ESD hearing with Judge Molly Ray - quit job to care for disabled children - need advice

I had a hearing with Judge Ray last year (different situation - fired for attendance). She's actually pretty fair compared to some other judges. Make sure you organize your documents in chronological order and have clear copies of everything. Write down a timeline of events showing how your work schedule conflicted with your kids' needs. When she asks questions, answer DIRECTLY - don't ramble or go off topic. She appreciates when people are prepared and straightforward.

u should definitely mention if u tried asking for accommodations from ur employer before quitting!! thats super important. judges want to hear that u tried to resolve the situation first before just walking away

I'm an employment counselor and have helped clients prepare for similar hearings. For your specific situation, RCW 50.20.050(2)(b)(ii) allows benefits if you quit to care for an immediate family member with a disability that requires your care. The key is demonstrating that: 1. Your children's conditions meet the definition of disability 2. No reasonable alternative care arrangement was available 3. You made reasonable efforts to preserve your employment before quitting Bring documentation of all daycare/childcare options you investigated and their costs/availability for special needs children. Also get statements from the children's doctors specifically stating they require parental care. Judge Ray will want to see that you exhausted all alternatives before quitting.

Judge Ray denied my claim last June and was super mean about it. She kept interrupting me and wouldn't let me finish explaining my situation. Good luck but don't get your hopes up with her!!!

Having tried to reach ESD multiple times before my own hearing, I finally had success using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They helped me get through to an actual ESD agent who explained exactly what documentation I needed for my hearing. Saved me tons of stress! They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Might be worth checking out before Thursday so you can ask specific questions about your case.

I went thru almost the EXACT same situation last year!!! My son has autism and my employer wouldn't work with my schedule for his therapy appointments. My hearing was with a different judge but I WON my case! The key thing that helped me was having detailed documentation of: 1) Every time I had to leave work for my child (dates & reasons) 2) All the times I requested schedule accommodations (BRING EMAILS!) 3) Letters from BOTH my son's doctor AND therapist 4) Research showing the cost of specialized care was more than I made hourly Be calm and organized. Practice what you'll say beforehand so you don't get emotional during the hearing (I cried during mine and it made it harder to explain things clearly).

For what it's worth, I think documented special needs of children is one of the stronger voluntary quit justifications with ESD. Just make sure you emphasize that it was IMPOSSIBLE to continue working there (not just difficult or inconvenient). The legal standard is pretty strict.

my cousin quit to take care of her sick mom and got denied because she didnt have enough proof that nobody else could do it. make sure u can show you really tried EVERYTHING else first

Update: Had my hearing today and Judge Ray was fair and professional. She asked specific questions about my childcare attempts and why my children needed my direct care. I presented my documentation including the doctor statements about why my children need parental care due to their specific conditions, records of school incidents, and emails showing I tried to get accommodations at work. She said she'd mail the decision in 10-14 days but seemed sympathetic to my situation. Thanks everyone for the advice - being prepared with everything organized made a huge difference!

Glad to hear your hearing went well! The fact that Judge Ray seemed sympathetic is definitely a good sign. I've been following your situation since you first posted and it sounds like you did everything right - having all that documentation organized and being able to clearly explain why you exhausted other options before quitting was key. The wait for the decision is always nerve-wracking but based on what you've shared, you presented a strong case that fits the legal requirements for good cause. Hope you get good news soon!

Congratulations on getting through your hearing! It sounds like you handled it really well. I'm in a similar situation - just got laid off and considering quitting my part-time job to care for my elderly father who has dementia. Your post gives me hope that ESD does consider legitimate family caregiving situations. The advice about organizing all documentation chronologically and having specific medical statements is really valuable. Did Judge Ray give you any sense of timing for when you might expect the written decision, or just the general 10-14 day window? Keeping my fingers crossed that you get approved - it sounds like you made a compelling case with all the right supporting evidence.

Just wanted to add my support - you handled this situation exactly right! As someone who works in disability advocacy, I see too many parents who don't realize they have legal protections when they need to quit for caregiving. The fact that you documented everything (school calls, accommodation requests, medical needs) shows you understand the burden of proof required. Judge Ray has a reputation for being thorough but fair when people come prepared with proper documentation. The waiting period is stressful but try to focus on the fact that you presented a textbook case of "good cause" under Washington law. Your children are lucky to have such a dedicated advocate fighting for them. Hoping for positive news in your mailbox soon!

Darcy, I've been following your journey and I'm so glad your hearing went well! As a parent of a child with autism myself, I know how incredibly challenging it is to balance work demands with the intensive care our kids need. It sounds like you did everything possible to make it work with your employer before making the difficult decision to quit. The fact that Judge Ray seemed sympathetic and that you were so well-prepared with all the medical documentation and evidence of accommodation requests gives me a lot of hope for your outcome. The 10-14 day wait is going to feel like forever, but you should feel proud that you advocated so strongly for your children's needs. Please keep us posted when you get the decision - there are probably other parents in similar situations who could really benefit from hearing how this turns out. Sending positive thoughts your way!