Housing crisis forced me to quit job - ESD denied claim - ULP says don't bother appealing

This is OUTRAGEOUS!!! The system is completely BROKEN when they expect parents to be homeless rather than move somewhere with actual housing! I had a similar experience last year when I got priced out of Bellevue and had to relocate to Tacoma - bye bye job, bye bye benefits. The ESD rep I talked to literally said I should have spent 70% of my income on housing to keep my job rather than move. RIDICULOUS!!!!!

It's unbelievable right? I'm shocked that having a safe place to live for my child isn't considered a priority. Did you end up appealing your case or just give up?

I'm sorry you're dealing with this. Unfortunately, this is consistent with how ESD has been interpreting the \

This is so unfair though!! Most people can't afford to drive 3 hours each way to work. Gas alone would eat up half your paycheck!!!

thats tough, went thru something similar when my rent went up by $600 last yr. had to move in with my sister in Yakima but lost my job in Kent. ESD said it was a personal decision to quit and denied me too. sucks but thats how they see it i guess

I had success appealing a similar situation in 2024, but I had very specific documentation that made the difference. You need to prove that your housing situation was truly an emergency AND that you tried everything possible to keep your job.\n\nFor my case, I submitted:\n- The official eviction notice\n- Screenshots of 30+ housing applications I'd submitted with rejection notices\n- Email from my employer denying my request for temporary remote work\n- A detailed budget showing commuting costs would exceed 40% of my net pay\n- A written statement from a housing counselor confirming the lack of affordable options\n\nWithout this level of documentation, I'm afraid ULP is right that an appeal would likely fail. The judge at my hearing was extremely strict about seeing evidence of \

Thank you for sharing this. I do have some emails showing apartment applications and rejections, but definitely not 30+ and I don't have anything from a housing counselor. I did ask my boss about remote work but it was just a verbal conversation. Sounds like I don't have nearly enough documentation to win an appeal.

what about trying to get through to a different person at ESD? sometimes u get someone whos actually helpful instead of just saying no to everything. took me like 15 calls before I finally got my issue fixed last month

This is actually good advice. ESD can be frustrating to reach, but I've found using Claimyr really helpful for getting through to ESD agents quickly. I was in adjudication hell for weeks before using it. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 and the website is claimyr.com. It helped me connect with an actual person who reviewed my case and found a policy interpretation that worked in my favor. Might be worth a try before giving up completely.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll check out that service. At this point I'm willing to try anything that might help get my case reconsidered. Even if it's a long shot, having no income with a child to support is terrifying.

my cousin works at ESD and says they're super strict about the

One other option to consider: While your housing situation alone might not qualify as good cause, if you had ANY medical documentation related to the stress of potential homelessness with a child, that could potentially change things. Under WAC 192-150-055, leaving work due to illness or disability can be good cause, and this includes mental health conditions exacerbated by your circumstances.\n\nIf you saw a doctor or therapist during this time who could document the impact of your housing crisis on your health, that might provide an alternative basis for appeal. Just something to consider if you have any such documentation.

I did actually talk to my doctor about the anxiety attacks I was having during this whole ordeal. I've been on medication for it since everything happened. I wonder if that documentation would help? I'll try calling ULP back to specifically ask about the medical angle. Thank you for this suggestion!

i don't think appeals are worth the stress tbh. i spent months fighting ESD last year and got nowhere. better to just focus on finding a new job in your area. the energy jobs market is pretty good right now, especially if you're willing to do entry level work at the refineries up north.

One more thought - if you've been applying for jobs consistently since relocating, make sure you're submitting those weekly job search logs to ESD anyway. Even if they deny your initial claim, establishing that you're actively seeking work can sometimes help with future eligibility, especially if you find part-time work that doesn't fully replace your income.\n\nI'd also recommend reaching out to your local WorkSource office. They sometimes know about emergency financial assistance programs for people in your exact situation that don't require UI eligibility.

That's smart advice about continuing to submit job search logs. I have been applying to everything I can find in this area, so I might as well document it. And I'll definitely check with WorkSource - at this point any financial help would be a lifesaver. Thank you.