Can I collect Washington ESD unemployment after disability benefits end?
My disability benefits just ended last month and I'm trying to figure out if I can apply for unemployment through Washington ESD. I was on disability for about 8 months due to a back injury but my doctor cleared me to return to work. Problem is, my old job was eliminated while I was out and now I'm job searching. I worked for 3 years before going on disability so I should have enough work history. Has anyone been in this situation? Do I need to do anything special when filing my initial claim?
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Carmen Ruiz
Yes, you can definitely apply for unemployment after disability ends if you're able and available for work. The key is that you need medical clearance showing you can work again. When you file your initial claim on the Washington ESD website, make sure to mention that you're now able to work and include the dates your disability ended.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Thanks! I do have the medical clearance letter from my doctor. Should I upload that when I file online?
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Carmen Ruiz
•Keep that letter handy but you might not need to upload it right away. Washington ESD might request it during the adjudication process if they need to verify your work availability.
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Andre Lefebvre
I went through this exact same thing last year. Filed my claim right after my disability ended and it took about 3 weeks to get approved. The main thing is making sure you can prove you're actively looking for work now.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Did they ask you a lot of questions about the disability period during the process?
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Andre Lefebvre
•Not really, they were more focused on whether I was currently able to work and my job search efforts. Just be honest about everything.
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Zoe Dimitriou
Make sure you understand the able and available requirements. Since you were on disability, Washington ESD will want to confirm you can now perform suitable work. You'll need to actively search for jobs and document your efforts in WorkSourceWA.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•I already started job searching and have been logging everything. How many job contacts do I need per week?
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Zoe Dimitriou
•It's typically 3 job search activities per week, but check your specific requirements when you set up your WorkSourceWA account. The requirements can vary based on your situation.
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QuantumQuest
If you run into issues with Washington ESD during the application process, I had good luck using Claimyr to get through to an actual agent. The wait times are usually really long but they have this system that calls you back when an agent is available. Check out claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•How much does that cost? I'm already tight on money.
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QuantumQuest
•It's worth checking out their site for current info. For me it was worth it to avoid spending hours on hold, especially when I needed answers about my specific situation.
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Jamal Anderson
•I've heard of them but never tried it. Seems like it could be helpful if you get stuck in adjudication.
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Mei Zhang
Just wanted to say good luck with everything! The transition from disability back to job searching can be tough but at least unemployment can help bridge the gap.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Thank you! It's definitely been stressful but I'm ready to get back to work.
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Liam McGuire
One thing to watch out for - if you received any severance or vacation payout when your job was eliminated, that might affect your unemployment start date. Washington ESD has rules about when benefits can begin if you received certain types of payments.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•I didn't get any severance since I was already on disability when they eliminated the position. Should be okay on that front.
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Liam McGuire
•That's good then. Your situation sounds pretty straightforward for unemployment eligibility.
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Amara Eze
The Washington ESD system is so confusing sometimes. I had a friend who went from workers comp to unemployment and it took forever to get sorted out. Hope yours goes smoother!
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Carmen Ruiz
•Workers comp is different from regular disability though. Those cases can be more complicated because of overlap issues.
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Amara Eze
•Oh right, I always mix those up. Thanks for clarifying!
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Giovanni Ricci
Make sure you file as soon as possible. There's usually a waiting week anyway, and you want to get the process started. The longer you wait, the longer it takes to see any money.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Planning to file this weekend. Just wanted to make sure I understood the process first.
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Giovanni Ricci
•Smart approach. Having your ducks in a row before filing definitely helps avoid delays.
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NeonNomad
I'm in a similar boat but still waiting for my medical clearance. Did your doctor have to fill out any special forms or just write a letter?
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Just a letter stating that I'm cleared to return to work without restrictions. Nothing fancy.
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NeonNomad
•Perfect, that's what I was hoping to hear. Thanks!
