Why was I denied unemployment benefits by Washington ESD?

Unfortunately, Washington ESD considers most voluntary quits as disqualifying unless you can prove 'good cause.' Reduced hours can sometimes qualify as good cause, but you need to show you tried to resolve it with your employer first. Did you document your conversations with your manager about the hour cuts?

This happened to my sister last year. She quit because of hour cuts too and got denied initially. You definitely need to appeal this - the reduction in hours might qualify as 'constructive dismissal' if it was significant enough.

You should definitely appeal this denial. I had luck getting through to Washington ESD using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) when I needed to discuss my appeal. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Really helped me avoid the usual phone runaround when I needed to talk to an actual person about my case.

The appeal process for unemployment denials is pretty straightforward but you need to act fast. You only have 30 days from the date on your determination letter to file an appeal with Washington ESD. Make sure you gather any evidence about the hour reduction and why it made continuing work impossible.

ugh the Washington ESD system is so frustrating!! They deny everyone first it seems like, then you have to fight for what you deserve. I got denied twice before finally getting approved.

For your appeal, focus on these key points: 1) Document the exact hour reduction (35 to 15 hours), 2) Show this made the job financially unsustainable, 3) Provide any evidence you tried to discuss this with management, 4) Calculate how the reduced income fell below minimum survival needs. Washington ESD looks for concrete evidence that quitting was your only reasonable option.

I work in HR and see this situation a lot. When employers cut hours that drastically, they're often trying to force people to quit so they don't have to pay unemployment. It's a common tactic unfortunately.

Update: I tried calling Washington ESD again today to ask about the appeal process but still can't get through. The automated system just hangs up after saying high call volume. This is so frustrating when I'm on a deadline to appeal.

Whatever you do, don't miss that 30-day appeal deadline! I missed mine by like 2 days and had to go through a whole separate process to get it reopened. Washington ESD is super strict about those timelines.

You can file your appeal online through your Washington ESD account or by mailing the appeal form. Online is faster and you get confirmation it was received. Make sure to write a clear statement explaining why the hour reduction constituted good cause for leaving.

same thing happened to me but my hours got cut because of 'business needs' - still got denied initially. The appeal hearing judge was much more reasonable than whoever reviews the initial claims. Don't give up!

Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even during the appeal process! A lot of people don't know this and lose out on benefits if they win their appeal. You won't get paid during the appeal but you'll get back pay if you win.

The Washington ESD hearing officers seem to understand that people can't survive on drastically reduced hours. I've seen several cases where voluntary quits due to hour cuts got overturned on appeal. Your situation sounds pretty strong actually.

BTW when you do get through to Washington ESD (whenever that happens), make sure to ask them about the specific reason code they used for your denial. Sometimes there are multiple issues and the letter doesn't explain everything clearly.

don't let them intimidate you with the formal appeal process - it's really just explaining your side of the story to someone who will actually listen, unlike the initial review process

One more thing to consider - if your employer fights the appeal, they'll have to prove that 15 hours per week was still a 'suitable' job for you. Most hearing officers recognize that's not realistic for someone who was previously working full-time hours.

I had a similar denial overturned last year. The key was showing that I made efforts to find additional work to supplement the reduced hours before quitting. Even though I couldn't find anything, it showed I tried to make it work.

Just want to add that Washington ESD's initial denial rate is pretty high, but the appeal success rate is much better. Don't get discouraged by the first rejection - it's almost like they expect you to appeal if you have a legitimate case.

Quick practical tip: when you write your appeal statement, use the phrase 'constructive discharge' or 'constructive dismissal' - it's the legal term for when working conditions become so bad you have no choice but to quit. Hearing officers recognize this terminology.

Final update from me - I actually got through to Washington ESD this morning using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. The agent confirmed that hour reductions can qualify as good cause and walked me through what I need for my appeal. Definitely filing it this week!