Can I claim unemployment benefits during jury duty week? ESD rules confused me

Yes, you can still claim UI benefits while on jury duty! When filing your weekly claim, you need to answer "yes" to the question about being able and available for work - because jury duty is considered a temporary situation. You should report the jury stipend as income, but it won't significantly reduce your benefits since it's so small. Make sure to keep documentation of your jury service dates in case ESD asks for verification later.

I just went through this in January!!! The key is to properly report everything. On your weekly claim you should: 1. Say YES to being able and available for work 2. Report your jury duty stipend as income (it barely affects your benefit amount) 3. For your job search activities that week, you can actually count "attending jury duty" as one of your activities under the "other approved activities" category I was worried too but my full benefit payment came through no problem. Just be honest and document everything!

Just to clarify what others have said - jury duty is considered a civic duty and doesn't make you ineligible for unemployment. The key points: * Report your jury duty stipend as income * Answer YES to being able/available for work * You still need to complete your 3 job search activities that week (you can do these in the evenings or during breaks) * Keep records of your jury service If you have any difficulties getting through to ESD with questions about your specific situation, I'd recommend checking out Claimyr (claimyr.com). They helped me get through to an actual ESD agent within 30 minutes when I had a similar question about temporary unavailability. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3

OMG THE ESD SYSTEM IS SUCH A MESS!!! I had jury duty last year and marked that I wasn't available for work that week (because logically I WASN'T) and they disqualified my benefits and I had to appeal!!! Took 2 months to fix!!! The system makes NO SENSE. Definitely say you're available even though jury duty is mandatory. The whole system is designed to trick people into losing benefits!!

Jury duty counts as being avialable for work i did it last year just make sure to report the money they give you each day

sorta related but does anyone know if the jury duty stipend counts against the earnings limit? like if your wba is $500 and you can earn up to $167 before reductions, does the jury pay count toward that? just curious

According to the ESD handbook, temporary unavailability due to jury duty doesn't disqualify you from benefits. The handbook states: "Civic obligations such as jury duty or court appearances are considered temporary situations and do not affect your eligibility as long as you remain available for suitable work before and after the obligation." So yes, you can and should claim your benefits that week. Report the jury stipend as income, answer yes to the availability question, and continue your job search activities around your jury schedule. If you can't complete all three job search activities that week due to full-day jury service, document this situation in case of future audit.

I served on jury duty while collecting UI benefits last fall and can confirm everything others have said is correct. The most important thing is to answer "YES" to being available for work - this tripped me up initially because I overthought it. One additional tip: if your jury service ends up being shorter than expected (like if you get dismissed early or the case settles), make sure to still report the full days you were summoned for jury duty. The stipend payment usually covers the entire period you were called to serve, not just the days you actually sat in the jury box. Also, keep your jury summons and any documentation the court gives you about your service dates. ESD rarely asks for this but it's good to have just in case. The whole process was much smoother than I expected once I understood the rules properly.

I actually had a similar situation a few months ago! One thing I'll add that others haven't mentioned - if your jury duty gets extended beyond the original summons dates (sometimes trials run longer than expected), make sure to update your weekly claims accordingly. I had jury duty that was supposed to be 3 days but ended up being 6 days, and I had to report the additional stipend payments in the following week's claim. Also, don't stress too much about the job search activities during jury duty week. You can do simple things like updating your resume, browsing job boards on your phone during breaks, or even networking with other jurors (you'd be surprised how many business connections happen during jury duty!). The key is just documenting that you made the effort to remain engaged in your job search despite the civic obligation. Hope your jury service goes smoothly and you don't have any issues with your benefits!