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Will ESD cut off my unemployment if I take a lower-paying part-time job ($18/hr vs previous $30/hr)?
I've been receiving unemployment benefits of $489/week after losing my job where I made about $30/hour. I have an interview coming up for a part-time position that only pays $18/hour (big drop, I know). I'm worried about what happens to my benefits if I take this job. Does ESD completely cut me off once I start working part-time? Or will they pay me the difference between what I make at the new job and my weekly benefit amount? I'm trying to do the right thing by taking work that's available, but I can't afford to make LESS than my current unemployment if they just cut me off entirely. I've tried calling ESD like 20 times but keep getting disconnected or stuck on hold forever. Any help would be seriously appreciated before this interview!
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ESD benefits for quitting after 50% income cut - commission-only pay change?
My employer just dropped a bombshell - they're switching me from salary+commission to commission-only starting January 2025. This would cut my income by MORE THAN HALF based on my current sales numbers. I've been with them for 3 years and this feels like they're trying to force me out without firing me. Can I quit and still qualify for unemployment benefits with ESD? Has anyone successfully claimed benefits after quitting due to a major pay structure change like this? I have a mortgage and can't survive on what I'd make commission-only in our current market.
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wat about just staying and looking for a new job while still getting the salary? thats wat id do tbh
I wish I could, but the change goes into effect January 1st. I'm definitely job hunting starting now, but the market is terrible and I'm worried I won't find something by then. I need to know my options if I can't line something up before the cut happens.
One more important point: If you're going to quit, make sure you include your specific reason in your resignation letter. Say explicitly that you are resigning due to the substantial reduction in compensation (cite the exact percentage if possible). This document will be important evidence during adjudication. Also, once you file your claim, you'll still need to meet all other eligibility requirements including: 1. Being able and available for work 2. Actively seeking work (3 job search activities per week) 3. Registering with WorkSource Even with a valid good cause quit, these requirements must still be met every week you claim benefits.
LISTEN TO THIS PERSON. My cousin got approved for a similar situation but then got denied benefits because she didn't do her 3 job search activities every week. They're super strict about this part even if your initial claim is valid.
Claim stuck on 'pending' for 3+ weeks - completed job logs each week - what's wrong?
I filed my unemployment claim on January 4th and it's been showing as 'pending' ever since. Every single week I've done my job search activities and logged them exactly as required (all 3 per week). I've submitted 4 weekly claims now and they ALL still say 'pending' with no explanation! I called ESD multiple times but just get the automated message saying 'high call volume' and then it hangs up on me. My previous employer was a manufacturing company and the separation was due to a massive layoff (over 80 people let go), so I don't understand why there would be any issues with my claim. I confirmed with HR that they wouldn't contest it. Is there something wrong with my claim? Should I be worried? How long is 'pending' supposed to last? I'm getting really stressed about bills piling up and my savings are almost gone. Has anyone else experienced this kind of delay recently?
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has ur previous employer confirmed they received the notice from esd? sometimes the holdup is that they never responded to esds request for information. my hr department forgot to respond and that caused a huge delay for me
That's a good point! I haven't specifically asked if they received the notice from ESD. I'll reach out to HR tomorrow to check on that. Maybe that's the holdup. Thanks for the suggestion!
Update for anyone following this thread: The OP reached out to me via PM and I suggested they contact their former employer's HR department. Turns out the employer had received paperwork from ESD but hadn't submitted their response yet. After the OP spoke with HR, they expedited their response and the claim was approved within 48 hours. This is a common issue with mass layoffs - the employer verification process can create bottlenecks in the system. The OP received all backdated payments for the weeks that had been pending. The key takeaway here is that proactively following up with your former employer can sometimes help move things along.
Thanks for posting this update! Yes, it turns out our HR department had received the ESD verification forms but they were sitting in someone's inbox who was out on vacation. Once I contacted them, they found the forms and submitted them right away. My claim was approved 2 days later and I received ALL my back payments at once (almost $5,800). Such a relief! I appreciate everyone's help and suggestions in this thread.
