there. they want to hear everything

Those adjudication interviews can be really stressful. When I had mine, I used Claimyr to make sure I didn't miss the scheduled call. They have a callback feature that's really helpful for important calls like that.

I've been looking for other jobs but the market is tough right now. I may not have the luxury of finding something else first.

I understand. Just make sure you've exhausted all other options before taking the unemployment route with a voluntary quit.

That's kind of where I'm leaning too. The uncertainty of the unemployment process is really scary.

While the system has challenges, don't let that stop you from filing if you have legitimate good cause to quit. You have rights as a worker.

Thank you. It really is affecting my mental health at this point. I appreciate everyone's input on this thread.

What kind of resources? I want to be as prepared as possible if I go this route.

legal aid societies sometimes help with unemployment appeals, and there are services like the one mentioned earlier that help you actually reach ESD agents when you need to

That seems to be the consensus here. Possible but difficult. I have a lot to think about.

Take your time with the decision. Once you quit it's hard to undo, so make sure you're really ready for the potential battle ahead.