What reasons can you quit a job and still get Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

Washington ESD recognizes several 'good cause' reasons for quitting that can still qualify you for benefits. The main categories are: unsafe working conditions, harassment/discrimination, significant changes to your job duties or pay, domestic violence situations, and health issues that make the job impossible. You'll need solid documentation though - emails, witness statements, medical records if applicable.

Washington ESD does allow unemployment benefits if you quit for 'good cause' but it's pretty specific. Harassment could qualify if you can document it and show you tried to resolve it with management first. Significant reduction in hours or pay can also be good cause. You'll need solid documentation though - save emails, write down incidents with dates, etc.

ugh been there with a nightmare boss. the unpaid overtime thing is actually wage theft which definitely counts as good cause. have you tried filing a complaint with L&I first? sometimes that creates a paper trail that helps with your unemployment claim

I went through something similar last year and got approved for benefits after quitting. The key is proving you had 'good cause' which means the working conditions were so bad that any reasonable person would quit. Hostile work environment definitely qualifies if you can document it properly. I had to go through an adjudication process but it worked out.

Be really careful with this decision. Even if you think you have good cause, Washington ESD will investigate and you might be stuck in adjudication for weeks while they decide. During that time you won't get any benefits. If you can document the harassment thoroughly and show you tried to fix the situation first, you have a better shot.

wait so you CAN get unemployment if you quit?? i thought that was automatic disqualification

Here are the main good cause reasons Washington ESD recognizes: hostile work environment/harassment, significant reduction in pay or hours, unsafe working conditions, discrimination, or substantial changes to your job duties that weren't agreed to. But you MUST try to resolve the issue with your employer first and document everything.

The hostile work environment angle is tricky because Washington ESD wants to see that you tried to resolve it internally first. Did you report the behavior to HR or management? If not, they might question why you didn't try to fix it before quitting. Also, make sure you're not just dealing with a difficult boss versus actual harassment - there's a legal difference.

honestly i quit my last job because my boss was a nightmare and washington esd denied my claim. took forever to get through to anyone to explain my side. if you're going to do this make sure you have rock solid evidence because they don't just take your word for it

this is why i never quit jobs even when they suck. too risky with unemployment

I actually used Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD when I had questions about quitting for good cause. Their site claimyr.com helped me reach an actual agent who explained exactly what documentation I needed. Way better than trying to call ESD directly and getting hung up on constantly. There's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Here are the main 'good cause' categories Washington ESD recognizes: 1) Unsafe working conditions or violation of health/safety laws 2) Harassment, discrimination, or hostile work environment 3) Significant reduction in hours or pay 4) Major changes to job duties that weren't in your original job description 5) Employer violating labor laws (like not paying overtime) 6) Domestic violence situations 7) Health conditions that make the job impossible. The key is documentation and showing you tried to resolve issues first.

Don't forget about constructive dismissal too - if they make your work environment so intolerable that any reasonable person would quit, that can qualify as good cause. Sounds like between the harassment and hour cuts, you might have a case for that.

I tried to quit for good cause last year and got denied initially. Had to appeal and it took forever. Make sure you have EVERYTHING documented because they scrutinize these cases heavily. Phone calls, emails, witness statements, anything that proves the working conditions were unreasonable.

the system is so messed up. you can get fired for basically anything and get unemployment but quit because your boss is abusive and suddenly you have to prove everything

whatever you do dont just walk out without trying to fix things first!!! washington esd will ask if you gave your employer a chance to address the problems. if you say no they'll probably deny your claim right away

One thing to consider - if you quit, you might face a waiting period even if you eventually get approved for good cause. Getting fired (even for performance issues) usually starts benefits immediately while quitting triggers additional review processes. Just something to factor into your decision timeline.

The harassment angle is tricky because Washington ESD will want to see evidence it was severe enough to justify quitting. Keep a detailed log of every incident - dates, times, witnesses, what exactly was said or done. Screenshots of texts or emails are gold.

I quit for good cause last year and it took 8 weeks to get approved. The key was having everything documented - I had emails, witness statements, records of complaints to HR, everything. Still took forever though because Washington ESD has to investigate thoroughly.

Another option is trying to get laid off instead of quitting. Sometimes if you document the issues and present them to management, they'll agree to a separation that looks better for unemployment purposes.

honestly if the working conditions are that bad maybe try to get yourself fired instead of quitting? like stop working the unpaid overtime and see what happens

OP, document EVERYTHING going forward. Start a detailed log with dates, times, what happened, any witnesses. The more evidence you have, the stronger your good cause argument will be. Also keep copies of your job description, company policies, anything that shows how your working conditions violate what you agreed to.

my friend quit for hostile work environment and got approved but it took months of back and forth with Washington ESD. she said the hardest part was actually getting someone on the phone to explain what documentation they needed

Don't forget about constructive dismissal too. If they're making your working conditions so bad that any reasonable person would quit, that's basically the same as being fired. Washington ESD recognizes this but you need strong evidence that the employer was trying to force you out.

whatever you decide make sure you file your unemployment claim immediately after quitting. don't wait because there's usually a one week waiting period anyway and you want to get the process started asap

I'm going through a similar situation right now actually. Filed for unemployment after quitting due to unsafe working conditions and Washington ESD approved me pretty quickly once I provided all the documentation. The key was having specific examples with dates and showing I reported the safety issues multiple times.

just remember that even if you get approved for quitting with good cause, you still have to meet all the other unemployment requirements. work search, available for work, reporting any income, etc. the good cause just gets you past the initial disqualification

One more thing - if you're considering quitting, try to time it strategically. Like don't quit right before a holiday weekend when offices are closed and you can't file immediately. Also consider if you have any vacation pay or final paychecks coming that might affect your benefit timing.

honestly the whole system seems designed to discourage people from quitting even when they should. but if your situation is genuinely toxic and you have documentation, don't let the bureaucracy scare you away from protecting your mental health and wellbeing

Here's something most people don't know - even if Washington ESD initially denies your claim for quitting, you can appeal the decision. The appeal process gives you another chance to present your evidence and explain your situation in detail.

i used claimyr when dealing with my quit situation too and it was super helpful. getting to actually talk to someone at washington esd made all the difference in understanding what they needed from me

Don't forget about unsafe working conditions too - if they're not following safety protocols or putting you at risk, that's definitely good cause for quitting. COVID made this even more relevant with employers not following health guidelines.

The most important thing is timing - don't wait too long after the incidents to quit or Washington ESD might question why you stayed if things were really that bad. But also don't quit immediately without giving them a chance to fix it.

whatever you decide make sure you file your unemployment claim immediately after quitting. waiting even a few days can hurt your case and delay your benefits

Last thought - consider consulting with an employment attorney before you quit. Many offer free consultations and can tell you if your situation likely qualifies for good cause. Better to know upfront than find out after you've already quit.

Just went through this exact situation myself. The combination of harassment and significant hour cuts you're describing could definitely qualify as good cause, but you absolutely need to document everything first. Start keeping a detailed log of every incident - dates, times, what was said/done, any witnesses present. Save all emails and texts related to the schedule changes. Most importantly, you need to show Washington ESD that you tried to resolve these issues before quitting. Even if your company doesn't have HR, document any conversations you've had with your supervisor or the owner about these problems. If you haven't formally complained yet, do that first and keep records of their response (or lack thereof). The adjudication process can take several weeks, so make sure you have some savings to cover that gap. But don't let the bureaucracy stop you from protecting your wellbeing if the situation is truly toxic.