Can I get unemployment and paid family leave at the same time in Washington?

No, you can't collect both unemployment and paid family leave at the same time. They're administered by different programs but you can only receive one type of benefit at a time. Unemployment is for when you're available and actively seeking work, while paid family leave is specifically for bonding with a new child.

wait i thought you could get both? my sister said she got unemployment after her maternity leave ended

I had a similar situation last year and spent weeks trying to get through to Washington ESD to ask about this. The phone system is absolutely terrible - I must have called 200+ times. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person at Washington ESD within an hour. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. The agent explained exactly how the two programs work and that you definitely can't double up on benefits.

You should definitely go with paid family leave for your situation. It's designed exactly for what you want to do - bond with your new baby. Unemployment requires you to be actively job searching which doesn't sound like what you want to be doing with a newborn at home.

This is confusing af. I thought paid family leave was only for women who give birth?

Be careful with the timing on this stuff. I made the mistake of filing for unemployment first when I should have done family leave and it was a nightmare to sort out with Washington ESD. Had to appeal and everything because they said I wasn't available for work.

How much does paid family leave pay compared to unemployment? I'm in a similar situation and trying to figure out which would be better financially.

Just want to add that you need to apply for paid family leave through the state's paid leave system, not through Washington ESD. Totally different agencies and websites.

I used Claimyr too when I had questions about transitioning from family leave back to work and whether I'd be eligible for unemployment if things didn't work out. Super helpful service and way better than trying to navigate the phone maze at Washington ESD.

congratulations on the new baby! the first few months are crazy but so worth it

One more thing - make sure you apply for paid family leave at least 30 days before you plan to start your leave. There's a waiting period and paperwork to process.

This thread has been super helpful. I'm bookmarking this for when my sister has her baby next year. Had no idea fathers could get paid leave in Washington.

Just to be crystal clear since there seems to be some confusion in this thread - you absolutely cannot collect unemployment and paid family leave simultaneously. It's considered fraud if you try to double-dip. However, you CAN transition from one to the other if your circumstances change.

I tried calling Washington ESD about a similar question last month and literally gave up after 4 hours of trying. Ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and got through in like 30 minutes. Game changer for dealing with Washington ESD.

For what it's worth, I think you're making the right choice looking into family leave. Those early weeks with a new baby are so important for bonding, and having the financial support makes it possible to actually take the time off.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact situation last year. You definitely made the right call asking about this upfront - I almost made the mistake of trying to file for both until I learned they're mutually exclusive. One thing I'd add is that paid family leave in Washington also covers if you need to care for a family member with a serious health condition, so it's pretty flexible. The application process was actually smoother than I expected once I got all the paperwork together. Make sure to keep good records of everything you submit because they may ask for additional documentation later. Good luck with the new baby!