In general, no. However, there is an exception to this general rule if the employee quit for “good cause.”
Good cause is limited to the following reasons:
• The employee took another job;
• The employee became sick or disabled, or a member of his or her family became sick, disabled, or died, AND it was necessary for the employee to quit as a result;
• The employee quit so he or she could move with a spouse whose job is outside the employee’s labor market area;
• The employee quit to protect him or herself of immediate family members from domestic violence or stalking;
• The employee’s usual pay or hours of work were decreased by 25% or more;
• The employer changed the job location so the employee’s commute is longer or harder than it was previously;
• The employee reported a safety problem to the employer and the employer did not quickly fix the problem;
• The employee reported an illegal activity to the employer and the employer did not quickly stop the activity;
• The employer changed the employee’s usual work and it now goes against the employee’s religious or moral beliefs;
• The employee entered an approved apprenticeship training;
• The employee started approved training under the Trade Act;
• The employee worked a full-time and part-time job at the same time, quit the part-time job and was then laid off from the full-time job.
Nicole M. Bolan, Attorney at Law
Blado Kiger Bolan, Tacoma, Wash.
