Can you quit your job and collect unemployment in Washington?

In Washington, you generally can't get unemployment if you quit voluntarily, but there are exceptions for 'good cause.' Your situation with schedule changes and reduced hours might qualify as constructive dismissal. You'd need to document everything - keep records of schedule changes, hour reductions, any hostile behavior. Washington ESD will investigate your claim during adjudication to determine if you had good cause to quit.

You need to be really careful here. I quit my job last year thinking I had a good case and Washington ESD denied my claim. Had to appeal and it took months to get resolved. The burden of proof is on you to show good cause. Have you tried talking to HR or your manager's supervisor first? Washington ESD will want to see that you attempted to resolve the situation before quitting.

I was in a similar situation and actually got approved for UI after quitting. The key is proving constructive dismissal - basically that your employer made working conditions so bad you had no choice but to quit. I had success using Claimyr to get through to an actual Washington ESD agent who explained exactly what documentation I needed. You can check out their service at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made the whole process way less stressful.

Don't quit unless you absolutely have to! I made that mistake and regretted it. Even if you think you have good cause, Washington ESD is pretty strict about voluntary quits. Can you stick it out while looking for another job? At least then if they fire you for calling in sick to interviews or something, you'd have a better case for UI benefits.

The Washington ESD website has specific criteria for good cause quits. Things like unsafe working conditions, discrimination, harassment, or significant changes to your job duties/pay/hours can qualify. Your situation with hour cuts and schedule changes sounds like it might meet their criteria. Just make sure you file your claim right away after quitting - don't wait.

ugh the whole system is so frustrating. I tried calling Washington ESD for weeks to ask about this exact situation and could never get through. The phone lines are always busy and when you do get in the queue they hang up on you after an hour wait.

I work in HR (different company) and see this situation a lot. Your employer reducing your hours significantly could be considered constructive dismissal under Washington law. Keep detailed records of your original hours vs current hours, any written communications about changes, and if possible get a witness to hostile behavior. The key is showing a pattern, not just isolated incidents.

Whatever you do, don't just walk out without notice. Give proper notice if you can - it shows good faith and Washington ESD looks at that during adjudication. Even if your boss is terrible, taking the high road helps your case.

Look into filing a complaint with L&I if there are safety issues or wage theft involved. Having an official complaint on file can strengthen your unemployment claim. Washington ESD considers whether you tried other remedies before quitting.

Just want to add that even if your initial claim gets denied, you can appeal. I had to go through the appeals process and eventually won. The hearing officer was much more reasonable than the initial adjudicator. Don't give up if you get denied at first.

Has anyone mentioned checking if your situation qualifies for standby? If your hours are being cut severely, you might be able to get partial benefits while still technically employed. Worth asking Washington ESD about.

Before you quit, maybe try talking to a lawyer? Some employment attorneys do free consultations. If you have a case for hostile work environment or constructive dismissal, they might take it on contingency.

The most important thing is documenting everything NOW. I learned this the hard way - Washington ESD wants specific dates, times, witnesses, everything. Start keeping a daily log of incidents, take screenshots of your schedule, save any texts or emails. The more proof you have, the better.

One more thing - when you file your UI claim, be completely honest about why you quit. Don't try to sugarcoat it or make it sound better than it was. Washington ESD will investigate anyway and if they find out you weren't truthful, it'll hurt your case badly.

Just saw this thread and wanted to add - make sure you understand Washington's job search requirements if you do get approved for UI. You'll need to log job search activities weekly even while your claim is in adjudication. Don't want you to get caught off guard by that requirement.