ESD question: Do I need to report PTO payout after termination? Plus issues with taking community college classes

For your first question, YES, he absolutely needs to report the PTO payout. ESD considers vacation/PTO payouts as earnings during the week they're paid, not when they were earned. They'll reduce his benefit amount for that week accordingly. If the payout is larger than his weekly benefit amount, he won't get benefits for that week, but it won't affect future weeks. For the community college classes, it depends on the time commitment. If the classes don't prevent him from accepting full-time work, they shouldn't disqualify him. He should definitely report this on his weekly claim in the section that asks if he's in school or training. He can also see about getting the classes approved as Commissioner Approved Training (CAT) which would exempt him from job search requirements while he's in the program.

i had something similar happen last year and didn't report my pto payout and OMG it was a HUGE hassle... they flagged my account for overpayment and i had to pay back benefits plus deal with adjudication all over again... dont make the same mistake i did!!!!

Regarding the community college classes: this is actually a great opportunity that shouldn't negatively impact his unemployment. If these classes are specifically tied to improving employment opportunities (which they clearly are since a potential employer is requesting them), he should: 1. Report them on his weekly claim form where it asks about school/training 2. Gather documentation from the potential employer stating these classes are required for employment consideration 3. Consider applying for Training Benefits or Commissioner Approved Training (this requires a separate application through ESD - not just mentioning it on weekly claims) The classes can definitely count as job search activities if they're directly related to obtaining employment. He should keep detailed records of all communication with the potential employer about these requirements. As for the PTO payout - yes, it must be reported as earnings for the week received, not when earned. This is a common misunderstanding that leads to overpayment issues.

Have you tried calling Claimyr? When my claim was stuck in adjudication for weeks and I couldn't get through, I used their service (claimyr.com) and got connected to an ESD rep in about 20 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 showing how it works. Honestly, for specific questions like yours, especially when adjudication is involved, speaking directly to ESD is probably your best bet since they can look at your actual claim details.

Speaking from experience with ESD and PTO payouts - they DO count as earnings but here's the important thing: they only affect the week they were paid in. So if his PTO payout was $1,875 and his weekly benefit amount would normally be $850, he'll probably not receive benefits just for that one week. Then benefits would resume normally after that. For the school thing, in my experience, ESD is mostly concerned with whether taking classes prevents you from accepting full-time work. If he can still work around the class schedule, he should be okay but MUST report it on his weekly claim. I think it's question #4 or #5 that asks if you're attending school or training.

So wait I'm confused about something... if he got fired for cause (his fault), why would he even qualify for unemployment? I thought you could only get benefits if you lost your job through no fault of your own? My brother got fired for being late too many times and ESD denied his claim completely.

Just wanted to add something important about the school/training situation. If these classes are directly related to improving employability (which they clearly are), your husband should document everything. Keep emails from the potential employer stating the classes are required, save enrollment confirmations, etc. This documentation will be CRUCIAL if ESD ever questions his availability for work. Also, when he reports the classes on his weekly claim, there's usually a follow-up question asking if he would quit school for full-time work. The answer needs to be YES to avoid issues with unemployment eligibility.

Just wanted to share my recent experience since it might help. I was in a similar situation last month - got terminated and had PTO payout confusion. Here's what I learned: definitely report that PTO payout on the weekly claim for the week you received it. I made the mistake of not reporting mine initially because I thought "I earned it while working" but ESD sees it as income received during unemployment. Had to correct it later which was a headache. For the community college classes - I actually did something similar. I was taking an Excel certification course (2 evenings per week) while on unemployment. As long as you can honestly say you'd drop the classes for a full-time job offer, you should be fine. Just be completely transparent about it on your weekly claims. One tip: if you do get approved for Commissioner Approved Training, it can actually be better than regular unemployment because you don't have to do job search activities while in the program. But the application process takes time, so don't wait if these classes are starting soon. Hope your husband's adjudication goes smoothly! Performance issues are often not considered disqualifying misconduct, so fingers crossed.

