Hi Regina,

Thank you for sharing the details of what you’re navigating right now. Having two such challenging situations land time is a lot, and I’m so glad you reached out to us.  

You mention that you have three options: unemployment, long-term disability, and SSI. As you may already know, each one has different eligibility criteria and benefits so it’s worth taking some time to understand them separately. You’ll also want to figure out if any of these may be used together or one after the other to have the best sense of all your options. Once you’ve gathered all the relevant pieces of information (i.e., your specific LTD policy, the amount you’d eligible to receive through unemployment and SSI, etc.) you’ll likely want to do some math as to what gives you access to the most funds.

To ensure we’re on the same page, here’s a general overview of all three:         

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  Unemployment Insurance is a government program that provides temporary, weekly payments to people who have lost their job through no fault of their own, meaning they were laid off or their position was eliminated. Payments are a percentage of what you had been earning, and last for up to 26 weeks. Eligibility typically requires that you are actively looking for and available to work. This last part may be most worth considering in your situation since you are about to start active treatment. So, an important step is to talk to your healthcare team (if you haven’t already) about what you can expect from your recommended treatments, surgeries, etc. in terms of side effects, recovery time and so on as well as whether or not you will realistically be able to job hunt and/or accept any opportunities that come your way during that time.


• 
  Long-term disability is an insurance benefit that some employers offer as part of their benefits package which replaces a portion of a person’s income if an illness or injury prevents them from being able to work. Payment amounts, how long they last, and what exactly qualifies as a disability depends on each specific policy, meaning they can vary from company to company. Based on your question, it sounds like your employer did have this available for you so it’s worth taking the time to understand the specifics of your policy and how they might apply in your situation.


• 
  SSI, or Supplemental Security Income, is a federal, needs-based program that provides monthly payments to eligible people. Unlike programs based on employment history, SSI eligibility depends on financial need, including income and savings. Because SSI is needs-based, the amount you receive through other programs (like unemployment or LTD) could affect your eligibility or benefit amount, which is another reason why doing the math across all three options is an important step.

Rather than trying to sort through all of that on your own, I encourage you to reach out to Triage Cancer’s Legal and Financial Navigation Program which offers free, one-on-one support from experts who can help you understand what you're eligible for, what the tradeoffs may be, and so forth. You’ll first be asked to provide some information to an AI assistant who may be able to help you find some answers quickly, and then you will have an opportunity to schedule a call on the other side of that process. You can do so here: https://triagecancer.org/legal-and-financial-navigation-program

Going into that conversation with some questions already in hand may help you make the best use of time. Some key questions to bring with you when you sit down to speak with them are:

• Can any of these be collected simultaneously, or does one offset another?


• What is the benefit amount for each, and how does that math compare?


• Are there deadlines for filing any of these? If so, how soon do they need to be met?


• How long does it typically take for each program to start paying out after applying?


• Does the job elimination affect your access to LTD coverage at all, and if so, how?

Also, you don’t mention what your plan is with health insurance, but you may also want to incorporate any questions have about ongoing coverage from your employer, transitioning to COBRA vs purchasing a different plan on your own, etc.

A few links you may find helpful:

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  CAC’s Financial Assistance Resources – information to help you identify local and national resources and organizations that may be able to provide financial support.


• 
  CAC’s Cancer on a Shoestring Survival Guide – this publication offers information on how to control your medical costs, find financial assistance for medical care, get free legal advice and more. Can be downloaded as a PDF immediately or sent to you, for free, in hard copy.


• 
  USA.gov Benefits Finder — a useful tool for identifying federal programs you may qualify for.

Please also feel free to reach out to us directly with any other questions or to schedule a phone call by emailing cancerandcareers@cew.org, and someone from our team will get back to you.

Warmly,

Rachel