Can you apply for unemployment while on disability in Washington?

That's what I was worried about. My doctor says I can work part-time with restrictions but I'm not sure if that counts as 'able and available' for Washington ESD purposes.

The key is whether you can perform suitable work. If your doctor cleared you for part-time work, that might be enough depending on your restrictions.

Did you have any issues with Washington ESD questioning your ability to work? I'm nervous about triggering an adjudication.

They did ask for medical documentation during my initial claim review. Having the doctor's note ready helped speed things up. Just be prepared for extra paperwork.

How did this affect your disability benefits? Did you have to report the unemployment income?

Good point about checking with both. I didn't think about potential conflicts between the programs.

This is why it's so hard to navigate these systems. Each agency has different rules and they don't always talk to each other.

I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about this! How does Claimyr work exactly?

They basically handle the calling and waiting for you. Once they get an agent on the line they connect you directly. Much better than sitting on hold for hours.

Never heard of this service before but sounds useful. Did they charge you anything?

Should I mention the disability benefits in my initial application or wait until they ask?

I'd mention it upfront to avoid any issues later. Transparency is always better with these agencies.

Ugh, I was hoping to avoid adjudication. My bills are already piling up.

Adjudication isn't necessarily bad - it just means they're being thorough. Better to have it reviewed properly than have issues later.

Mine took about 3 weeks in adjudication but once they approved it, everything went smoothly after that.

The laws are actually pretty complex because they're trying to balance different needs. It's not intentionally confusing, just complicated.

Well it feels intentional when you're trying to navigate it without clear answers!

I hadn't thought about that. Do you know if Washington ESD unemployment counts as income for disability purposes?

It depends on what type of disability benefits you're receiving. SSI is different from SSDI in how they handle other income.

How specific do I need to be about the work restrictions in my job search log?

Be as specific as your doctor's note allows. If you can only work certain hours or have lifting restrictions, note that in your searches.

Exactly! It's scary to potentially lose benefits if things don't work out.

That's why having medical documentation is so important. It protects you if your condition changes.

How long did it take them to get you connected to an agent?

About 45 minutes, which is way better than the 3+ hours I was spending on hold before.

I've been thinking about that too. But I'm worried about missing out on benefits if I wait too long.

That's a valid concern. Maybe talk to your doctor about a realistic timeline for your work capacity.

Good point about reporting changes. I'll make sure to keep Washington ESD updated if anything changes with my condition.

That's reassuring to know there's an appeals option. Hopefully it won't come to that though.

Appeals can actually work in your favor sometimes because you get a more thorough review of your case.

I'll start gathering those documents now. Better to be over-prepared than under-prepared.

In my experience, partial disability actually helped my case because it showed I was genuinely able to work within limitations.

That's encouraging. My situation is similar - I can work but with restrictions.

I'm mostly stable now but still seeing doctors occasionally. Do you think that would be a problem?

Ongoing medical care isn't necessarily a problem as long as your doctors support your ability to work.

That sounds like exactly what I need. I have so many specific questions about my situation.

Same here. The automated system just doesn't handle complex cases well.

Good advice. I'll start a dedicated folder for all unemployment-related documents.

Digital copies are great too in case you need to upload documents to the Washington ESD portal.

This thread has been incredibly helpful. I'm going to gather my medical documents and give it a try.

Good luck! Feel free to update us on how it goes.

And remember about Claimyr if you need to actually talk to someone at Washington ESD. It really does work.