Can you get unemployment if you quit your job in Washington state?

That's encouraging to hear. What kind of documentation should I be gathering? I have some text messages about the schedule changes but not much else.

Save everything - text messages, emails, your work schedules showing the hour reductions, any written communications. You'll need to prove the substantial change in your working conditions when you file your claim.

What counts as harassment? My supervisor constantly yells at me and makes unreasonable demands but I don't know if that's enough.

Document everything! Keep records of incidents, dates, witnesses. You'll need to prove the harassment was severe enough that a reasonable person would quit.

What counts as good cause? My situation is pretty bad but I'm not sure if it meets their standards.

Good cause typically includes things like unsafe working conditions, harassment, discrimination, or significant changes to your job duties or pay. You'd need to document everything thoroughly.

What kind of documentation do I need? I haven't been keeping records of the hostile behavior but it's been going on for months.

Start documenting now - dates, times, witnesses, emails, any written communications. Also check if your company has an HR department you can report to first, as Washington ESD will want to see you tried to resolve it internally.

What kind of documentation would I need? I haven't been writing anything down but I probably should start.

Start documenting everything NOW. Dates, times, witnesses, what was said or done. Save any texts or emails. You'll need to show you tried to resolve it through proper channels first too.

What counts as harassment? My boss has been making really inappropriate comments and creating a hostile environment.

Document everything - dates, witnesses, what was said. You'd need to show you tried to resolve it through proper channels first before quitting.

How long did your investigation take? I'm worried about being without income for too long.

Mine took about 6 weeks total. The adjudication process was the longest part - about 4 weeks. Then I had to do a phone interview with an adjudicator to explain my situation.

Three months?? I can't afford to wait that long without income. What was your situation?

harassment from supervisor, but ESD said i should have reported it to HR first even though we didnt really have HR at a small company

I haven't formally complained to anyone yet because I was afraid it would make things worse. Should I do that before I quit?

Yes, you need to show Washington ESD that you made good faith efforts to resolve the problem. Talk to your supervisor's boss, HR, or whoever handles employee issues. Keep records of these conversations.

But what if complaining just gets you fired instead? Then at least you'd get unemployment without having to prove good cause for quitting.

Did you eventually win your appeal? What kind of documentation did you need?

Yeah I won but it was a nightmare. Had emails, witness statements, even medical records showing stress-related issues from the job.

Did you end up winning your appeal? What was that process like?

Yes I won but it took 3 months total. Had to do a phone hearing with an administrative law judge. Make sure you have all your documentation organized because they'll ask specific questions about dates and events.

How long did it take you to reach someone? I keep reading about people having trouble getting through to ESD.

weeks of calling. finally used some service called claimyr that helped me get connected faster. wish i'd found it sooner

How long did the adjudication process take? I'm worried about the waiting period.

Mine took about 6 weeks. The worst part was trying to get through to Washington ESD to check on the status. I ended up using Claimyr.com to get connected to an actual person - there's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Never heard of Claimyr before but I'm definitely checking it out. I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks with no luck.

That sounds really helpful. How does Claimyr work exactly? I've been dreading trying to call Washington ESD.

Basically they handle the calling for you and get you connected to a real person at Washington ESD. Way better than sitting on hold for hours and getting disconnected. The agent I talked to explained exactly what documentation I needed for my 'quit for good cause' claim.

Is this service legitimate? Sounds too good to be true honestly.

Yeah it's totally legit. I was skeptical too but they just help with the calling part - you still talk directly to Washington ESD agents. Saved me so much frustration.

What kind of documentation would I need to prove harassment? I haven't been filing formal complaints because I was scared of retaliation.

Start documenting everything now - dates, times, witnesses, any emails or texts. Even if you haven't filed formal complaints, your personal records can help support your case.

What kind of proof would I need? I don't have anything in writing about the harassment but I do have some text messages from coworkers who witnessed it.

Document everything you can - dates, times, witnesses. Text messages could help. You might also want to report the harassment to HR first if your company has an HR department.

