Can you get unemployment if you quit because of coronavirus - Washington ESD eligibility?

This is tricky. Washington ESD usually denies claims when you voluntarily quit unless you have "good cause." COVID health concerns might qualify but you'd need to document everything - unsafe working conditions, your high-risk status, attempts to get accommodations from your employer first.

You need to be really careful here. Even with COVID, Washington ESD still applies the "good cause" standard pretty strictly. Did you ask your employer for accommodations first? Like working different hours, remote work if possible, or better safety measures?

Had a similar situation last year. I was having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about this exact question. Kept calling the main number but either got busy signals or got disconnected after waiting forever. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) which actually got me connected to a real person at Washington ESD who could explain the good cause requirements. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

honestly the whole system is messed up. I quit my job because my kid's daycare closed due to COVID and Washington ESD denied my claim initially. Had to appeal and it took months to get approved. They don't make it easy even when you have legitimate reasons.

Check if your employer has to provide reasonable accommodations under ADA since you have asthma. If they refuse reasonable accommodations, that strengthens your case for good cause to quit.

Update: I talked to my manager again and they basically said tough luck, company policy is no exceptions. Should I quit now or keep documenting more stuff?

I'm in a similar boat but with a restaurant job. No masks, packed dining room, management doesn't care. Been documenting everything for weeks now in case I need to quit.

Another thing - if you do quit and file for UI, Washington ESD will probably schedule a fact-finding interview. That's when they decide if you had good cause. Having all your documentation ready makes a huge difference in those interviews.

Just want to add that even if you quit for good cause, there might still be a waiting period before benefits start. Make sure you have some savings if possible.

The thing that really helped my case was getting a letter from my doctor explaining why my situation made continuing work unsafe. Might be worth asking your asthma doctor for something like that.

Whatever you decide, file your UI claim right away after quitting. Don't wait thinking you need to have all your documentation perfect first. You can provide additional info during the investigation.

Also make sure you're doing your weekly job search once you start claiming. Even if your quit is still under investigation, you usually still have to meet the job search requirements.

Had a friend who quit due to COVID concerns and got approved but it took forever. Washington ESD really scrutinizes voluntary quit cases. The key is showing you had no other reasonable option.

One more tip - if Washington ESD denies your claim initially, don't give up. A lot of COVID-related quit cases got approved on appeal even if denied at first. The appeals judges seem to understand the situation better.

This whole situation sucks but you gotta protect your health. I'd rather deal with Washington ESD's bureaucracy than end up in the hospital. Document everything and make your case as strong as possible.

Don't forget to check if your employer offers any kind of leave options first - FMLA, sick leave, personal leave, etc. Sometimes taking unpaid leave while looking for another job is better than quitting outright.

Final thought - if you do quit and file, be completely honest in your application about why you quit. Don't try to make it sound like you were laid off or anything. Washington ESD will find out and that could disqualify you permanently.

Good luck with whatever you decide. This whole pandemic has put so many people in impossible situations. At least Washington ESD is more understanding about COVID stuff than they used to be about other quit reasons.

Just saw this thread and wanted to mention that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier - I finally tried it last week and actually got through to Washington ESD on the first try. Saved me so much time compared to calling myself.

Hope this works out for you. The most important thing is having a solid paper trail showing you tried everything else before quitting. Washington ESD really wants to see that you made good faith efforts to keep working.