Quit my job can I get unemployment benefits through Washington ESD?

You might be able to get benefits if you can prove you had 'good cause' for quitting. Washington ESD considers things like unsafe working conditions, harassment, or significant changes to your job duties as potential good cause. You'll need to document everything though - emails, witness statements, anything that shows the hostile work environment.

ugh i went through this same thing last year. the adjudication process took FOREVER and they kept asking for more documentation. be prepared to wait like 6-8 weeks for a decision

I was in a similar boat with a toxic boss situation. Tried calling Washington ESD for weeks to get clarity on my case but could never get through. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Made all the difference in getting my questions answered about the good cause requirements.

The key thing to understand is that Washington ESD will investigate your reason for quitting thoroughly. They'll likely contact your former employer to get their side of the story. Make sure you have solid documentation of the hostile work environment - performance reviews, emails, witness statements from coworkers if possible. The burden of proof is on you to show you had no reasonable alternative but to quit.

Just be honest on your application but don't go into a huge rant about your boss. Stick to facts and keep it professional. I made the mistake of getting too emotional in my initial statement and it didn't help my case.

The Washington ESD website has a whole section about good cause for quitting. Look under the 'Eligibility' section - it lists specific examples of what they consider valid reasons. Harassment definitely falls under that category.

whatever you do, file your claim ASAP. there's a time limit on how long you can wait after quitting before you're not eligible anymore. i think it's like 4 weeks or something

I'm dealing with Washington ESD right now for a different issue and their phone system is absolutely terrible. Spent 3 hours on hold yesterday just to get disconnected. How do people actually get through to talk to someone?

Quick question - do you need to be actively looking for work while your quit-with-good-cause claim is being reviewed? Or can you wait until it's approved?

One more tip - if you get denied initially, don't give up. A lot of good cause cases get approved on appeal even if they're denied the first time. The appeals process gives you a chance to present your case more thoroughly.

Just want to add that if you do get approved, your benefits will be backdated to when you first filed your claim. So even though the process takes forever, you won't lose out on that money.

Make sure you understand the difference between 'good cause' and 'compelling family reasons' too. They're separate categories and the requirements are different. Good cause is more about work-related issues like what you described.

This whole thread is making me realize how complicated unemployment can be. I always thought it was just for people who got laid off!

op - whatever happens, dont let your old boss intimidate you during the investigation process. they might try to contact you directly or have hr call you. you dont have to talk to them, everything should go through washington esd

Just following up on the Claimyr thing since people were asking - I'm not affiliated with them or anything, just found them super helpful when I was dealing with my own Washington ESD issues. The fact that you can actually talk to a real person at the agency makes such a difference in understanding your options.

Thanks everyone for all the advice! I'm definitely going to file my claim this week and gather all my documentation. Feeling more confident about my chances now.

One last thing - if you do get approved, make sure you understand the work search requirements. They've changed a bit over the years and you need to log 3 job search activities per week minimum.

Final thought - keep detailed records of everything throughout this process. Dates, times, who you talked to, what documents you submitted. If you end up needing to appeal or if there are any issues later, having a paper trail is invaluable.

This thread has been super helpful. I'm in a similar situation and was too scared to even try filing. Now I think I might have a chance.

Hope this works out for you OP. Toxic work environments are no joke and it takes courage to walk away. You deserve to be treated with respect at work.