Can you resign and still get unemployment benefits in Washington?

Generally speaking, if you voluntarily quit your job, Washington ESD will deny your unemployment claim unless you can prove you had 'good cause' for leaving. Good cause usually means things like unsafe working conditions, harassment, or significant changes to your job that weren't part of your original agreement.

You need to be really careful here. I quit my job last year thinking I had good cause and Washington ESD denied my claim. Had to go through a whole appeal process that took months. Make sure you have documentation of everything - emails, text messages, anything that shows the toxic environment or changes to your job.

Honestly, if you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about this, you might want to check out claimyr.com. I used them when I had questions about my claim status and couldn't get anyone on the phone. They have this video demo that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ. Made it way easier to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD.

The toxic environment part is tricky to prove. Washington ESD wants concrete evidence, not just your word that your boss was mean. Hour cuts are more black and white - if you can show they significantly reduced your wages without agreement, that's stronger ground for good cause.

wait can't you just say you were laid off?? seems easier than trying to prove good cause

I went through something similar. Key thing is to document EVERYTHING before you quit. Take photos of schedules showing hour cuts, save emails, maybe even talk to coworkers who witnessed the toxic behavior and ask if they'd be willing to provide statements. Washington ESD adjudication process is thorough and they'll contact your employer too.

Another option is to see if you can get your employer to lay you off instead. Sometimes if you explain your situation to HR they might be willing to do a 'mutual separation' or reduction in force instead of a resignation.

Be aware that even if you quit for good cause, there might be a waiting period before benefits start. It's not like getting laid off where benefits typically start right away. Check the Washington ESD website for current rules on this.

Whatever you decide, file your claim as soon as possible after leaving. Don't wait because there's a time limit on when you can file, and benefits don't go retroactive to when you should have filed.

Just want to second what someone said about Claimyr earlier. I had a complicated situation with my claim and couldn't get answers from Washington ESD no matter how many times I called. Used that service and finally got to talk to someone who could actually help. Made all the difference in understanding my options.

The hour reduction thing is actually a really strong case for good cause if you can document it properly. 15 hours per week is a massive cut. Make sure you have pay stubs from before and after the reduction.

Also consider whether you might qualify for partial unemployment benefits if they keep cutting your hours instead of you quitting. Sometimes that's a better option than resigning and hoping to prove good cause.

DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. I cannot stress this enough. Dates, times, witnesses, save every email and text. Washington ESD will want proof and your employer will probably fight the claim.

might be worth talking to a lawyer too if the situation is really bad. some employment lawyers do free consultations and can tell you if you have a strong case

I've seen people get denied for quitting even when they thought they had good reasons. Washington ESD is pretty strict about voluntary separations. Make sure you understand exactly what qualifies before you make your decision.

The bottom line is yes, you can potentially get unemployment if you resign, but the bar is pretty high for proving good cause. Hour cuts like yours might qualify, but toxic environment alone probably won't unless you have solid documentation of harassment or illegal behavior.

Just wanted to add that Washington ESD also considers "constructive dismissal" - where your employer makes working conditions so intolerable that a reasonable person would feel forced to quit. The significant hour reduction from 40 to 25 hours could fall under this category, especially if it wasn't discussed or agreed to beforehand. You might want to look into whether your situation meets the legal definition of constructive dismissal, as that's often treated more favorably than a standard resignation. Keep detailed records of when the hour cuts started and any communication about them.