Can you get short term disability and unemployment at the same time in Washington?
I'm really confused about this situation. I got laid off from my job at a warehouse in October and have been collecting Washington ESD unemployment benefits since then. Now I hurt my back pretty badly last month and my doctor says I need surgery and will be out for at least 6-8 weeks. My employer's insurance has short term disability that would pay me while I'm recovering. But can I collect both short term disability and unemployment benefits at the same time? I'm worried Washington ESD will cut off my UI if I'm getting disability payments. Has anyone dealt with this before?
57 comments
Join the conversation
Kayla Morgan
From what I understand, you generally can't collect both at the same time because of the 'able and available' requirement for unemployment. If you're on disability, you're basically saying you can't work, which conflicts with the unemployment requirement that you're actively seeking work.
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
•That's what I was afraid of. So I'd have to choose between the two? The disability payment is actually higher than my unemployment.
0 coins
James Maki
•yeah but disability is temporary, unemployment can last longer if you need it after you recover
0 coins
Jasmine Hancock
You need to be very careful here. Washington ESD requires you to certify each week that you're able and available for work. If you're receiving short term disability, you're essentially stating you're unable to work due to a medical condition. This creates a direct conflict. You should contact Washington ESD immediately to discuss your situation rather than risk an overpayment determination later.
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
•Should I stop filing my weekly claims while I'm on disability then? I don't want to get in trouble for fraud or anything.
0 coins
Jasmine Hancock
•Yes, you should stop certifying for unemployment benefits while you're unable to work due to disability. You can resume your claim after you're medically cleared to return to work.
0 coins
Cole Roush
I went through something similar last year. Had to have knee surgery while I was unemployed. I tried calling Washington ESD like 50 times to ask about this exact situation but could never get through to anyone. Finally found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an actual agent within a few minutes. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
•Really? How much does that cost? I'm already stressed about money with this whole situation.
0 coins
Cole Roush
•They don't require any personal info upfront and it's way cheaper than losing weeks of benefits to confusion. The agent I talked to explained everything clearly about how to handle the transition between unemployment and disability.
0 coins
Scarlett Forster
•sounds too good to be true but if it actually works...
0 coins
Arnav Bengali
This whole system is so frustrating! Why can't they just let you collect both if you're legitimately in need? I'm dealing with something similar - got hurt at my last job but was already laid off. It's like you're being punished for getting injured.
0 coins
Kayla Morgan
•I get the frustration, but there's a logic to it. Unemployment is for people who are ready and able to work but can't find a job. Disability is for people who can't work due to medical reasons. They serve different purposes.
0 coins
Arnav Bengali
•I guess that makes sense legally but it sure doesn't help when you're trying to pay bills
0 coins
Sayid Hassan
check with your doctor too about when exactly youll be cleared to work again. sometimes they can give you a modified duty release which might change things
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
•Good point. My surgery is scheduled for next week and the doctor said 6-8 weeks recovery but maybe I could do desk work sooner.
0 coins
Jasmine Hancock
•Even with modified duty clearance, you'd need to be genuinely able and available for the types of work you're seeking through your job search. Washington ESD looks at your specific circumstances.
0 coins
James Maki
my brother had this exact situation happen. he chose the disability payments because they were higher and then went back on unemployment after he recovered. worked out fine for him
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
•How long was he on disability? And did he have any problems getting back on unemployment afterward?
0 coins
James Maki
•like 3 months i think? no problems getting back on UI, just had to do the whole able and available thing again
0 coins
Kayla Morgan
One thing to consider is that your unemployment claim has a benefit year that expires. If you're on disability for several months, you might lose some of your remaining unemployment eligibility. Definitely worth getting official guidance on the timing.
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
•Oh no, I didn't think about that. My claim started in October so I'd have until next October right?
0 coins
Kayla Morgan
•Correct, but if you use up a lot of time on disability, you'll have less time available for unemployment benefits afterward. It's a balancing act.
0 coins
Rachel Tao
Whatever you do, don't try to collect both without telling Washington ESD. They WILL find out eventually and then you'll owe back everything plus penalties. Better to be honest upfront.
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
•Definitely don't want to risk that. The whole reason I'm asking is to make sure I do this right.
0 coins
Arnav Bengali
•Yeah I've heard horror stories about overpayment notices. Not worth the risk.
