Left job due to hostile work environment - what to expect from ESD for 'good cause' claim?

I went through this exact situation in January 2025. Here's what happened: 1. I filed my initial claim citing hostile work environment 2. ESD sent me a questionnaire asking for specifics about why I left 3. My employer contested the claim (they almost always do) 4. ESD initially denied me because they said I "didn't exhaust all remedies" with HR first 5. I appealed with documentation showing HR was part of the problem 6. Had a phone hearing with an Administrative Law Judge where I presented my evidence 7. Won my appeal and got backpay for all weeks My advice: Be SUPER specific in your initial claim. Don't just say "hostile workplace" - list specific incidents with dates. Document that you tried to resolve it through proper channels. Also, make sure you meet the definition of "good cause" under WAC 192-150-125. Having contemporaneous documentation (emails you sent at the time, not just statements after the fact) helped me tremendously.

they WILL deny u first!! hapened to me and everyone i kno. ESD always sides w/ employers first round then u gotta fight 4 it. make sure ur still doing ur weekly claims even when denied!!!

I left my job in October due to my manager screaming at me daily and making racist comments. I filed for unemployment and got denied right away. Then I appealed and waited FOREVER - like 12 weeks! - for a hearing. Meanwhile no benefits. The hearing was super intimidating with my ex-boss and their lawyer on the call. I ended up losing because I didn't have enough "evidence" even though I told HR multiple times. Just be prepared that it's an uphill battle and have EVERYTHING documented.

Hey, I went through this recently and managed to get approved after initially being denied. The key was getting through to an actual ESD agent who could understand my situation. Tried calling for three weeks straight with no luck - always disconnected. Then I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to ESD in under 25 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The agent I spoke with helped me understand exactly what documentation I needed to submit for my appeal about the hostile work environment. Made a huge difference speaking to someone rather than trying to figure it out from the website.

One more thing to add - for hostile work environment claims, ESD is specifically looking for evidence that meets legal harassment standards. They want to see: 1. That the behavior was severe OR pervasive (one really bad incident OR ongoing pattern) 2. That it was based on a protected characteristic (gender, race, religion, etc.) OR was objectively intolerable for any reasonable person 3. That you reported it through proper channels 4. That the employer failed to remedy the situation Be very precise in your documentation. "My boss yelled at me" is not as compelling as "On 3/15/25, my supervisor screamed 'you're too stupid to work here' in front of the entire department after I asked for clarification on project requirements.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS RIGGED AGAINST WORKERS!!! I quit my toxic job after my boss threw a stapler at me (!!!) and ESD still said I "quit without good cause" because I didn't file a police report. Then they wanted me to pay back $4,200 I'd already received and used for rent! The appeal process is a JOKE - the "judge" was clearly buddies with my ex-employer's lawyer. Don't expect fairness from this broken system.

I help people with ESD claims, and for hostile work environment situations, documentation is absolutely critical. Here's what you should prepare: - Written timeline of incidents with specific dates and details - Copies of any emails/texts showing you reported the issues - Names of witnesses (with contact info if possible) - Medical documentation if the situation affected your health - Any performance reviews showing you were a good employee With hostile work environment claims, ESD primarily wants to see that 1) the situation was genuinely intolerable, 2) it wasn't just a personality conflict, and 3) you made reasonable efforts to resolve it before quitting. Remember to continue filing your weekly claims even while waiting for a determination.

when i left my toxic job last year i just said i was laid off lol... way easier than proving hostile work environment... they never even checked with my employer

Thank you all for the advice! I'm definitely feeling more prepared now. I'm gathering all my documentation, continuing therapy, and will be explicit about the timeline of events when I file. I'm still nervous about the process but at least I have a better idea of what to expect now.

I'm so sorry you went through this - it takes real courage to leave a toxic workplace and prioritize your mental health. Based on what others have shared here, it sounds like you're already ahead of the game with your documentation. One thing I'd add is to make sure you have copies of EVERYTHING stored somewhere your former employer can't access (like a personal email or cloud storage). I've heard of companies trying to claim employees never reported issues when they actually did send emails about it. Also, when you do get that detailed questionnaire from ESD, consider organizing your response chronologically rather than by type of incident. It helps them see the escalating pattern of behavior over time, which really strengthens the "pervasive" aspect of your case. Wishing you the best of luck with your claim! You deserve to be treated with basic human dignity at work.

I'm going through something similar right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful. One thing I wanted to add - if you're dealing with mental health impacts from the workplace harassment, consider asking your therapist or doctor for a letter specifically stating how the work environment affected your mental health. My therapist wrote a letter for my case that said something like "Patient reported severe anxiety and depression symptoms that began coinciding with workplace harassment incidents" with specific dates. ESD seemed to take that medical documentation very seriously during my phone interview. Also, don't underestimate the power of contemporaneous notes. I started keeping a daily log on my phone of incidents as they happened, including my emotional state at the time. Those real-time notes were more compelling than trying to recreate everything from memory later. You've got this - the fact that you documented everything and have recordings shows you were thinking clearly even in a terrible situation. That level of preparation will serve you well in the process.

I've been following this thread as someone who's currently dealing with a similar situation at my workplace. The advice here has been invaluable - especially about organizing documentation chronologically and getting medical documentation from healthcare providers. One resource I wanted to share that hasn't been mentioned yet: Washington State has a Workforce Board that publishes detailed guides on UI eligibility for hostile work environment claims. Their website has sample documentation templates and examples of what constitutes "good cause" under Washington law. I found it really helpful for understanding exactly what ESD is looking for. Also, if anyone is still in the documenting phase, consider taking photos/screenshots with metadata showing dates and times. I started doing this after my HR department claimed they "never received" my email complaints, even though I had delivery receipts. The timestamps can be crucial evidence. @Vincent Bimbach - your situation sounds really well-documented. The fact that you have recordings (legally obtained) and contemporaneous evidence puts you in a much stronger position than many people who try to file these claims. Stay strong through the process!