Can I file my last weekly claim after accepting a job offer but before start date?
Just got hired today (finally!) and signed my offer letter, but my start date isn't until next Tuesday. I haven't worked any hours this week, and was planning to file my weekly claim this Sunday as usual. Would that be my last valid claim since I'll be working full-time starting next week? I'm worried about accidentally committing fraud, but technically I didn't work or earn anything this week. Some people told me I should stop claiming immediately after accepting an offer, others say I can claim until I actually start working. What's the correct way to handle this with ESD?
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Zara Rashid
Congratulations on the new job! You're absolutely fine to file your claim this Sunday for this current week. You haven't worked or earned wages yet, so you're still technically unemployed until your start date. When you file, just answer all questions honestly - that you didn't work, didn't earn wages, but have accepted employment starting Tuesday. There's actually a question about whether you've accepted work with a future start date on the weekly claim form. ESD will then know this is your final claim. You're doing everything right!
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Sean Doyle
•Thank you! That's a relief. I'll make sure to note the future start date when I file. I was getting anxious since this is my first time on unemployment and I really don't want to mess anything up right at the end.
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Luca Romano
i was in literally the same situation last month lol. yes file ur claim! u didnt work = u can claim. just make sure when they ask if u got a job offer u say YES and put the date ur starting. no biggie
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Sean Doyle
•Thanks for sharing your experience! That makes me feel better knowing someone else went through the same thing recently.
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Nia Jackson
You need to be very careful here. When you file your weekly claim, there's a specific question asking if you've accepted an offer of work with a future start date. Make sure you answer "YES" to this question and provide the start date. As long as you answer truthfully, you're eligible to claim for the current week since you didn't work or receive any wages. Just don't forget to report your earnings once you start working next Tuesday (for next week's claim period, which you likely won't be eligible for since you'll be full-time).
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Mateo Hernandez
•Not OP but quick question - don't you have to be actively looking for work to qualify for benefits? Would accepting a job offer mean you're no longer looking, so technically not qualified anymore?
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Nia Jackson
•Good question! The work search requirement continues until you actually start working. Even though you've accepted an offer, until your first day of work, you're still required to complete and document your three job search activities for the week. Once you begin work, then you no longer need to search for work (but at that point, you likely won't be eligible for benefits anyway due to your earnings).
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CosmicCruiser
I went through this EXACT situation in January. So frustrating trying to get a straight answer! I spent THREE DAYS trying to call ESD to confirm. Always busy signals or disconnects. Finally gave up and just filed my claim anyway since I hadn't actually worked yet. It was fine, no issues. But ESD is impossible to reach when you need them most!
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Aisha Khan
•If you need to reach ESD quickly in the future, check out Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was stuck in a similar situation and wasted days trying to call. Their service got me connected to an ESD agent in about 30 minutes. They have a video demo that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. It's especially helpful for these confusing edge cases where you need an official answer from ESD directly.
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CosmicCruiser
•Wish I'd known about that earlier! I'll definitely keep it in mind if I ever need unemployment again (hopefully never lol). The worst part was stressing about doing something wrong when I really needed that last payment to cover bills until my first paycheck.
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Ethan Taylor
BE CAREFUL! Technically yes you can claim for this week if you didn't work, BUT make absolutely sure you answer YES to the question about accepting work with a future start date. And DON'T forget you still need to do your 3 job search activities for this week even though you got a job offer!!! Many people forget that part and end up with overpayments later.
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Sean Doyle
•Oh wow, I almost forgot about still needing to do job search activities! Since I already got a job, it slipped my mind. I'll make sure to complete my 3 activities before filing. Thanks for the reminder!
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Mateo Hernandez
when do u start ur new job? if its next week ur fine to claim this week. u only report work when u actually WORK hours not when u get hired
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Zara Rashid
•The original poster mentioned their start date is next Tuesday, so you're right - they can claim for this current week since they haven't worked any hours yet. They just need to report the job acceptance with the future start date when filing.
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Luca Romano
just curious what kind of job did u get? im still searching and its brutal out there
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Sean Doyle
•I got an administrative position at a healthcare company. It took me almost 4 months of searching! Applied to probably 90+ jobs before getting this one. The market is definitely tough right now, but don't give up!
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CosmicCruiser
The system is so confusing sometimes! I remember when I got my last job offer, I called ESD three different times and got three slightly different answers about when exactly to stop claiming. 🤦♀️ One agent said stop immediately after accepting, one said claim until I start working, and one said something confusing about the day of acceptance being some kind of cutoff? Ultimately I claimed until I started working (reporting the future start date) and it was fine.
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Nia Jackson
•Unfortunately this is common. The correct answer is that you can claim until you start working, but you must report accepting the job with a future start date. The agents should all be providing consistent information, but sometimes the training varies. The ESD handbook actually addresses this specifically, but not everyone reads the 40+ page document.
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