0 coins
Cole Roush
Just wanted to follow up on my earlier comment about Claimyr - I used them again yesterday to ask about something else and got through to an agent in under 5 minutes. Seriously worth it when you need official answers instead of guessing.
0 coins
Derek Olson
•I tried it after seeing your first comment and it actually worked. The agent was super helpful and knew exactly what to do about my adjudication issue.
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
•Okay you guys have convinced me to try it. I really need to talk to someone official about this disability situation.
0 coins
Jasmine Hancock
To summarize the key points: You generally cannot collect both simultaneously due to the 'able and available' requirement for unemployment. Choose the higher benefit amount if they're different. Stop certifying for unemployment while on disability. You can potentially resume your unemployment claim after medical clearance. Contact Washington ESD officially to document your situation and avoid any future issues.
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
•This is super helpful, thank you. So I should call Washington ESD before I stop filing my weekly claims to let them know what's happening?
0 coins
Jasmine Hancock
•Yes, that's the safest approach. Document the conversation and keep records of your disability payments and medical documentation.
0 coins
Danielle Mays
had a similar thing happen with workers comp and unemployment a few years ago. same rule applies - cant collect both at once
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
•Good to know it's consistent across different types of benefits. Makes the rule easier to understand at least.
0 coins
Scarlett Forster
this is why the whole system needs to be reformed. people shouldnt have to choose between medical recovery and financial support
0 coins
Kayla Morgan
•I agree the system could be more flexible, but there are legitimate reasons for these rules to prevent double-dipping of taxpayer funds.
0 coins
Scarlett Forster
•i get that but when youre actually in this situation it feels pretty harsh
0 coins
Roger Romero
Make sure you understand exactly when your doctor will clear you to return to work. Sometimes they give different dates for different types of activities and that can affect when you can resume unemployment.
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
•Good point. I'll make sure to get specific dates and any restrictions in writing from my doctor.
0 coins
Anna Kerber
Definitely use that Claimyr service everyone's mentioning. I was skeptical at first but it really does work and saved me hours of trying to get through on the phone.
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
•Seems like everyone who's tried it has had good results. I'm going to check it out today.
0 coins
James Maki
•yeah the video demo they have shows exactly how it works so you know what to expect
0 coins
Sayid Hassan
also make sure your employer knows about your situation if they're handling the disability claim. sometimes there are coordination issues between different benefit systems
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
•The disability is through their insurance company. Should I tell HR about the unemployment situation too?
0 coins
Sayid Hassan
•probably worth mentioning just so everyone's on the same page about your status
0 coins
Niko Ramsey
Just went through this exact thing last month. Chose disability over unemployment because it paid more and was approved faster. No regrets.
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
•How was the transition back to unemployment after your disability ended?
0 coins
Niko Ramsey
•Pretty smooth actually. Just had to reopen my claim and certify that I was able and available again.
0 coins
Seraphina Delan
whatever you do dont just stop filing without telling washington esd anything. they might think you abandoned your claim
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
•Yeah I definitely want to communicate with them before making any changes. Thanks for the reminder.
0 coins
Jabari-Jo
The timing is really important here. If your disability coverage is only for a few weeks, it might not be worth disrupting your unemployment claim. But 6-8 weeks is significant enough that you should probably make the switch.
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
•That's a good point about timing. The disability does pay about $200 more per week so over 6-8 weeks that adds up.
0 coins
Kayla Morgan
•Plus you avoid any risk of Washington ESD questioning your 'able and available' status while you're clearly unable to work.
0 coins
Kristin Frank
keep all your paperwork from both programs organized. if there are any questions later youll want documentation of exactly when you switched from one to the other
0 coins
Saleem Vaziri
•Good advice. I'll start a file with all the medical paperwork and benefit documentation.
0 coins
Micah Trail
Honestly this whole thread has been super helpful. I'm in a similar situation with a different type of medical issue and wasn't sure how to handle it.
0 coins
Jasmine Hancock
•The general principles apply to most situations where you're temporarily unable to work due to medical reasons while on unemployment.
0 coins
Cole Roush
•Definitely recommend talking to an actual Washington ESD agent through Claimyr or however you can reach them. Gets you official answers instead of just forum advice.
0 coins