Can I pause ESD benefits to attend out-of-state funeral without affecting my claim?

I'm sorry for your loss. You're correct that you need to report that you're not "able and available" during those days. When you file your weekly claim, you'll need to answer "No" to the question about being able and available for work for that week. Make sure to explain in the comments section that you're attending a funeral out of state. ESD will likely only pay you for the days you were available. You don't need to "pause" your entire claim - just report accurately on that week's claim. Your benefits should continue normally after you return.

when my mom died last yr i had to go to idaho for 4 days. i just put NO on the able/available question and explained why. they paid me for the 3 days i was avail that week. no problems after i got back, just went back to normal filing

Be careful about this! I had a similar situation but marked "Yes" to being available thinking it was no big deal to attend a funeral for a few days. ESD found out during a routine review and I got hit with an overpayment notice for the whole week! Had to appeal and everything. Definitely mark "No" for that week and explain exactly why. Better to get reduced benefits than have problems later.

Some additional information that might help: When you answer "No" to being able and available, the system will prompt you to provide the specific days you weren't available. Make sure to only mark the exact days you'll be traveling/at the funeral. You'll receive partial benefits based on the days you were available (if you were available 2 days in a 7-day week, you'd get 2/7 of your weekly benefit amount). After you return, make sure to answer "Yes" to being able and available on your next claim. Your claim won't be "paused" or "closed" - it just means you'll receive reduced benefits for that one week. This won't affect your maximum benefit amount or claim year.

UGH I HATE how ESD makes us feel guilty for having normal human life events!!! A funeral shouldn't even COUNT against being "available" - it's not like you're choosing a vacation! The system is so rigid and unfair. I got denied a whole week once because I had a family emergency. Sorry for the rant but this makes me so mad for you.

If you're having trouble getting through to ESD to ask about this directly (which might be a good idea for your specific situation), check out Claimyr. I was stuck in a similar situation and couldn't get through on the phone for days. Claimyr helped me connect to an ESD agent in about 25 minutes. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 and their website is claimyr.com. Helped me clear up my question quickly instead of stressing for days.

my sister in law works at esd and she says funerals count as personal business so u def need to report those days as not available! dont mess it up or they might audit u later

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice. I'll mark "No" for the days I'm out of state and explain it's for a funeral in the comments. It sounds like I'll get partial benefits for that week which is completely fair. I appreciate all the responses!