Finally got hired but confused about ESD mail - still need to file?
After 4 months of unemployment stress, I FINALLY got a job offer today! Starting next Monday at a manufacturing plant making $24/hr. Way better than my last gig and honestly a huge relief. But the HR person mentioned something about continuing to file unemployment claims for a couple weeks even after starting? Is that right or did I misunderstand? I don't want to accidentally commit fraud by claiming benefits while working, but I also don't want to miss important ESD communications. Anyone know what the proper procedure is when transitioning back to work? I'm worried about getting hit with an overpayment later.
15 comments
Join the conversation
Giovanni Ricci
CONGRATS on the new job!! 🎉 Yes, your HR person is correct - you should keep filing your weekly claims even after you start working. Just make sure to report ALL your hours and earnings accurately when you file. The system will determine if you're eligible for partial benefits or not based on what you report. The most important reason to keep filing is because ESD often sends important notices through the eServices portal, and if you stop filing completely, you might miss these communications. Things like tax documents, potential overpayment notices, or other important info can come through even after you're back to work.
0 coins
Amara Eze
•Thanks! That makes sense. So I should just honestly report my hours and wages, and if I don't qualify for benefits that week, that's fine? I'm just staying in the system to get important communications?
0 coins
NeonNomad
Congrats on the new job! You absolutely need to keep filing at least a couple weeks after starting work. After I stopped filing, I missed a request for information about my job search activities from 2 months prior. Ended up with a $2,800 overpayment I'm still fighting! when you file just be super accurate about your hours and pay.
0 coins
Fatima Al-Hashemi
•omg sameeee. I got hit with a $3200 overpayment because I didn't respond to something i never even saw. the whole system is designed to trick people i swear
0 coins
Dylan Mitchell
I just went thru this last month! Keep filing your weekly claims but report all your work hours and wait - they'll tell you when you no longer qualify. It's actually better this way becuz if your new job doesn't work out in the first few weeks (happened to me lol) youre still in the system. Just be 1000% honest about hours worked when filing
0 coins
Sofia Martinez
•This happened to my sister too - her new job let her go during probation and because she kept filing her weekly claims (even with full hours) she didn't have to restart her whole claim when she needed UI again.
0 coins
Dmitry Volkov
So I'm gonna disagree with some others here. You dont HAVE to keep filing. I didnt and Im fine. If your job is solid and permenant, you can just stop filing. The only reason to keep filing is if your getting partial benefits or your afraid the job might not work out. ESD can still contact you by mail if theres an issue.
0 coins
Ava Thompson
•This is technically true but risky advice. While you can stop filing, ESD primarily communicates through the eServices portal, and important notices may only appear there. Standard mail can be delayed or lost. The safest approach is to continue filing for 3-4 weeks after starting work, accurately reporting all hours and earnings. This ensures you don't miss any critical deadlines for responding to ESD inquiries that could result in overpayment determinations or other complications.
0 coins
CyberSiren
I've been trying to reach ESD for weeks about a similar issue - started a new job but got a notice saying I need to verify some information from my claim. Kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual ESD agent in about 15 minutes. Check out their demo video: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 - saved me so much time and stress. The agent confirmed you should keep filing weekly claims for about a month after starting work, even if you're making too much to receive benefits.
0 coins
Amara Eze
•Thanks for the tip! I'll check it out if I run into any issues. Did they say anything about what happens if you report full-time wages? Does the system automatically determine you don't qualify for that week?
0 coins
CyberSiren
•Yes exactly - when you report your full-time wages, the system will calculate that you earned too much to receive benefits for that week. You'll get a $0 benefit determination, but you'll still be able to access your eServices account and see any new notices. The agent I spoke with said it's really common for people to miss important notices after they stop filing.
0 coins
Miguel Alvarez
i did this lastr year and heres wat they dont tell u... if ur new job pays u every 2 weeks but esd wants weekly filing it gets SUPER confusing to report ur wages correctly. like do u divide ur first paycheck by 2 and report half?? nobody explains this!!!!
0 coins
Ava Thompson
•You actually report wages for the week you EARNED them, not when you got paid. So if you worked Monday-Friday and earned $800 that week, you report $800 for that claim week, even if your paycheck doesn't arrive until 2 weeks later. ESD cares about when you performed the work, not when the money hit your bank account.
0 coins
Amara Eze
Thank you everyone for the advice! I'll definitely keep filing my weekly claims for at least a month after starting my new job, making sure to report all my hours and wages correctly. Better to be safe than end up with an overpayment notice months later. Excited about this new chapter but glad to know how to properly close out my unemployment claim!
0 coins
Giovanni Ricci
•Good choice! And congratulations again on the new job - $24/hr in manufacturing is solid work. Best of luck with everything!
0 coins