Can I collect Washington ESD unemployment while on short term disability?

That makes sense, but what if I'm cleared to do light duty work? Would that change anything?

That's where it gets tricky. If your doctor clears you for light duty and you're actively seeking work that accommodates your restrictions, you might qualify. But you'd need to document everything carefully.

Did you try to apply anyway or just wait until your disability ended?

I waited until I was fully cleared to return to work. Didn't want to risk having to pay back benefits later if they determined I wasn't eligible.

I've been trying to call them but can't get through. The phone lines are always busy or I get disconnected.

Have you tried using Claimyr? I found out about it from someone on Reddit. It's a service that helps you actually get through to Washington ESD agents. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

Never heard of that before. Is it legit? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point.

This is so important! I know someone who got hit with a huge overpayment notice because of this exact situation.

Yikes, definitely don't want that. Thanks for the warning.

That's actually a different scenario. If you're laid off while on disability, you might be able to collect UI once you're medically cleared to return to work, even if the layoff happened while you were disabled.

ok that's what i thought but wasn't sure. thanks!

If your employer can't provide reasonable accommodations for your work restrictions and you're otherwise able to work within those restrictions, you might have a case for UI benefits. But this gets into complex territory involving both unemployment law and disability accommodations.

This is so confusing. I wish there was clearer guidance on these edge cases.

That's exactly why I used Claimyr when I had questions about my claim. You can actually speak to real Washington ESD staff instead of trying to figure it out from their website alone.

How much does that cost though? I'm already financially stressed.

It's worth checking out their site. The time I would have spent calling over and over was worth it to me.

Good point. I hadn't thought about the reporting requirements if the situations overlap.

Workers comp is different from regular short-term disability though. The rules might be slightly different.

true but the confusion is the same. wish they made this stuff clearer.

Thanks for the professional perspective. That confirms what I was thinking - I need to get official guidance rather than guessing.

As someone who went through adjudication hell last year, definitely get everything in writing if you do speak to Washington ESD. Phone conversations don't always protect you later.

That's probably the safest approach. I'm just worried about the financial gap between when disability ends and when UI benefits start.

You can apply for UI benefits before your disability officially ends, as long as you'll be able and available to work by the time benefits would start. Just make sure your dates align properly.

The type of disability doesn't change the basic eligibility requirements for unemployment. You still need to be able and available for work regardless of whether it's physical or mental health related.

That makes sense. Thanks for clarifying.

Ouch, that's exactly what I'm trying to avoid. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Did they give you a payment plan at least or did you have to pay it all back at once?

They offered a payment plan which helped, but it was still a huge financial hit. Lesson learned the hard way.

I'm not cleared for any work right now, so that doesn't apply to my situation. But good to know for others who might be reading this.

That's a good strategy. I have a follow-up appointment with my doctor in two weeks, so maybe I should wait until then to see what the timeline looks like.

Definitely wait for that appointment. Having a clear return-to-work date will make the UI application much smoother.

I've never seen it happen personally. The requirements are just too contradictory - you can't be unable to work (disability) and able to work (UI) at the same time.

yeah that's what i figured. just wanted to check if there were any exceptions.

Good advice. I should probably organize all that stuff while I have time to recover.

I'm definitely going to look into that. I need to understand my options before making any decisions.

Let us know what you find out! I'm sure other people have similar questions.

Agreed. I think I'm going to wait until I'm fully cleared and then apply for UI benefits. The risk isn't worth it.

Smart choice. The peace of mind is worth more than trying to squeeze a few extra weeks of benefits.