Can I get welfare and unemployment benefits at the same time in Washington?

You can technically receive both, but there are important limitations. Washington ESD unemployment benefits are counted as income by DSHS, so your TANF benefits will be reduced by the amount of your weekly unemployment claim. You're required to report all income to both agencies.

I'm in a similar boat and it's so confusing dealing with both agencies. Washington ESD wants me to look for work but DSHS has different requirements for TANF recipients. Sometimes the job search requirements conflict with each other.

When I was dealing with this last year, I had such a hard time getting through to both agencies to clarify the rules. Washington ESD phone lines were constantly busy, and DSHS appointments were weeks out. I ended up using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to Washington ESD faster - they have this system that calls for you and gets you connected to an actual person. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

BE VERY CAREFUL about reporting requirements! I got overpayment notices from both agencies because I reported my unemployment to DSHS late. Even though it was only a few days, they demanded I pay back money I'd already spent on groceries.

Food stamps (SNAP) might be a better option to supplement your unemployment if you haven't looked into that yet. SNAP benefits aren't reduced dollar-for-dollar by unemployment income like TANF is.

The timing of when you apply matters too. If you apply for TANF after you're already receiving unemployment, they'll look at your unemployment as existing income. But if you were on TANF first, the transition might be handled differently.

honestly this whole system is set up to make it impossible for people to actually get help. you jump through hoops for both agencies and end up with barely more money than if you just had one benefit. its ridiculous

Make sure you understand the time limits too. TANF has a 60-month lifetime limit in Washington, and unemployment benefits have their own duration limits. Plan accordingly so you're not caught off guard when either one ends.

One thing that helped me was keeping a detailed log of all my communications with both agencies. Dates, times, who I talked to, what was discussed. When there were discrepancies later, having that record saved me from losing benefits.

Check if your county has any emergency assistance programs too. Some have utility assistance or rent help that doesn't affect your other benefits. Every little bit helps when you're trying to make ends meet.

Just want to echo what others said about reporting immediately. I report my unemployment to DSHS the same day I file my weekly claim with Washington ESD. I set up reminders on my phone so I don't forget. Better safe than sorry with overpayment issues.

The job search requirements can be tricky to navigate with both programs. Washington ESD requires 3 job contacts per week, but TANF might have additional work activity requirements through WorkFirst. Make sure your activities count for both programs when possible.

been there done that with both programs. the key is staying on top of all the deadlines and requirements. miss one thing and both agencies will come after you. its stressful but doable if you stay organized

I should mention that if your unemployment benefits are high enough, you might not qualify for TANF at all once they count the unemployment as income. TANF has pretty low income limits, especially for families. You'd still keep the unemployment obviously, just might not be eligible for additional cash assistance.

Another consideration is that being on TANF might affect your ability to turn down job offers while on unemployment. TANF recipients have different rules about 'suitable work' that might conflict with unemployment insurance requirements.

If you do end up needing to contact Washington ESD frequently to clarify how your benefits interact with TANF, I'd definitely recommend checking out that Claimyr service I mentioned earlier. When you're dealing with two bureaucracies, being able to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD when you need to can prevent a lot of problems down the road.

Don't forget about the tax implications too. Both unemployment and TANF can affect your tax situation differently. Unemployment is taxable income, TANF usually isn't. Keep records for tax time.

My advice is to start with just the unemployment if you qualify and see how far that gets you before adding the complexity of TANF. Sometimes the hassle isn't worth the small additional benefit you might get after the income reduction.

The childcare assistance might be worth looking into too if you're not already getting it. Both programs might help with childcare costs while you're job searching, and that could free up more of your cash benefits for other needs.

Just remember that both programs are temporary. Focus on using them as a bridge to get back on your feet rather than a long-term solution. The job search requirements from both programs can actually help push you toward employment even when it feels overwhelming.

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago with two kids and it was honestly a nightmare to navigate at first. Here's what I learned: Yes, you can get both but your TANF will be reduced almost dollar for dollar by your unemployment amount. The small silver lining is that you might end up with maybe $50-100 more total per month than just TANF alone due to how they calculate deductions, but it's not much. The real benefit for me was that unemployment lasted longer than TANF would have. My biggest mistake was not reporting my first unemployment payment to DSHS immediately - I waited a week thinking it wouldn't matter and ended up with a $300 overpayment notice. Now I report everything the same day I receive it. Also, keep detailed records of every single interaction with both agencies. I started a simple notebook with dates, times, and what was discussed, and it saved me during a benefits review. The job search requirements from both programs are exhausting but try to make your activities count for both whenever possible. Hang in there - it gets easier once you figure out the routine, and hopefully you'll find work soon and won't need either program.

I've been dealing with this exact situation for the past few months and wanted to share some practical tips that have helped me manage both programs. First, create a simple tracking system - I use a calendar where I mark my unemployment filing days and DSHS reporting deadlines so nothing gets missed. Second, when you call either agency, always ask for a case number or confirmation number for your conversation and write it down. Third, if you're struggling to reach Washington ESD by phone, consider their online messaging system through eServices - sometimes you get faster responses that way. The most important thing I learned is to never assume the agencies talk to each other. You have to be your own advocate and make sure both sides have the same information. It's frustrating and time-consuming, but it's doable once you get into a routine. Also, don't be afraid to ask for supervisors if you get conflicting information from different workers - I've had to do this several times to get clear answers about reporting requirements.