ESD weekly claim question - out of state vacation while on unemployment?

You still need to file your weekly claim but mark that you were NOT able and available to work. ESD rules require you to be able, available, and actively seeking work each week you claim benefits. When you're on vacation, you're technically not available even if you're job searching online. I've done this before - you just won't get paid for those weeks, but your claim stays active and you can resume benefits when you return. Be honest - they can check travel records if they audit you.

jst make sure u answer truthfully! my cousin got in big trouble for sayin he was available when he went to mexico last year

Actually I disagree with the first comment. Don't file at all for weeks you're not claiming benefits. Why create extra paperwork and potential confusion? I've been on and off unemployment for years and just skip filing when I'm out of town. When you get back, start filing again. No issues. That's my experience anyway.

Wait I'm confused...if you can't get benefits while on vacation why would you even bother filing? Seems pointless tbh

Professional advice: Always file your weekly claims even when you're going to be temporarily unavailable. Mark the specific days you were not available for work. Be precise - if you're gone for 9 days that span two claim weeks, you'll need to note the exact dates of unavailability in each weekly claim. If you're going to be unavailable for more than 3 weeks, you might want to call ESD directly to explain the situation. Their call center is notoriously difficult to reach, but I've had clients use a service called Claimyr to get through (claimyr.com). They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The important thing is maintaining complete honesty in your claims to avoid future overpayment issues or fraud accusations.

Just to add one important detail - make sure your job search activities for the weeks you're gone still meet requirements for the days you WERE available. If your vacation is Thursday-Friday-Saturday in a week, you still need to do your 3 job search activities for Sunday-Wednesday. I got tripped up on this last year and had a week disqualified even though I was only gone for the weekend.

For the most accurate information, check the ESD handbook or website. The official guidance is to file your weekly claim and report any days you weren't available for work. You won't receive benefits for those days/weeks, but this keeps your claim active. Missing 4 consecutive weekly claims will make your claim inactive. Regarding job search: You must still complete your job search requirements for any week you're claiming, even partially. If you're unavailable for the entire week, you still need to file but you won't need job search activities since you won't be eligible for that week anyway. Be 100% truthful - ESD does cross-check travel records during fraud investigations.

One thing I'd add - if you're traveling by plane, keep your boarding passes and any hotel confirmations as documentation. If ESD ever questions your unavailability claims later, having proof of your actual travel dates can be really helpful. I learned this the hard way when they asked me to verify a previous vacation period during a routine review. Also, double-check that your phone number and address are updated in your ESD account before you leave - sometimes they need to reach claimants for verification purposes.

I went through this exact situation last summer when I visited family in Oregon for 10 days. Here's what worked for me: I continued filing my weekly claims but marked myself as unavailable for the specific dates I was gone. The key is being very precise - I wrote in the comments section exactly which dates I was traveling and unavailable for work. I didn't receive benefits for those weeks, but my claim stayed active and I had zero issues when I returned. One tip that really helped: I actually did some online job applications from my phone during the trip for the days I was marked as "available" (like the travel days before/after). This way I could honestly say I was job searching even while away. Just make sure you're not claiming you're available for work on days when you clearly couldn't accept a job if offered. The system is pretty forgiving if you're honest, but they come down hard on any perceived fraud.

Just want to echo what others have said about being completely honest - I made the mistake of marking myself as "available" during a weekend trip to Portland last year thinking it would be fine since it was just 3 days. Big mistake! ESD caught it during a routine audit (they can see when your phone pings different cell towers) and I had to go through a whole fraud investigation process. Nothing came of it since it was clearly just a misunderstanding, but it was super stressful and delayed my benefits for weeks while they sorted it out. For your Arizona trip, definitely file your claims but mark yourself unavailable for the exact dates you'll be gone. Keep all your travel receipts and boarding passes just in case. The temporary loss of benefits is way better than dealing with potential fraud issues later. Have a great trip!

I just wanted to add another perspective from someone who travels frequently for family reasons while on unemployment. The advice here about continuing to file and marking unavailable days is spot-on, but I'd also suggest calling ESD before your trip if possible to document your plans. I know their phone lines are terrible, but when I called before my last out-of-state trip, the representative made a note in my file about my planned travel dates. This actually helped later when they had questions during a routine review - they could see I'd been proactive about reporting my unavailability. Also, for the job search requirements, remember that if you're marked unavailable for the entire benefit week, you don't need to complete job search activities for that week since you won't be receiving benefits anyway. But if you're only unavailable for part of the week (like your travel days), you still need to meet the job search requirements for the days you were available. Arizona is beautiful this time of year - enjoy your visit with your sister!