If you quit a job can you draw unemployment in Washington state?
I'm thinking about leaving my current job because of some toxic management issues and wondering if you quit a job can you draw unemployment benefits through Washington ESD? I know there are rules about this but I'm not sure what qualifies. The work environment has gotten really bad with my supervisor constantly changing schedules last minute and creating a hostile atmosphere. Would this count as good cause for quitting? I really need to know before I make any decisions because I can't afford to be without income.
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Evelyn Kelly
Generally you can't get unemployment if you quit voluntarily, but Washington ESD does have exceptions for 'good cause' reasons. Hostile work environment could qualify if you can document it properly. You'd need to show you tried to resolve the issues first and that staying would be unreasonable.
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Kiara Greene
•What kind of documentation would I need? I don't have anything in writing about the schedule changes or hostile behavior.
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Evelyn Kelly
•Start documenting everything now - dates, times, witnesses, any emails or texts. Also check if your company has an HR department you can file complaints with first.
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Paloma Clark
I went through this exact situation last year. You CAN get benefits if you quit for good cause but Washington ESD is really strict about proving it. I had to go through an adjudication process that took weeks. The key is showing you had no reasonable alternative but to quit.
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Kiara Greene
•How long did your adjudication take? I'm worried about the gap in income if I quit and then have to wait for a decision.
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Paloma Clark
•Mine took about 6 weeks total. The waiting was the worst part, but I eventually got approved and received back pay for the whole period.
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Heather Tyson
•6 weeks?? That's crazy long. I couldn't survive that long without income.
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Raul Neal
Before you quit, try using Claimyr to call Washington ESD and ask about your specific situation. They can connect you directly to an agent who can explain the good cause requirements. I used their service at claimyr.com when I had questions about my claim and it saved me so much time compared to trying to call on my own. There's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Jenna Sloan
•Never heard of Claimyr before. Is it legitimate or just another scam service?
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Raul Neal
•It's totally legit. They just help you get through to actual Washington ESD agents instead of sitting on hold for hours. I was skeptical at first too but it really works.
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Christian Burns
dont quit!! the system is rigged against people who quit even with good cause. ive seen so many people get denied and then struggle for months trying to appeal. washington esd always sides with employers
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Paloma Clark
•That's not always true. I got approved for good cause after quitting. It depends on your specific circumstances and documentation.
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Christian Burns
•you were lucky then. most people get screwed over by the system
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Evelyn Kelly
Here are the main good cause reasons Washington ESD recognizes for voluntary quits: workplace harassment, unsafe working conditions, significant changes to job duties or pay, domestic violence situations, and a few others. Schedule changes alone might not qualify unless they're extreme or you have caregiving responsibilities that conflict.
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Kiara Greene
•The schedule changes are really disruptive - like finding out the night before that I have to work a different shift. Would that count as significant changes?
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Evelyn Kelly
•Possibly, especially if it interferes with childcare or another job. You'd need to show you tried to work with your employer to resolve it first though.
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Sasha Reese
•I had similar issues with last minute schedule changes and Washington ESD approved my claim. The key was showing I complained to management multiple times and they refused to accommodate reasonable requests.
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Heather Tyson
whatever you do document EVERYTHING before you quit. emails texts schedule changes witnesses anything you can get. without proof washington esd will just deny your claim automatically
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Kiara Greene
•Good point. I should probably start keeping a log of incidents with dates and details.
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Muhammad Hobbs
•Yes definitely keep a detailed log! I didn't do this when I quit my toxic job and regretted it during the adjudication process.
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Paloma Clark
Another thing to consider is whether you can get your employer to fire you instead of quitting. Sometimes if you document the hostile environment and file complaints, they'll terminate you which makes you eligible for unemployment without having to prove good cause.
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Christian Burns
•thats terrible advice. getting fired can hurt your reputation and future job prospects
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Paloma Clark
•I'm not saying do anything unethical. Just that sometimes standing up for yourself leads to termination, and that's not your fault.
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Noland Curtis
•I see what you mean. If the workplace is truly toxic, sometimes they'll find an excuse to fire you for speaking up anyway.
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Raul Neal
Seriously though, call Washington ESD first before making any decisions. Use Claimyr if you can't get through on your own - it's worth it to get accurate information about your specific situation rather than guessing based on forum advice.
