Can you receive unemployment and disability benefits at the same time in Washington?

This is actually more complicated than most people think. For Washington ESD unemployment, you have to certify that you're able and available for work each week. But for disability, you're essentially saying you can't work. These two requirements directly contradict each other in most cases.

i think you can get both but not sure... my cousin was getting unemployment and then applied for disability but had to stop the unemployment when disability got approved

I went through this exact situation last year. Washington ESD will ask you during your weekly claim if anything has changed regarding your ability to work. If you're applying for disability, you need to report that because it affects your eligibility. I had to choose between continuing UI or applying for disability - couldn't do both.

Actually, I found a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to Washington ESD when I had questions about this same issue. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Basically they call Washington ESD for you and get you connected to an actual person instead of spending hours on hold.

Let me clarify the technical aspects here. Washington state follows federal guidelines where you generally cannot receive unemployment and disability simultaneously because: 1) UI requires you to be able and available for full-time work, 2) Disability benefits are for people unable to work due to medical conditions. However, there are rare exceptions like if you're only partially disabled or appealing a disability denial.

THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING! I've been calling Washington ESD for THREE WEEKS about this exact question and either get disconnected or told to call back later. The system is completely broken. How are we supposed to make important decisions about our benefits when we can't even talk to anyone?

My brother went through this and had to stop his unemployment when he applied for Social Security disability. But that was federal disability - I'm not sure if state disability is different?

Update: I tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned and actually got through to a Washington ESD representative! They confirmed that I cannot collect both unemployment and disability simultaneously. The rep explained that even applying for disability could affect my UI eligibility because it contradicts the able and available requirement. Thanks for the recommendation!

so what are you going to do now? stick with unemployment or apply for disability?

I work at a disability advocacy office and this comes up ALL the time. The key thing people don't understand is that unemployment and disability have fundamentally opposite eligibility requirements. You literally cannot meet both sets of criteria simultaneously in Washington state.

Does anyone know if there are other programs that might help bridge the gap? Like if you have to give up unemployment to apply for disability, is there anything to help with income during the waiting period?

This whole system is set up to screw people over. You get hurt at work, can't work anymore, but then they make you choose between benefits that don't even cover basic living expenses. Meanwhile disability takes MONTHS to get approved and most people get denied the first time anyway.

I'm dealing with a similar situation but with worker's compensation instead of disability. Does anyone know if you can get unemployment while receiving workers comp?

Just want to add that if anyone is in this situation, document EVERYTHING. Keep records of all your medical appointments, communications with Washington ESD, disability applications, etc. Whether you choose UI or disability, you'll need that paperwork.

Update: I finally got through to Washington ESD using that Claimyr thing too. The representative was actually really helpful and patient with all my questions. Turns out my situation might be different because I'm not permanently disabled, just temporarily unable to do my previous job. Still working through the details but at least I have accurate information now.

For anyone reading this thread later, here's the bottom line: In Washington state, you generally cannot receive unemployment and disability benefits simultaneously because UI requires you to be able and available for work while disability benefits are for people unable to work. There may be rare exceptions, but you need to talk to Washington ESD directly about your specific situation.

I'm a former Washington ESD employee and can confirm everything that's been said here. The able and available requirement is strictly enforced. Even if you're only partially disabled, you'd need to prove you can still perform suitable work to maintain UI eligibility.

This has been really helpful to read through. I'm not in this situation yet but my health has been declining and I wanted to understand my options before I potentially need to make this choice. Sounds like the key is to talk to Washington ESD directly about your specific circumstances.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned - if you do apply for disability and get denied (which happens a lot), does that affect your ability to go back to collecting unemployment? Like if you were getting UI, stopped to apply for disability, got denied, could you restart your UI claim?

Thanks everyone for all this information. As someone who might be facing this choice soon, it's really helpful to understand that these are mutually exclusive benefits in Washington state. Better to know now than find out the hard way later.

I've been following this thread and wanted to add some perspective as someone who works in benefits counseling. The frustration here is totally understandable - the system really does put people in impossible positions. One thing that might help is looking into local disability advocacy organizations or legal aid clinics. Many offer free consultations to help people understand their options and navigate the application process. They can also help you understand if there are any other safety net programs you might qualify for during gaps in coverage. The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) also has caseworkers who can do benefits planning - they can walk you through all available programs and help you strategize the best approach for your specific situation.