Can I reopen my unemployment claim after getting laid off from new job after only 3 weeks?
I was on unemployment for about 4 months earlier this year when my tech support role was eliminated. I finally got hired at this small IT firm in February, but they just laid me off yesterday - only 3 weeks into the job! The manager said they lost a major contract and had to cut the newest people first. I'm completely shocked right now. Do I have to file a completely new claim or can I somehow reopen my previous ESD claim? My benefit year hasn't ended yet. Has anyone gone through something similar? The company gave me no severance since I was so new. I'm really worried because I just signed a new apartment lease based on having this job. Any advice would be hugely appreciated!
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Carmen Ortiz
You can definitely reopen your existing claim as long as you're still within your benefit year (which lasts 52 weeks from when you first applied). Just log into your eServices account and look for the option to 'restart your claim' or 'reopen claim.' You'll need to answer some questions about your recent employment, but it's much simpler than starting over. Since you only worked 3 weeks, it probably won't significantly change your weekly benefit amount, but ESD will recalculate it based on that additional work. Make sure you report the exact dates you worked and your earnings accurately.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Thank you so much! I just logged in and found the reopen option. It asked for my last employer's info and when I worked there. Fingers crossed it goes through smoothly. Do you know how long it usually takes for them to process a reopened claim? I'm worried about making rent next month.
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Andre Rousseau
This EXACT thing happened to me in May!!! Got a warehouse job after 6 months of unemployment and then got laid off after 26 days. ESD put my claim into adjudication for like 3 WEEKS because they needed to 'verify' why I wasn't at the new job anymore. INFURIATING!!! Make sure you have something in writing from your boss about why they let you go!!
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Oh no, that sounds awful! My manager did send me an email explaining the contract loss and layoffs, so I'll definitely save that. Did you have to do anything special to get through adjudication faster?
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Zoe Papadakis
Yes, you can reopen your claim, but be prepared for possible adjudication. ESD often investigates short employment periods to verify you didn't quit or get fired for misconduct. Make sure you're able to document that it was a legitimate layoff due to lack of work. Also, don't forget to start doing your job search activities immediately - you still need 3 per week even with a reopened claim. Document everything carefully in your job search log.
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Jamal Carter
•This happened to my friend and she said that since it was a business closure they didn't put her in adjudication... is that different from a contract loss situation? Just curious how the ESD decides these things
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AstroAdventurer
u can call the ESD directly at 833-572-8400 to reopen it faster than doing it online sometimes...just goodluck getting thru lol took me 3 days of calling
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Mei Liu
•I had the same experience trying to reach ESD! So frustrating. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an ESD agent in about 25 minutes when I needed to reopen my claim after a short job. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Saved me days of redial hell when I was panicking about my rent.
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Liam O'Sullivan
When I had to reopen my claim last year, I ran into a problem because I didn't report my new job's earnings correctly. Make absolutely sure you report ALL earnings during those 3 weeks, even if you haven't been paid yet. ESD bases it on when you EARNED the money, not when you received it. I learned this the hard way and ended up with an overpayment notice that was a nightmare to resolve.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Thanks for the warning! I'm still waiting for my final paycheck, but I'll make sure to report all my earnings from those 3 weeks accurately. Did reopening your claim take a long time to process?
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Carmen Ortiz
To answer your question about timing - when I reopened my claim last year, it took about 5-7 days before I could file a weekly claim again. But that was without any adjudication issues. If they have questions about why your job ended so quickly, it could take longer. One tip: if you reopen online and don't see an option to file a weekly claim after a few days, something might be stuck. That's when calling becomes necessary.
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Thanks for the timeline! I'm going to give it a week and then try calling if I don't see the option to file. I appreciate everyone's help - this community is amazing.
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AstroAdventurer
anyone know if hes gonna get a waiting week again??? i had to do another waiting week when i reopened and it SUCKED
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Zoe Papadakis
•Good question. If you're reopening within the same benefit year, you typically don't have to serve another waiting week. The waiting week is only served once per benefit year. However, if ESD determines this is somehow a new claim rather than a reopened one (which is unlikely in this case), then a waiting week could apply. But based on the original poster's situation, they should not have to serve another waiting week.
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