Can I apply for disability while collecting Washington ESD unemployment benefits?
I've been on unemployment for about 6 weeks now and my back injury from my construction job has gotten worse. I'm wondering if I can apply for disability while still getting my weekly unemployment payments from Washington ESD? I don't want to mess up my UI claim but I'm honestly not sure I can keep doing the job search requirements with how much pain I'm in. Has anyone been in this situation before?
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Logan Chiang
You can apply for disability while on unemployment, but there are some important things to consider. The main issue is that unemployment requires you to be able and available for work, while disability claims you're unable to work due to your condition. This creates a potential conflict that Washington ESD will need to review.
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Abigail Spencer
•So would I need to stop my unemployment claim before applying for disability? I'm worried about having no income while waiting for disability approval.
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Logan Chiang
•Not necessarily. You should report the disability application to Washington ESD and they'll determine if you can continue receiving UI benefits while your disability claim is being processed.
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Isla Fischer
i did this last year and it was a nightmare trying to get through to anyone at washington esd to explain my situation. kept getting hung up on after waiting for hours
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Miles Hammonds
•This is exactly why I used Claimyr when I had issues reaching Washington ESD about my standby status. They help you get through to an actual agent without the endless hold times. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Isla Fischer
•never heard of that but might be worth trying since calling washington esd directly is basically impossible
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Ruby Blake
The key thing to understand is that Social Security Disability and unemployment serve different purposes. SSDI typically takes months or even years to process, while unemployment is meant to be temporary income support while you look for work. Many people do apply for both simultaneously, especially if their condition might improve enough to return to work eventually.
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Abigail Spencer
•That makes sense. My injury might heal enough for me to do lighter work, but right now I can barely stand for more than 30 minutes.
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Micah Franklin
•You should definitely document everything with your doctor. Both Washington ESD and Social Security will want medical records showing your limitations.
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Ella Harper
Be careful about how you word things on your weekly claims! If you say you're unable to work due to disability, Washington ESD might disqualify you for benefits. But if you say you're able to do light work or sedentary jobs, you might be able to continue collecting UI while your disability application is pending.
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Abigail Spencer
•This is confusing. How do I know what to put on my weekly claims? I don't want to lie but I also don't want to lose my benefits.
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Ella Harper
•You need to be honest about your limitations but also realistic about what work you could potentially do. Maybe you can't do construction anymore but could handle office work or something less physical.
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PrinceJoe
•I'd recommend talking to someone at Washington ESD about your specific situation rather than guessing. The rules can be complex and every case is different.
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Brooklyn Knight
THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED AGAINST WORKING PEOPLE!! They make it impossible to get help when you need it most. You pay into unemployment your whole working life and then when you actually need it they make you jump through hoops while you're injured and in pain!
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Owen Devar
•I feel your frustration but getting angry won't help solve the problem. The OP needs practical advice, not a rant.
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Brooklyn Knight
•Easy for you to say when you're not dealing with chronic pain and bureaucratic nonsense at the same time.
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Daniel Rivera
I went through something similar with a shoulder injury. Here's what I learned: 1) Apply for disability ASAP because it takes forever, 2) Keep doing your job searches but focus on jobs you could actually do with your limitations, 3) Report your disability application to Washington ESD when they ask about it on your weekly claim.
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Abigail Spencer
•How long did your disability application take? And were you able to keep getting unemployment while waiting?
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Daniel Rivera
•My SSDI took 14 months and I had to appeal twice. I was able to keep UI for about 3 months until my benefits ran out, then had to survive on savings until disability came through.
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Sophie Footman
•14 months is crazy! The system definitely needs to be fixed.
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Connor Rupert
One thing to consider is that if you're approved for disability, you might have to pay back some of your unemployment benefits for any overlapping period. Social Security will consider this when calculating your back pay.
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Abigail Spencer
•Wait, so I could end up owing money back? That doesn't seem fair if both programs approved me.
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Connor Rupert
•It's because unemployment assumes you're able to work while disability assumes you're not. There can be overlap issues, but usually it's worked out in the back pay calculation.
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Molly Hansen
My brother had a similar situation with a back injury from his warehouse job. He applied for both and kept collecting unemployment for about 4 months while his disability was being processed. The key was being upfront with Washington ESD about his limitations and focusing his job search on sedentary positions.
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Abigail Spencer
•Did he eventually get approved for disability? And did he have to pay anything back?
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Molly Hansen
•Yeah he got approved after about 10 months. He didn't have to pay back the unemployment because there was no overlap - his UI ran out before his disability started.
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Brady Clean
definitely talk to a lawyer who specializes in disability law. most of them work on contingency so you don't pay unless you win
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Skylar Neal
•Good point. A disability lawyer can help navigate both the Social Security process and any conflicts with unemployment benefits.
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Abigail Spencer
•I hadn't thought about getting a lawyer. Do you think it's worth it even for the unemployment part?
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Vincent Bimbach
I used to work in HR and dealt with these situations fairly often. The most important thing is documentation - medical records, doctor's notes about your work limitations, and clear communication with both agencies about your situation. Don't try to hide anything from either Washington ESD or Social Security.
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Abigail Spencer
•That's really helpful advice. I have been keeping all my medical records organized thankfully.
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Kelsey Chin
•This is solid advice. Transparency is always the best policy when dealing with government benefits.
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Norah Quay
Just wanted to say hang in there. Dealing with an injury while trying to navigate these systems is incredibly stressful. Take care of your health first and don't let the bureaucracy make your condition worse.
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Abigail Spencer
•Thank you, I really needed to hear that. Some days the stress of dealing with all this paperwork makes my back hurt even more.
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Leo McDonald
•Stress definitely makes pain worse. Make sure you're taking care of your mental health too during this process.
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Jessica Nolan
If you need to speak with someone at Washington ESD about your specific situation, I'd recommend trying Claimyr. I discovered them when I was having issues with my adjudication process and couldn't get through on the phone. They basically get you connected to an actual Washington ESD representative without the endless busy signals and hold times.
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Abigail Spencer
•How does that work exactly? Do they just call for you or something?
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Jessica Nolan
•They have a system that monitors call volume and connects you when there's availability. Much better than calling yourself and getting hung up on. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ if you want to see how it works.
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Angelina Farar
Word of warning - make sure you're still doing your job searches even if you apply for disability. Washington ESD will expect you to keep looking for work that you can physically do until they decide otherwise.
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Abigail Spencer
•Good point. I've been applying for office jobs and remote work since I can still sit and use a computer.
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Sebastián Stevens
•That's smart. Keep a detailed log of your job search activities in case Washington ESD asks for it.
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Bethany Groves
I'm dealing with a similar situation right now with a nerve condition. Applied for SSDI two months ago and still collecting UI. Washington ESD hasn't said anything about it yet but I'm worried they will. Anyone know if there's a time limit on how long you can do both?
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KingKongZilla
•It really depends on your individual case and how long your unemployment benefits last. Some people can do both for months, others get flagged right away.
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Bethany Groves
•I guess I should probably call and ask directly instead of worrying about it.
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Rebecca Johnston
•If you do call, be prepared for a long wait. Maybe try that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier - seems like it could save a lot of frustration.
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Nathan Dell
One more thing to consider - if you're approved for disability, you might be eligible for vocational rehabilitation services that could help you transition to a different type of work that accommodates your limitations. This could be a bridge between unemployment and full disability benefits.
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Abigail Spencer
•I didn't know about vocational rehabilitation. Is that through Social Security or Washington state?
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Nathan Dell
•Both actually. Washington state has its own vocational rehabilitation program, and Social Security also has work incentive programs for disability recipients.
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