Can I collect Washington ESD unemployment while in rehab program?

You should definitely report this to Washington ESD. The key question is whether you're still able and available for work. If the rehab program doesn't interfere with your ability to accept suitable employment, you might be okay. But you need to be honest about your schedule limitations.

I went through something similar last year. As long as you can prove you're actively seeking work and available for employment, rehab shouldn't disqualify you. The tricky part is the job search requirement - you'll need to show you're applying for jobs that work with your schedule.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD about this, you might want to check out claimyr.com. They help people connect with ESD agents without waiting on hold forever. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. I used it when I had questions about my claim status and it saved me hours of calling.

be careful about this stuff, they can cut you off if they think you're not really available for work. I know someone who got disqualified because of a training program

The Washington ESD handbook says you must be able and available for work to receive benefits. Rehab programs can sometimes be considered training or education, which might affect your eligibility. You'll need to demonstrate that you're still actively seeking work and can accept employment offers that accommodate your schedule.

I'm in a similar situation but with physical therapy. Washington ESD told me as long as I can work around the appointments and I'm still looking for jobs, it's not a problem. The key is being honest about your availability.

The system is so confusing! I never know what to report and what not to report. Seems like they want to disqualify everyone for everything.

Good luck with your recovery! The most important thing is getting the help you need. The unemployment stuff will work itself out if you're honest and follow the rules.

Just to follow up on the Claimyr thing - I ended up using their service again last week for a different issue and got connected to an agent within 20 minutes. Way better than the usual 3-hour wait times. Really helpful for getting specific questions answered about complex situations like yours.

I think the key thing is that you're being proactive about asking. Most people just wing it and hope for the best. You're doing the right thing by trying to get official guidance before making any decisions.

Washington ESD is pretty reasonable about medical situations in my experience. Just make sure you can genuinely say you're available for work and actively seeking employment. Keep good records of your job search activities too.

My sister went through rehab while on unemployment and had no issues. She was upfront about her schedule limitations and kept applying for jobs that worked with her treatment times. Washington ESD was actually pretty supportive.

Don't let fear stop you from getting the help you need. Unemployment benefits are there to support you while you're between jobs, and getting healthy is part of being able to work effectively.

Make sure you understand the difference between 'able to work' and 'available for work.' You might be able to work but have limited availability due to treatment schedule. Washington ESD usually accepts reasonable limitations as long as you're honest about them.

whatever you do, don't lie about it. they check everything and if they catch you not reporting something you'll be in way more trouble than if you were just honest from the start

I had a friend who was in a similar situation and used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. She said it was really helpful for getting specific answers about her situation instead of just reading generic information online.

The important thing is that you're taking care of yourself. I went through a similar situation a few years ago and Washington ESD was pretty understanding. Just be honest and keep good records.

Good luck with everything! Recovery is the most important thing. The unemployment stuff will work out if you handle it properly.

Just wanted to add that keeping a detailed calendar of your treatment schedule and job search activities is a good idea. It shows Washington ESD that you're being responsible about both your recovery and your job search obligations.

Hope everything works out for you! Recovery is tough enough without having to worry about bureaucratic stuff. Sounds like you're handling it the right way though.