Is supplemental security income the same as unemployment Washington ESD benefits?

These are completely different programs! SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is a federal disability program through Social Security Administration for people with limited income and resources who are disabled, blind, or over 65. Washington ESD unemployment (UI) is for people who lost their job through no fault of their own and are able and available to work. You generally can't receive both at the same time since UI requires you to be actively seeking work.

I made this same mistake when I first filed! Spent weeks confused about which program I needed. Washington ESD unemployment is temporary help while you look for work, SSI is long-term assistance for people who can't work. Totally different eligibility requirements too.

Your neighbor is definitely wrong lol. SSI has nothing to do with unemployment insurance. Different agencies, different purposes, different everything. You have to meet very specific disability criteria for SSI and the application process takes months or even years.

The income limits are totally different too. SSI has very strict asset and income limits - like you can only have $2000 in resources as an individual. Washington ESD unemployment doesn't have those kinds of restrictions, it's based on your previous work history and wages.

I work in social services and see this confusion ALL the time. People think any government assistance is the same thing. SSI = Social Security Administration, for disabled people. UI = Washington ESD, for unemployed workers. Completely separate systems with different rules.

just to add - you have to file weekly claims for unemployment and meet job search requirements. SSI doesn't have weekly reporting but the initial application is like 100 pages long and requires medical records. totally different processes

Can I ask what made your neighbor think they were the same? I'm curious if there's some specific confusion going around or if they just got bad information somewhere.

One more difference - SSI recipients get Medicaid automatically but unemployment doesn't come with health insurance. You'd need to look into Washington Apple Health or marketplace plans while on UI.

The work requirements are opposite too. For unemployment you have to prove you're actively looking for work and able to work. For SSI you have to prove you CAN'T work due to disability. Like completely opposite purposes.

If you ever do have questions about your unemployment claim specifically, I had good luck reaching someone at Washington ESD through that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. Way easier than trying to call directly.

Just wanted to say thanks for asking this question OP! I was wondering the same thing but felt dumb for not knowing the difference. Really helpful thread.

For what it's worth, if someone IS disabled and currently receiving unemployment, they should know that applying for SSI could affect their UI eligibility since you have to certify you're able to work for unemployment.

Also SSI payments are usually much lower than unemployment benefits in most cases. Unemployment is based on your previous wages while SSI has a fixed federal rate that's pretty minimal.

The application timelines are totally different too. You can apply for unemployment online and potentially start receiving benefits within 2-3 weeks. SSI applications take months just for the initial decision, and most people get denied the first time.

One last thing - if you're confused about ANY part of your unemployment claim, definitely get help rather than guessing. Wrong information can mess up your benefits. I used that Claimyr service when I had questions about my weekly claims and it was super helpful.