Washington ESD medical unemployment benefits - what is this exactly?

There's no specific 'medical unemployment' program through Washington ESD. What people usually mean is either: 1) Regular unemployment if you quit for medical reasons (which is tricky to qualify for), 2) Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) which is separate from unemployment, or 3) Being 'able and available' for work while managing health issues. The key with regular UI is you still have to be actively seeking work.

i think ur talking about PFML - paid family medical leave. thats different from unemployment tho. PFML is for when you cant work because of ur own medical condition or to care for family. unemployment is for when you lose your job but can still work

I had this same confusion last year. Washington has two separate systems: Washington ESD handles unemployment insurance (UI) for people who lost jobs but can work, and the Employment Security Department also oversees Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) for medical situations. If you need time off work for your health condition, PFML is probably what you want. If you lost your job and can work despite your condition, then regular UI might apply.

If you're having trouble getting through to anyone about this, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach Washington ESD agents by phone. They have this demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Really helped me when I was confused about different benefit types and couldn't get through the regular phone lines.

The terminology is super confusing! I spent weeks thinking I was applying for the wrong thing. There's also short-term disability through some employers, state disability programs, Social Security disability... it's a maze. What specific symptoms or limitations are you dealing with? That might help narrow down which program makes sense.

Wait I'm confused too. I thought if you quit your job for medical reasons you could get unemployment? My friend told me that but maybe she was wrong?

Been through this whole process. Here's the deal: Washington ESD handles regular unemployment (UI) where you have to be able to work and actively job searching. They also oversee PFML but it's a completely different application and system. PFML is for when you literally cannot work due to medical issues - either your own health or caring for family. The 'medical unemployment' term is just people mixing up the two programs.

ugh the washington esd website is SO confusing about this stuff. took me forever to figure out the difference between all these programs

There's also the factor of whether you've been paying into these systems. UI requires work history and paying unemployment taxes. PFML requires paying PFML premiums (which most employees have been doing since 2019 in Washington). Check your paystubs to see if you've been contributing to PFML.

Another thing to consider is timing. PFML has a 7-day waiting period and you can only take it if you've worked enough hours. UI also has work requirements but they're different. Make sure you understand the eligibility requirements for whichever program you're considering.

Just want to add that some people qualify for both programs at different times. Like you might use PFML when you first develop a medical condition, then later if you lose your job but are able to work again, you could potentially qualify for regular UI. They're not mutually exclusive over time.

Has anyone actually successfully gotten UI after quitting for medical reasons? Seems like it would be nearly impossible to prove.

For what it's worth, I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier when I was confused about whether to apply for UI or PFML. Being able to actually talk to a Washington ESD person on the phone made all the difference in understanding which program I needed. Saved me from filing the wrong application.

Don't forget that your employer might also have short-term disability benefits that could bridge any waiting periods or gaps in coverage. Worth checking your employee handbook before you make any decisions.

The bottom line is 'medical unemployment' isn't really a thing - it's just people using confusing terminology. You've got regular unemployment for job loss (where you can still work), PFML for medical leave (when you can't work), and sometimes employer disability benefits. Figure out which category your situation falls into first.

One more tip - if you do apply for PFML, start gathering your medical documentation early. Doctors can be slow with paperwork and you don't want delays in your application.

This whole thread should be pinned somewhere. I see this same confusion about 'medical unemployment' come up constantly in these forums.

Also worth noting that if you're on PFML, you can't collect UI at the same time. They're separate programs but you can't double-dip. Just something to keep in mind for planning purposes.

Final thought - whatever you decide to apply for, keep detailed records of everything. Applications, medical appointments, correspondence, etc. Makes everything easier if you need to appeal or have questions later.

I went through this exact same confusion a few months ago! The term "medical unemployment" is really misleading because it makes it sound like there's one program that covers both situations. What I learned is that Washington has these totally separate systems that serve different needs. If your chronic condition means you literally cannot work right now, PFML is your best bet - it's designed for exactly that situation. But if you lost your job and can still work despite your condition, then regular UI might apply. The key question is: can you actively search for and accept work right now? That determines which program makes sense for your situation.