ESD disqualified me for a week I actually worked - no pending issues showing?
I'm so confused and frustrated right now. I just checked my ESD account and saw I was disqualified for benefits for the week of December 17th, 2025. But here's the thing - I actually WORKED that week! There's nothing in my account showing any pending issues or anything in decision status that would explain this disqualification. I've tried calling ESD about 20 times over the past three days but keep getting that automated message saying call volume is too high. Has anyone else had this happen? Could working that week somehow be the reason I got disqualified? I'm eligible for partial benefits when I work reduced hours, and I reported everything correctly. I don't understand why they'd disqualify me with zero explanation!
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Have you checked your determination letters in your ESD account? Sometimes they send an explanation there even when nothing shows under pending issues. Also, did you meet all your job search requirements for that week? Missing job search activities can cause a disqualification even if you worked and reported earnings correctly. You need to complete 3 job search activities each week unless you have an approved standby status.
I just double-checked and don't see any new determination letters. And yes, I definitely did my job search activities - I always do at least 4 just to be safe. Based on what everyone is saying, I think it was just that I earned too much that week with my extra shift. I'll keep an eye on next week's claim to be sure.
wait i just remembered somthing - was December 17 a holiday week? cuz sometimes holiday pay counts as earnings even if u worked normal hours and that can push u over the limit
You might be onto something there! My company gave everyone a holiday bonus that week. I reported it because I wasn't sure if it counted as earnings or not. That plus my regular pay and the extra shift I picked up probably pushed me over. Mystery solved! Thanks everyone!!
Finally got ESD appeal hearing scheduled after 3 months - need prep advice!
After waiting for what felt like forever (almost 3 months!), I finally received my hearing notice from OAH yesterday for my ESD appeal. It's scheduled for April 8, 2025 at 1:30pm by phone. I was denied benefits because my employer claimed I quit voluntarily, but I was actually laid off due to budget cuts—they just called it a "voluntary separation" to avoid severance pay. I'm super nervous about this hearing. The notice says a judge will preside and both me and my former employer will testify. I've never done anything like this before. Has anyone here gone through an appeal hearing with ESD? What should I expect? How formal is it? Should I prepare documents or a statement? Any tips would be really appreciated because I'm starting to freak out a little. This is about $9,800 in benefits they denied me, and I really need that money.
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just make sure ur ready early my phone hearing they called 10 mins before the scheduled time and i almost missed it lol
Looking at what you said about your separation letter mentioning both "budget-related workforce reduction" AND "voluntary separation" - that's actually quite common. Employers often try to frame layoffs as voluntary to avoid impacting their unemployment insurance tax rates. This is exactly the type of evidence that can win your case. The judge will likely see through this contradictory language. The fact that you also have emails mentioning "layoffs" is very helpful. One more piece of advice: be very clear that you would have continued working if given the option. Make sure to state that you did not choose to leave and had no reasonable alternative employment options within the company. This is crucial for distinguishing between a quit and a layoff.
Luca Greco
Update: I had my interview yesterday and they offered me the job! 24 hours per week at $18/hour. Based on the calculation someone shared above, I'll actually come out ahead financially compared to just unemployment. I'm really glad I asked here before potentially turning down the opportunity. I'll update again once I've filed my first partial unemployment claim to let everyone know how it goes!
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Nia Thompson
congrats on the job!! thats great news!
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GalacticGladiator
just wondering - when u report ur part time work on ur weekly claim do u report the hours u actually worked that week or the hours that were on ur paycheck for that week? my pay periods dont line up with the esd weeks and im confused how to report it
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Mateo Rodriguez
Always report the hours you actually worked during the ESD claim week (Sunday through Saturday), not what appears on your paycheck. ESD is concerned with when you performed the work, not when you got paid for it. Keep a daily record of your hours to make accurate weekly reporting easier.
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