Can you go from Washington ESD unemployment to disability benefits?

You can apply for Social Security Disability while still receiving unemployment, but there's a potential conflict. UI requires you to be able and available for work, while disability requires you to be unable to work. Washington ESD might question your eligibility if they find out about a disability application.

I did this exact thing last year. Applied for SSDI while still getting unemployment. It took 8 months for disability to approve me and I kept getting UI the whole time. Washington ESD never asked about it during my weekly claims.

The key issue is the 'able and available' requirement for unemployment. If your condition prevents you from working certain jobs but you can still do some work, you might be able to continue UI while applying for disability. But if you're truly unable to work at all, continuing to certify for unemployment could be considered fraud.

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to ask about this, try Claimyr. They can help you actually reach a human agent to discuss your specific situation. There's a demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ and the site is claimyr.com. I used it when I had questions about my claim status.

Whatever you do, don't just stop filing your weekly claims without talking to someone first. I made that mistake and it screwed up my whole claim.

My sister went through this. She kept getting unemployment while her disability application was pending. When SSDI finally approved her, there was some overlap but Social Security just adjusted the payments. No big deal.

This whole system is so confusing. Why can't they make it easier to transition between benefits when your situation changes?

You should definitely talk to a disability lawyer before you apply. They can help you navigate both systems without screwing up your unemployment. Most don't charge unless you win.

I'm dealing with something similar but with workers comp instead of disability. The overlapping benefits thing is a nightmare to figure out.

The timing matters a lot. If you apply for disability and get denied (which happens a lot), you'll still have your unemployment. But if you get approved, you might have to pay back some UI benefits depending on the effective date.

Check if your state has any transition programs. Some states help people move from unemployment to disability without gaps in benefits.

Seriously, use Claimyr to get through to Washington ESD about this. I waited weeks trying to call on my own, then got through in like 20 minutes with their service. They really know how to navigate the phone system.

Document everything! Keep records of all your medical appointments, what jobs you've applied for, and any communication with Washington ESD. You'll need this stuff for the disability application anyway.

My advice is to apply for disability ASAP if you think you qualify. The process takes forever and you can always withdraw the application if your health improves. But don't wait because there are deadlines for when benefits can start.

One thing to consider is that unemployment benefits might actually hurt your disability case if the judge thinks you were able to work. It's a double-edged sword.

The Social Security Administration has a program called Ticket to Work that helps people transition back to employment if their disability improves. Might be worth looking into as a safety net.

Whatever you decide, don't let anyone pressure you into stopping your unemployment benefits until you have something else lined up. You need income to survive while all this gets sorted out.

Good luck with everything! The system is confusing but people navigate it successfully all the time. You've got this.