What kind of documentation do I need for a hostile work environment? Emails, witness statements?

Yes, emails are great evidence. Also keep a detailed log of incidents with dates and times. If you filed complaints with HR, get copies of those too.

What if there's no HR department? Small company with like 8 employees total.

Document complaints to your supervisor or owner in writing. Email works great because it creates a paper trail with timestamps.

What counts as substantial? I went from averaging 30+ hours to getting 10-15 hours per week.

That definitely sounds substantial enough. The key is proving it's permanent, not just a slow period. If you can show this is the new normal and not temporary, you should have a good case.

I don't think my company even has a real HR department. It's just the owner's wife who handles payroll.

that makes it harder but you still need to show you tried. send an email to the owner about the problems and keep a copy

Small companies can be the worst for this stuff. No protections at all.

6 weeks?? How did you survive financially during that time? I can't go that long without income.

It was rough, had to borrow money from family. But once it got approved I got all the back pay from when I first filed.

Thanks, I might need that. The phone lines are always busy when I try calling.

Never heard of that service but honestly anything that helps get through to ESD sounds good to me. Their phone system is terrible.

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

It took about 6 weeks total. I had to do a phone hearing and present my evidence. It was stressful but worth it in the end.

That sounds helpful but is it legit? I'm worried about scams when it comes to unemployment stuff.

Yeah it's real, they just help you get through the phone queue. You still talk directly to Washington ESD agents, they don't handle your claim or anything like that.

I've been documenting incidents with my manager but haven't formally complained to HR yet. Should I do that first before quitting?

Yes, you should attempt to resolve the issue through proper channels first. Washington ESD will want to see that you made reasonable efforts to address the problem before quitting.

This is exactly right. I had a similar situation and had to show I went through the company's complaint process before ESD would consider my claim.

That sounds helpful! I've been trying to call Washington ESD for days but can never get through. How much does it cost?

I'd rather not get into pricing details but it was definitely worth it for me to actually talk to someone who could explain my options instead of just guessing.

While the process can be challenging, Washington does recognize legitimate good cause reasons for quitting. Sexual harassment would definitely qualify if properly documented and reported.

Tell that to my friend who had to hire a lawyer to get her benefits. The initial determination said she should have 'tried harder' to resolve it internally.

Only in very specific circumstances with good cause. Most voluntary quits are disqualified but there are exceptions for things like harassment, unsafe conditions, or significant job changes.

oh ok that makes sense. so its not automatic you have to prove it

I wish I had started documenting sooner. Most of the incidents happened months ago and I only have my memory to go on.

Write down what you can remember with as much detail as possible. Even if it's not perfect documentation, it's better than nothing. And start documenting anything new that happens.

Good point. I should probably get some advice before I do anything irreversible.

Good luck getting through to anyone at Washington ESD on the phone though. I've been trying for two weeks about my own claim issues.

That's why services like Claimyr are so valuable. Sometimes you need help just getting connected to the right person at Washington ESD.

How long did the whole appeal process take? And did you have to pay for a lawyer?

The appeal took about 3 months total. I represented myself at the hearing but I did consult with a lawyer beforehand. Some do free consultations.

I hadn't thought about that. Would constructive dismissal help with unemployment benefits?

Potentially yes. If you can prove constructive dismissal, Washington ESD might treat it more like you were fired rather than quit voluntarily.

This is so frustrating! It's like they expect you to stay in terrible situations just to qualify for help when you finally can't take it anymore.

I understand the frustration, but the system is designed to prevent people from quitting jobs just to collect benefits. The good cause exceptions are there for legitimate situations.

Oh no, that's exactly what I'm worried about. What was your situation? Did you appeal the decision?

My supervisor was constantly criticizing me and making me work overtime without pay. I did appeal but lost that too. They said it wasn't severe enough to justify quitting.

That sounds like wage theft with the unpaid overtime. Did you report that to the Department of Labor & Industries? That could strengthen a future claim.