Confused about Worker Retraining Program eligibility requirements for ESD while attending college

The Worker Retraining Program is definitely helpful for your situation, but you do need to answer specific questions correctly. Here's what matters: 1. When asked if you're attending school, say YES. 2. When they ask if this school/training is approved by ESD, you need to make sure it actually IS approved first. You should have Commissioner Approved Training (CAT) status before saying yes. 3. For the question about being able and available for work, you can say YES if you have CAT approval - this is the most important one. Did you already apply for the Worker Retraining Program through your college's financial aid office? You need to do that first, then get the approval from ESD before changing how you answer weekly claims.

i was in worker retaining last year and you HAVE to get approved BEFORE you cahnge anyhting on your weekly claim!!! if you say your in school before approval they can disqualify you for not being avaliable for work. the counselor at my college helped me fill out all the paperwork dont try to do it yourself

Let me clear up some confusion here. The Worker Retraining Program has specific eligibility requirements: 1. You must be currently receiving unemployment benefits OR have exhausted them within the past 48 months 2. You need to be enrolled in an approved training program (not all programs qualify) 3. You must have been laid off or received a layoff notice The process works like this: 1. Meet with your college's Worker Retraining coordinator first 2. They'll help you apply for Commissioner Approved Training (CAT) with ESD 3. ONLY after receiving CAT approval can you answer "yes" to being in school and still maintain benefits 4. Without CAT approval, answering that you're in school will likely disqualify you The application can take 2-3 weeks for approval, and you should continue claiming as normal until approved. Make sure to answer truthfully about school attendance.

worker retaining prorgam saved me when i lost my job and couldn't find anything else. i went back to school for nursing and got to keep my unemeployment the whole time. BUT they are SUPER strict about the rules. if you mess up one weekly claim they can make you pay everything back so be really careful!!

Good questions from everyone. A few more important details: 1. Credit requirements: For Worker Retraining, you typically need to be enrolled at least half-time (usually 6+ credits), not necessarily full-time, but this can depend on your specific program. 2. Time frame: The standard approval time is 2-3 weeks, but it can sometimes take longer if ESD is experiencing high volume. Continue filing weekly claims as normal during this waiting period. 3. Weekly claims: Until you receive CAT approval, you should answer weekly claim questions truthfully. If you're attending school, say yes, but also indicate you're able and available for full-time work (if that's true). After CAT approval, you'll receive specific instructions on how to answer. 4. Documentation: Make sure you save ALL correspondence with both ESD and your college's Worker Retraining office. If there's ever a dispute, this documentation is crucial.

I had the same problem reaching ESD about my Worker Retraining approval! After wasting days trying to call them, I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 They basically call ESD for you and then connect you when they get through to a representative. Saved me a ton of time and frustration when I was trying to get my CAT approval sorted out. My approval finally went through last week and now I can focus on my classes without worrying about losing benefits.

No, they just need basic info to connect the call. Nothing invasive. It was worth it for me since I was about to miss my school registration deadline without the approval.

Once you have Commissioner Approved Training (CAT) status, you're typically exempt from job search requirements while you're in the approved training program. That's one of the main benefits! However, there's an important distinction: until you receive the official approval, you MUST continue doing and documenting your job search activities (normally 3 per week). Don't stop your job search activities until you have written confirmation of your CAT approval. Also, keep in mind that Worker Retraining approval has an end date that aligns with your training program. If you take a quarter off or change programs, you need to notify ESD immediately as it can affect your benefits and exemption status.