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

That's good to know! I do have some text messages from coworkers about the manager's behavior. Would that count as documentation?

Yes, text messages can be helpful evidence. Also gather any emails, witness statements, or HR complaints you may have filed. The more documentation you have, the stronger your case.

That gives me hope! What kind of documentation did you provide? I'm trying to gather everything I can.

I had emails showing unreasonable demands, a coworker's written statement, and my own detailed timeline of incidents. The key was showing a pattern of behavior that made continuing work unreasonable.

This is so true. My friend quit and thought she had a slam dunk case but the employer disputed everything and she ended up getting denied.

That's exactly what I'm worried about. My manager will probably try to make me look bad if Washington ESD contacts them.

How does that work exactly? I've been trying to call Washington ESD for days with no luck.

Basically they handle the calling for you and get you connected to a live agent. Way better than sitting on hold for hours or getting disconnected.

Substantial reduction in hours can qualify as good cause for quitting. If your hours were cut by more than 25%, that's usually considered a significant reduction that Washington ESD recognizes.

ok good because i went from 40 hours to like 15 hours a week. that definitely counts then right?

What about quitting because of family emergency? My mom got sick and I had to quit to take care of her.

Family emergency can qualify, but you'd need to show that quitting was your only reasonable option. Did you try to get leave time or work with your employer first?

There's an interview process? I didn't know that. What should I expect?

Yeah, they'll schedule a phone interview to go over your reasons for quitting. Be prepared to explain everything in detail and have your documentation ready.

Mine took about 6 weeks total. The waiting is the worst part but they do eventually get to your case.

That's when I used Claimyr to get through. Saved me so much time and stress trying to reach them myself.

This is crucial advice. I know someone who tried to fudge the details and ended up with way bigger problems.

Good point. I definitely want to be upfront about everything from the start.

Quitting without notice doesn't automatically disqualify you, but it might come up during the adjudication process. If you had good cause to quit immediately (like unsafe conditions), that's usually understandable.

Ok that's a relief. I had to leave immediately because of harassment and couldn't give two weeks notice.

Three months?? That's insane. Have you tried calling them recently?

I call every day but never get through. It just rings and rings or gives me a busy signal.

That's something I didn't know! Good to keep in mind while waiting.

Thanks for that info. Makes the waiting a bit more bearable knowing I won't lose out on benefits.

No, you need to actually quit first before filing. You can't get unemployment benefits while still employed, even if you're planning to leave.

Makes sense. Just wanted to make sure I understood the timing correctly.

It's encouraging to hear success stories. I'm hoping my situation will work out similarly.

Did she have to go through an appeal process or was it approved on the first review?

Good reminder! I need to start looking for new jobs anyway so that shouldn't be a problem.

Yes, all the regular UI requirements still apply even if you quit for good cause. Make sure to keep detailed records of your job search activities.

How long did it take them to get you connected?

They called me back within a few hours and had me connected to an agent the same day. Way faster than trying to call myself.

I wish I had started documenting earlier. I'm trying to reconstruct what happened but it's harder after the fact.

Even reconstructing can help. Write down everything you remember with approximate dates. It's better than nothing.

How long did the appeal process take?

About 6 weeks from filing the appeal to getting the decision. Had to do a phone hearing but it was worth it.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I feel much more confident about filing my claim now.

Good luck with your claim! Hope it works out for you.

Really? I hadn't heard about that. How much of a reduction are we talking about?

Actually, that's not accurate for Washington state. If you quit for good cause, there's no penalty reduction. You might be thinking of other states or different types of separations.