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!

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

wat about just staying and looking for a new job while still getting the salary? thats wat id do tbh

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.