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Kiara Greene
•That's probably the smartest approach. Better to know for sure what my options are before I do anything irreversible.
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Diez Ellis
•Agreed. Every situation is different and what worked for one person might not apply to another.
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Jenna Sloan
I'm going through adjudication right now for a good cause quit and it's been 8 weeks already. The stress of not knowing and having no income is almost worse than the toxic job I left. Make sure you have savings if you go this route.
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Kiara Greene
•8 weeks?? That's even longer than the other person mentioned. This is really making me reconsider.
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Jenna Sloan
•Yeah it varies a lot depending on how complex your case is and how backed up they are with adjudications.
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Vanessa Figueroa
•Have you tried contacting them about the delay? Sometimes they need additional information and don't tell you.
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Sasha Reese
One more tip - if you do quit, make sure you file your unemployment claim immediately. Don't wait because there's already going to be a waiting period and adjudication delay. The sooner you file, the sooner the process starts.
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Kiara Greene
•Good to know. I didn't realize timing mattered that much for filing after quitting.
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Abby Marshall
•Yes timing is crucial! I waited a week after quitting to file and regretted it when I realized every day counts during the waiting period.
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Sadie Benitez
has anyone actually won an appeal after being denied for voluntary quit? seems like once they deny you the first time youre pretty much screwed
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Evelyn Kelly
•Yes, appeals can be successful if you have proper documentation and present your case well. The initial adjudication isn't always thorough.
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Drew Hathaway
•I won my appeal after being initially denied. Had to go to a hearing but it was worth it. Just make sure you have all your evidence organized.
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Sadie Benitez
•ok thats somewhat encouraging. how long did the whole appeal process take?
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Laila Prince
Check if your employer has any policies about constructive dismissal or hostile work environment. Sometimes you can use their own policies against them to show they created an impossible situation.
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Kiara Greene
•That's an interesting angle. I should review the employee handbook to see what policies they have about workplace conduct.
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Laila Prince
•Exactly. If they have policies they're not following, that strengthens your good cause argument significantly.
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Isabel Vega
i quit my job 3 months ago thinking id get unemployment and got denied. still fighting it and running out of savings. definitely make sure you have a backup plan financially
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Kiara Greene
•What was the reason they gave for denying your claim? Was it lack of documentation or they didn't think your reasons qualified?
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Isabel Vega
•they said i didnt prove i tried to resolve the issues with my employer first. even though i had complained multiple times verbally
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Evelyn Kelly
•That's why written documentation is so important. Verbal complaints are hard to prove during adjudication.
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Raul Neal
Last suggestion - when you do talk to Washington ESD (through Claimyr or however you reach them), ask specifically about the constructive discharge rules. Sometimes what feels like quitting is actually the employer forcing you out through unreasonable conditions.
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Kiara Greene
•I hadn't thought about it that way. The constant schedule changes and hostile treatment could be seen as them trying to make me quit.
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Dominique Adams
•Yes! Constructive discharge is when they make conditions so bad that any reasonable person would quit. It's treated more like being fired.
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Marilyn Dixon
Bottom line is Washington ESD takes good cause quits seriously but you need solid evidence. Don't quit on impulse - build your case first with documentation, complaints to HR or management, and clear evidence of how the situation is unreasonable.
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Kiara Greene
•This has been really helpful everyone. I think I need to spend some time documenting everything and maybe talking to HR first before making any decisions.
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Louisa Ramirez
•Smart approach. Take time to build a strong case rather than acting emotionally, even though I know toxic workplaces make you want to run.
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Omar Hassan
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're dealing with a hostile work environment, check if your company offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Sometimes they have resources for workplace conflict resolution or can help document incidents properly. Also, if the toxic management is affecting your mental health, that could potentially be another angle for good cause since Washington recognizes health-related reasons for quitting. Just make sure to get medical documentation if you go that route. The key is really building that paper trail before you make any moves.
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Abigail Patel
•That's really good advice about the EAP - I completely forgot my company might have one of those. The mental health angle is interesting too since the stress from this situation has definitely been affecting me. I've been losing sleep and feeling anxious about going to work every day. Would I need to see a doctor specifically about work-related stress or would general mental health documentation work?
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