Can you get Washington ESD unemployment while on disability benefits?
I'm currently receiving SSDI but my doctor says I might be able to do some part-time work soon. I'm wondering if I can apply for Washington ESD unemployment benefits while still getting disability? I know there's rules about being able and available for work but I'm not sure how that works with partial disability. Has anyone been in this situation before?
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Tyrone Johnson
This is tricky territory. For Washington ESD unemployment, you have to certify that you're able and available for work each week. If you're on full disability, that could be a problem since disability usually means you can't work. But if your situation is changing and your doctor thinks you can work part-time, you might have options.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•That's what I'm confused about. My disability isn't permanent and I'm improving, but I'm still getting SSDI payments right now.
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Ingrid Larsson
•You should definitely talk to Washington ESD directly about this. They have specific rules for people transitioning off disability.
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Carlos Mendoza
I went through something similar last year. The key thing is whether you can honestly answer yes to the able and available questions on your weekly claim. If your doctor has cleared you for some work, you might qualify. But you also need to report your SSDI income when you file your weekly claims.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•Did you have any issues with Social Security when you started claiming unemployment? I'm worried about conflicts between the two systems.
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Carlos Mendoza
•Social Security has a trial work period program that lets you test your ability to work while keeping your benefits for a while. You should look into that too.
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Zainab Mahmoud
I tried calling Washington ESD about this exact question but couldn't get through to anyone who knew the answer. Spent hours on hold and they kept transferring me around. This is such a specific situation that really needs an expert to explain it properly.
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Ava Williams
•Have you tried using Claimyr? It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents faster. I used it when I had a complex adjudication issue and actually got to talk to someone who knew what they were talking about. Check out claimyr.com - they even have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.
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Zainab Mahmoud
•Never heard of that but I'm willing to try anything at this point. Regular calling is impossible.
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Raj Gupta
you cant collect both thats double dipping the system!! disability means you cant work so how can you be available for work at the same time??
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Tyrone Johnson
•That's not necessarily true. There are different types of disability and different rules. Some people can work part-time while on partial disability.
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Lena Müller
•Yeah my cousin was on disability for back problems but could still do desk work. It's not always black and white.
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Ingrid Larsson
The Washington ESD handbook says you have to be physically able to work and available for work to qualify for UI benefits. But it also says they evaluate each case individually. If your medical condition has improved enough that you can work, you might qualify even if you're still receiving some disability benefits during a transition period.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•That makes sense. I guess I really do need to talk to someone at Washington ESD to understand my specific situation.
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TechNinja
•Good luck getting anyone knowledgeable on the phone though. Most of the time they just read from a script.
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Keisha Thompson
I know someone who was in a similar boat. She had to get documentation from her doctor stating that she was cleared for work, even if limited work. Washington ESD needed proof that she met the able and available requirements despite being on disability.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•That's helpful to know. I should probably get something official from my doctor before I even apply.
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Keisha Thompson
•Yeah, having the documentation upfront saved her from having her claim go into adjudication. Otherwise they would have questioned the contradiction between disability and being available for work.
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Paolo Bianchi
This is exactly why I hate dealing with government benefits. Everything conflicts with everything else and nobody can give you a straight answer.
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Yara Assad
•Tell me about it. I'm dealing with three different agencies for my situation and they all have different rules that don't make sense together.
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Olivia Clark
•At least Washington ESD is better than some other states. But yeah, the coordination between federal and state programs is terrible.
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Javier Morales
Just wanted to add that if you do qualify for both, you'll need to report your disability income on your weekly claims. It might reduce your unemployment benefit amount but you can still get something if your disability payment is low enough.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•Good point. I hadn't thought about how one would affect the other in terms of payment amounts.
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Javier Morales
•Yeah, they have formulas for how other income affects your weekly benefit amount. It's not necessarily dollar for dollar reduction.
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Natasha Petrov
My disability lawyer told me to be really careful about this because if Social Security thinks you're working or looking for work, they might review your disability case. Just something to keep in mind.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•That's a really good point. I should probably talk to my disability lawyer too before making any moves.
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Connor O'Brien
•Yeah definitely get legal advice if you have a lawyer. The interaction between these programs can be complicated.
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Amina Diallo
I used that Claimyr service mentioned earlier to get through to Washington ESD about a different issue and it actually worked. Might be worth trying for this question since it's so specific and you need to talk to someone who really knows the rules.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•How much does it cost? I'm already tight on money.
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Amina Diallo
•It's worth checking out their site for the details, but for me it was worth it just to avoid spending days trying to get through on the phone. The video demo shows exactly how it works.
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GamerGirl99
Whatever you decide, make sure you're completely honest on your application and weekly claims. If there's any question about your ability to work, it's better to address it upfront than have problems later.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•Absolutely. I don't want to create problems for myself by not being transparent about my situation.
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Hiroshi Nakamura
•Smart approach. Washington ESD takes fraud seriously and it's better to ask questions first than deal with overpayment issues later.
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Isabella Costa
Has anyone actually successfully collected both at the same time? Would love to hear a real success story if anyone has one.
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Malik Jenkins
•My neighbor did for a few months while transitioning off disability. But her situation was pretty specific - she had a gradual return to work plan approved by Social Security.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•That's encouraging to hear. Sounds like it's possible in the right circumstances.
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Freya Andersen
Bottom line is you need to talk to both Washington ESD and Social Security about your specific situation. Rules change and every case is different. Don't rely on forum advice for something this important.
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Gabrielle Dubois
•You're absolutely right. I'll make those calls this week and get official answers.
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Eduardo Silva
•Good plan. And if you use that Claimyr thing to get through to Washington ESD faster, let us know how it goes!
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