S.B.
In California, if you get injured on the job (Worker's Comp), they have to offer you a position, if at all possible, with lighter duty. For instance, a police officer gets hurt in the line of duty. His injuries make it so that he can no longer be out in the field on patrol, etc. They can find a position for him within the department doing something else. Now, for instance, in the case of a severe head injury, where mental faculties are damaged, etc, that would be where SSI disability would come into play. It's very difficult to get because they always deny you, at least a couple of times and it has to be proven that for the rest of your life you are incapable of x, y, and z and then they put a percentage on it. It's very complicated and takes quite a while.
Your husband can't get unemployment if he is still declared "too sick or injured to work". He will have to be completely released by his doctor and then whether or not he qualifies for unemployment depends on his "eligibility period".
If he is classified as temporarily partially disabled with limits, I believe that means he can go back to work where he was working as long as they have something he can do that doesn't require him to perform duties beyond his limitation. If the employer states they can not or will not bring him back, that's when you look at other avenues, but for the most part, employers make every accommodation possible.
The first thing you need to clarify is whether or not he has been released to go back to work, with limits. If so, the first place to turn is his employer. If not, then perhaps state disability will help until he finds another job in his capacity, but that's temporary as well.
A torn tendon in your foot that's been repaired can take a long time to heal, but it shouldn't render you disabled for the rest of your life and like I said, SSI disability is very hard to get.
I broke my leg pretty severely, not at work, but when disability ran out, it ran out and I was encouraged to apply for SSI. However, that process could have taken a year and, I didn't want to be labeled as too disabled to function. I won't be in a wheelchair for life. My mind still works. My fingers work. And, in the time it would have taken all that to be turned down anyway, I'm getting around on both legs just fine.
I wish you the best, I really do. Injuries really suck. It sounds to me though that your husband needs to ask his employer to get him back to work on limited duty. I work at a hospital and they bring employees back on limited duty all the time.
Again, best wishes.
