ESD denied claim after quitting due to anxiety - appeal hearing with therapist letter - chances of winning?

I won my appeal after quitting for health reasons (physical not mental, but still similar case). The key factors that helped me were: 1) Having medical documentation (which you have with the therapist letter), 2) Proving I notified my employer about the condition before quitting (you mentioned this to a supervisor, did you document it anywhere?), and 3) Showing I had no reasonable alternatives (did you request accommodations or leave first?) The fact that they laughed off your anxiety actually might work in your favor - shows you tried to address it and they dismissed a legitimate health concern. The law says mental health is just as valid as physical health for good cause to quit.

i quit bcuz of depression last year and got denied then appealed and lost that 2. they said i shouldve asked for accomodations first or medical leave. did u ask for that stuff b4 quitting??

I've helped several clients with mental health-related appeals. Under Washington law, you need to establish three things for a mental health quit to qualify for benefits: 1. You had a genuine mental health condition that made continuing work impossible (your therapist letter helps here) 2. You made reasonable efforts to preserve your employment before quitting (this is where you might face challenges - did you request FMLA leave, ADA accommodations, or transfer to another position?) 3. You had no reasonable alternative but to quit The employer laughing off your condition helps establish that the workplace wasn't accommodating, but the judge will likely question why you didn't escalate to HR or formally request accommodations. Back benefits will be paid if you win the appeal, minus the waiting week.

The ESD system is COMPLETELY BIASED against mental health issues!!! I quit because of severe depression and panic attacks that sent me to the ER twice, had documentation from both my therapist AND psychiatrist, and they STILL denied my appeal!! The system is designed to side with employers 99% of the time. Don't get your hopes up. They'll find some technicality like "you should have requested accommodations in writing" or "you didn't give the employer enough chance to fix the situation." It's all about protecting businesses, not workers. 😡

have u tried calling esd to ask about your case status? sometimes they can tell u if the judge is leaning one way or another. my cousin works there and says they sometimes know the outcome before the official letter goes out

I was having the same problem getting through to ESD about my appeal. After wasting hours getting hung up on, I found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an ESD agent in about 25 minutes instead of spending days trying. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. The agent I spoke with was able to see notes about my appeal and gave me some insight about what the judge was considering. Totally worth it to finally talk to a real person at ESD instead of getting endless busy signals and hangups.

just wanted to say good luck with your appeal. im dealing with anxiety issues too and its so hard when people dont take it seriously. hope the judge understands your situation

One more important point: if you receive an unfavorable decision, you still have the option to petition for review with the Commissioner's Review Office within 30 days of the judge's decision. Many claimants give up after the first appeal, but the Commissioner sometimes reverses decisions, especially in cases involving mental health where the judge may not have fully considered all aspects of the situation. Make sure to carefully read the appeal rights section of your decision letter if you need to take this step.

any update??? did u get a decision yet?