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Fatima Al-Hashemi
The timing worked out well for you that your job was eliminated while on disability. If you had quit or been fired, the unemployment process would be more complicated. This way it's clearly not your fault.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Yeah, that's the one silver lining I guess. At least I don't have to worry about a misconduct investigation or anything like that.
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Zoe Dimitriou
•Exactly. Job elimination due to business reasons makes for a clean unemployment claim once you're able to work again.
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Dylan Mitchell
Has anyone dealt with the coordination between disability insurance and unemployment? I'm worried there might be some overlap issue I need to watch out for.
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Carmen Ruiz
•As long as your disability benefits ended before you file for unemployment, there shouldn't be any overlap issues. The key is that you can't collect both at the same time.
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Dylan Mitchell
•That makes sense. I just wanted to be sure I wasn't going to create problems for myself.
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Sofia Martinez
Good luck with your job search! The market seems to be picking up in some sectors. What kind of work are you looking for?
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Yuki Yamamoto
•I was in warehouse management before. Looking at similar roles but also open to office work that doesn't require heavy lifting.
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Sofia Martinez
•That's smart to keep your options open, especially after a back injury. Lots of logistics companies are hiring right now.
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Dmitry Volkov
FYI, when you do your weekly claims, you'll need to report any work or earnings. Even if it's just a day or two of temporary work, make sure to report it properly to avoid overpayment issues later.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Good point. I'll make sure to keep track of everything carefully.
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Dmitry Volkov
•Yeah, it's better to over-report than under-report when it comes to Washington ESD.
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Ava Thompson
The job search requirements can be pretty specific. Make sure you're documenting not just applications but also networking, job fairs, skills training, etc. WorkSourceWA tracks all of that.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•I've been mainly focusing on applications. Didn't realize other activities counted too.
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Ava Thompson
•Definitely! Things like LinkedIn networking, attending virtual job fairs, or taking online courses can all count toward your job search requirements.
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CyberSiren
Quick question - do you know if your base year wages will be affected by the time you were on disability? I always get confused about how they calculate the benefit amount.
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Zoe Dimitriou
•The base year looks at wages earned in the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before filing. Disability time doesn't erase previous wages, so his 3 years of work history should still count.
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CyberSiren
•That's a relief. I was worried about the benefit calculation getting messed up.
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Miguel Alvarez
If your claim gets stuck in adjudication for any reason, don't panic. Sometimes they just need to verify work ability after disability. I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier when my claim was taking too long and it really helped get answers.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•How long was your claim in adjudication before you used them?
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Miguel Alvarez
•About 4 weeks with no updates. After using Claimyr I got through to someone the same day and my claim was resolved within a week.
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Zainab Yusuf
This whole thread is really helpful. I'm bookmarking it because I might be in a similar situation soon. My disability review is coming up and I'm hoping to get cleared for work.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Hope it goes well for you! Feel free to message me if you have questions about the process.
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Zainab Yusuf
•Thanks! I really appreciate that.
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Connor O'Reilly
The fact that you're being proactive about understanding the process shows you're on the right track. Most people just file and hope for the best, then get confused when issues come up.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•I learned my lesson about being prepared after dealing with the disability system for 8 months. Government processes are so much easier when you know what to expect.
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Connor O'Reilly
•Exactly! A little research upfront saves so much stress later on.
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Yara Khoury
One last tip - when you file your weekly claims, answer all questions honestly but don't overthink them. The system is pretty straightforward if you're genuinely looking for work and available to accept suitable employment.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Thanks for all the advice everyone! I feel much more confident about filing now.
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Carmen Ruiz
•You're welcome! Come back and let us know how it goes.
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Keisha Taylor
Just want to add that if you need to contact Washington ESD for any reason during the process, calling first thing in the morning usually has shorter wait times. Or that Claimyr thing people mentioned seems to work well too.
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QuantumQuest
•Yeah, Claimyr was a lifesaver for me. Much better than sitting on hold for hours.
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Keisha Taylor
•I'll have to check that out if I run into problems with my own claim.
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