Quit food service job after 3 days - how to explain on ESD claim without mentioning working conditions?

This is tricky. When you voluntarily quit, ESD looks for "good cause" reasons. Working conditions can be good cause, but as you mentioned, they typically want evidence. Other valid reasons include: significant reduction in hours/pay compared to what was promised, medical necessity (with documentation), or relocating for a spouse's employment. Did any of these apply to your situation that you could honestly claim instead?

hey i was in food service too and quit after a week for similar reasons. i just put "job was not as described" on my claim and it went through without problems. they never even called my old boss to verify lol

BEWARE! ESD is NOT your friend here. They deny first and ask questions later. I quit a toxic workplace last year and told the truth about conditions, but without written proof they denied my claim saying I quit "without good cause." Had to appeal and it was a NIGHTMARE. Took 4 months to get a hearing where I finally won, but the stress wasn't worth it!!

Hi there, I've helped several clients through similar situations. The key is being truthful while focusing on the most provable aspects of your situation. Since you mentioned the hours were different than promised, that's a good angle. "Material misrepresentation of job duties" is a valid good cause reason. When completing your claim: 1. State that the actual job hours/duties substantially differed from what was promised during hiring 2. Note the specific differences (10+ hour shifts vs promised 8-hour shifts) 3. Mention you attempted to resolve this by speaking with management before quitting Be prepared for ESD to contact the employer for their side of the story. If they challenge your version of events, you may need to request an adjudication interview to explain your case.

One thing nobody mentioned yet - if your claim goes to adjudication (which it probably will for any voluntary quit), getting through to ESD on the phone is IMPOSSIBLE right now. I spent 3 weeks trying every day and could never get past the automated system. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes who helped me explain my situation. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Definitely worth it when you're stuck in adjudication hell.

I've been an adjudicator for years. Here's what will happen: Once you file your claim citing "job not as described" or different hours than promised, your claim will likely be flagged for adjudication. The employer will get a questionnaire about why you left. If they say you quit for no good reason or give a different reason, that's when the adjudicator will contact you for clarification. Adjudicators look for: 1. Did you try to resolve the issue before quitting? (Yes, you spoke to manager) 2. Was the job significantly different than described? (Yes, hours) 3. Would a reasonable person have quit under similar circumstances? (Probably yes if no breaks during 10-hour shifts) File weekly claims during adjudication so if approved, you'll be paid retroactively.

ugh the food industry is THE WORST for this kinda thing!! i worked at three different restaurants and they ALL pulled this stuff. pretty sure its illegal to not give breaks during 10 hour shifts but good luck proving it without documentation. the whole system is rigged against workers!!

Quick update for anyone else facing a similar situation. I filed my claim yesterday focusing on the hours discrepancy and mentioning that I tried to resolve the issue with management before quitting. My status now shows "adjudication in progress" so I'm preparing all the details I can remember about the job description from my interview. I'll keep this thread updated with how it goes. Thanks everyone for the advice!