Can I get short term disability and Washington ESD unemployment at the same time?

Unfortunately, you generally can't collect both at the same time. For Washington ESD unemployment benefits, you have to certify that you're able and available for work each week. If you're receiving short-term disability, that usually means you're unable to work due to medical reasons, which would disqualify you from UI benefits.

There might be some exceptions depending on your specific situation. If your disability is temporary and you expect to return to the same job, you might qualify for standby status with Washington ESD instead of regular UI. But if you're truly unable to work, short-term disability is probably your better option right now.

I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks to ask similar questions about my claim status. Their phone system is impossible! If you need to actually talk to someone there, I recently found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to ESD agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to discuss your specific situation with someone at ESD.

Wait, are we talking about state disability insurance or private short-term disability through your employer? Washington state doesn't have its own disability insurance program like California or New York do. If it's through your employer's insurance, that definitely won't conflict with unemployment eligibility rules the same way state programs would.

this is so frustrating!! i had the same question last year and nobody could give me a straight answer. ended up just taking the disability and not filing for unemployment at all because i was scared of getting in trouble for fraud or something

The timing might matter too. Like if you file for unemployment first and then become disabled, vs. being disabled first and then trying to file for UI. But honestly this is complicated enough that you should probably talk to someone at Washington ESD directly.

I work in HR and deal with these situations sometimes. Generally speaking, if you're receiving disability benefits (whether state or private), you're acknowledging that you're unable to perform your job duties due to medical reasons. This is fundamentally incompatible with unemployment benefits which require you to be ready, willing, and able to work immediately.

Check if your short-term disability has any restrictions about other income. Some policies will reduce benefits if you receive unemployment or other wage replacement benefits.

My sister went through this exact thing! She ended up having to choose between disability and unemployment. The disability paid better in her case since it was like 60% of her regular wages vs unemployment which was way less. But your situation might be different depending on what you were earning.

Has anyone ever been approved for both simultaneously? I'm curious if there are any edge cases where it's actually allowed.

Whatever you decide, make sure you document everything! Keep records of your medical appointments, disability claim paperwork, any communication with Washington ESD, etc. You want a clear paper trail in case there are any questions later.

The whole system is set up to make things as difficult as possible for people who are already dealing with health problems and lost income. It's ridiculous that you have to choose between benefits when you're in a vulnerable situation.

One more thing to consider - if you do go with disability now, you might be able to file for unemployment later once you're cleared to return to work but can't get your job back. Just something to keep in mind.

I used Claimyr last month when I had questions about my claim and it was definitely worth it. Saved me hours of trying to call Washington ESD directly. The agents were able to explain exactly what my options were for my specific situation.

Make sure you understand the elimination period for your disability benefits too. Some policies don't start paying until you've been out of work for a certain number of days.