How to quit job and get unemployment benefits in Washington state?

You can get unemployment after quitting but only if you have what Washington ESD calls 'good cause.' This includes things like harassment, unsafe working conditions, significant changes to your job duties, or constructive dismissal. You'll need solid documentation - emails, witness statements, HR complaints, etc. The burden of proof is on you to show you had no reasonable alternative but to quit.

honestly this is pretty hard to prove. i quit my last job because my boss was terrible and washington esd denied my claim. they said i should have tried to work it out first or transferred departments. took me 2 months to find another job

Before you quit, make sure you've exhausted all internal options - file complaints with HR, request transfers, document everything in writing. Washington ESD will look at whether you made reasonable efforts to resolve the situation before quitting. If you can show you tried everything and the employer failed to address legitimate concerns, you have a better chance of getting benefits approved.

I had to deal with something similar last year. After weeks of trying to reach someone at Washington ESD to ask about my situation, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. The agent was able to explain exactly what documentation I needed for my good cause quit claim.

The Washington ESD adjudication process for voluntary quit claims can take forever. I quit due to sexual harassment and it took 6 weeks for them to approve my claim even with police reports and witness statements. Be prepared to wait and have some savings if possible.

whatever you do dont just quit without filing complaints first. learned this the hard way when i got denied benefits after quitting a job where my boss was screaming at me daily. washington esd said i should have complained to higher management first

Another important thing - when you file your Washington ESD claim, be very detailed about your reasons for quitting. Don't just say 'hostile work environment.' List specific incidents, dates, who was involved, what steps you took to address it, and how the employer failed to resolve it. The more specific you are, the better your chances.

I'm going through this exact situation right now! Filed my quit claim 3 weeks ago and still waiting for adjudication. My anxiety is through the roof not knowing if I'll get approved. At least I documented everything like crazy before quitting.

The system is so messed up. They make it nearly impossible to get benefits when you quit even for legitimate reasons. Meanwhile people who get fired for attendance issues get approved right away. Makes no sense.

Try to get witness statements from coworkers if possible. I had two colleagues write statements about the hostile behavior they witnessed and it really helped my case. Even if they're worried about retaliation, see if any former employees would be willing to provide statements.

Just wanted to mention Claimyr again since someone asked about cost earlier. I used it when I needed to talk to Washington ESD about my adjudication status and it was definitely worth it. Way better than the endless busy signals and disconnected calls. The peace of mind knowing I could actually reach someone was huge during that stressful time.

Make sure you understand the difference between 'good cause' and 'compelling family circumstances.' Good cause is for work-related reasons like harassment or unsafe conditions. Compelling family circumstances is for things like domestic violence or caring for a family member. Different standards apply.

whatever you do DONT mention that you're looking for another job while dealing with this situation. i made that mistake and they said i should have just found another job instead of quitting and collecting benefits

If you decide to quit, do it in writing and be professional about it. Don't vent about all the problems in your resignation letter. Just say you're resigning effective [date] and keep the drama out of it. Save the detailed explanations for your unemployment claim.

I went through this process 6 months ago and got approved after initially being denied. The key was the appeal hearing where I could present all my evidence and tell my story to an administrative law judge. Sometimes you have to be prepared to go that far to get justice.

Just remember that even if you have good cause to quit, you still have to meet all the other unemployment requirements - be able and available for work, actively seeking employment, etc. Having good cause just means you won't be disqualified for the voluntary quit.

this whole thread is making me realize how hard it is to get unemployment after quitting. maybe i should just stick it out at my terrible job until i find something else

One more tip - if your employer offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), use it to document that you tried to get help dealing with the workplace issues. Shows you exhausted resources available to you before quitting.

Final thought - if you do quit and file for benefits, respond to any requests for information from Washington ESD immediately. Don't let deadlines pass or your claim could be denied just for non-response, even if you had good cause to quit.

Also keep in mind that Washington ESD will likely contact your employer during the adjudication process to get their side of the story. Make sure all your documentation is organized and easily accessible because you may need to provide additional evidence to counter whatever your employer claims. I've seen cases where employers try to downplay harassment or claim the employee never complained, so having timestamped emails and written records is crucial.