I went through almost the exact same situation about 6 months ago! My husband was terminated (also performance-related) and we had similar questions about PTO payout and schooling while on unemployment. For the PTO - yes, absolutely report it. We made the mistake of thinking it didn't count since it was "earned" during employment, but ESD considers it income for the week it's paid out. It delayed his benefits for that one week (his payout was about $2,100 and his weekly benefit was $750), but everything resumed normally after that. For the community college classes - this actually worked out great for us! He took a project management certification course (3 evenings per week) and it didn't affect his benefits at all. The key things we learned: - Always answer YES when asked if he'd quit school for full-time work - Keep documentation showing the classes are employment-related - Report it honestly on every weekly claim We didn't end up applying for Commissioner Approved Training because the course was only 8 weeks, but it's definitely worth looking into if these classes are longer-term. One last tip - if you can't get through to ESD by phone, try their online messaging system through your eServices account. We got responses within 24-48 hours, which was way better than spending hours on hold. Good luck with the adjudication! Performance issues are often not considered disqualifying misconduct, so there's definitely hope.

I've been following this thread and wanted to add some additional perspective as someone who works in HR and has dealt with unemployment claims from the employer side. Regarding the adjudication for termination - performance-related terminations are actually quite common and often don't disqualify people from unemployment benefits. The key distinction ESD looks for is whether there was "willful misconduct" versus inability to perform job duties. Things like not meeting sales quotas, struggling with job requirements, or isolated mistakes typically don't rise to the level of disqualifying misconduct. For the PTO payout question - everyone here is absolutely right that it must be reported. From an employer perspective, we're required to report all final wages including PTO payouts to ESD, so they'll eventually know about it anyway. Being upfront prevents overpayment issues later. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that during adjudication, ESD will likely contact the employer for their side of the story. If the termination was truly performance-related rather than misconduct, most employers will report it accurately, which actually works in your husband's favor. Stay patient with the process - adjudication can take several weeks, but performance-based terminations have a good track record for approval in my experience.

I've been through unemployment with ESD twice in the past few years and wanted to share a few practical tips that might help you navigate this process more smoothly: For getting through to ESD by phone - the absolute best times I've found are right when they open at 8:00 AM or during lunch hours (12-1 PM) when call volume tends to drop. Also, if you get disconnected, don't hang up and redial immediately - sometimes you'll get put back in the queue automatically. Regarding your questions - everyone's advice about reporting the PTO payout is spot on. I learned this the hard way during my first claim. For the community college classes, just make sure you're prepared to explain how they directly relate to your job search if ESD ever asks. Having that employer email stating the classes are required for consideration will be your best documentation. One more thing about adjudication - they often take longer than the estimated timeframes they give you, so don't panic if it goes past what they initially said. My performance-related termination took about 5 weeks to resolve, but it was ultimately approved. Keep filing your weekly claims even during adjudication - you'll get backpay once it's resolved if you're approved. Don't let the stress get to you too much; you're handling this the right way by asking questions and getting informed!

I wanted to add one more resource that might be helpful for both of your questions - ESD's Handbook for Unemployed Workers is available online and has detailed explanations of what needs to be reported and the school/training rules. It's pretty comprehensive and might give you more confidence about what you're dealing with. Also, I've found that when you're in adjudication like your husband is, it's actually a good time to get all these other questions sorted out (like the PTO reporting and school situation) so you don't run into issues later. You're being really proactive by asking these questions now. One small thing - when he does report the PTO payout on his weekly claim, there should be a section asking about "other income" or "earnings" for that week. Make sure to put the full amount there, not just a portion of it. ESD's system is pretty automated for calculating benefit reductions, so accuracy is key. Hang in there with the adjudication process - from everything you've described, it sounds like a straightforward performance issue rather than misconduct, which should work in your favor. The fact that your husband is being honest about it being "his fault" actually shows good character, but remember that fault doesn't automatically equal disqualifying misconduct in ESD's eyes.

I just want to say how helpful this entire thread has been! I'm not in the exact same situation, but I've been worried about some similar issues with my own unemployment claim. The clarity everyone provided about PTO payouts being reported in the week they're received (not when earned) is something I never would have figured out on my own. And all the detailed advice about community college classes while on unemployment - especially the documentation tips and being prepared to quit school for full-time work - gives me confidence about some training I've been considering. @Anastasia Sokolov - I hope your husband's adjudication goes smoothly! From everything people have shared here, it sounds like you're handling everything exactly right by being proactive and transparent. The fact that so many people have successfully navigated similar performance-related terminations is really encouraging. This community is such a valuable resource when ESD's phone system seems impossible to navigate. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences - it makes such a difference to hear from people who've actually been through these situations!