Here's a list of typical reasons that usually meet the good cause requirement for quitting:
- unlawful discrimination
- sexual harassment
- safety violations causing an unsafe work environment
- “significant” reduction in wage
- reduction in hours
- demotion
- “hostile work environment”
- harassment by management staff
Another requirement is that prior to quitting, the employee must give the employer an opportunity to correct the situation. This is where having a well-defined written procedure in the employee handbook can help you; that will take care of about half of the reasons listed above. There are, however, certain situations where the employee does not have to give the employer an opportunity to correct the situation. These are situations where a “reasonable person” would just leave; for example, a patently unsafe work environment.
Many employers are forced to pay unemployment benefits to employees who quit because they do not have well-defined policies and procedures to address the steps employees must take to report complaints to management. Of course all of this can be avoided if the proper safeguards are put in place.