Standby weeks counting against me even when working? ESD says my standby period is over

Yes your standby weeks get used up even if you work. Its stupid but thats how it works. The 8 weeks is just a calendar period, not 8 weeks of actual benefits. Its ESD so nothing makes sense lol

The previous commenter is correct. Standby is a continuous calendar period from the approval date, regardless of whether you work during some of those weeks. The standby status just means you don't have to do job search activities during that specific timeframe. Even if you work and report earnings (which is good that you did), the standby clock continues to tick. If you need more time on standby, your employer can request an extension, but they need to do it before your current standby period expires. They'd need to contact ESD directly with the request showing you have a definite return-to-work date.

yeah its confusing as hell!! I lost a whole month of standby because i was working part time and didnt realize it still counted! total bs if u ask me

Yes, now that your standby period has ended, you'll need to complete and document 3 job search activities each week to remain eligible for benefits. Make sure you're keeping detailed records of all your job search activities in case ESD requests to review them later. If your employer is planning to bring you back full-time soon, you might want to let them know that your standby status has expired. They could potentially contact ESD to see if anything can be done, though I wouldn't count on it since the standby period has already ended.

I went through something similar in January. Once your standby expires, you absolutely need to start doing job searches immediately. Don't skip any weeks or you risk being disqualified. If you need to speak with ESD about this or any other issues with your claim, I'd recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com). Trying to call ESD directly is nearly impossible with the constant busy signals and disconnects. I was about to give up before finding their service - they got me connected to an actual ESD agent in about 25 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 Definitely worth it when you need to get actual answers about your specific situation.

they NEVER EXPLAIN THE RULES CLEARLY!!!! I swear they do this on purpose to deny people benefits. I had almost the exact same thing happen but with 12 weeks standby and I worked for 7 of them. So frustrating that they count against you even when your working and making money. The whole system is designed to confuse people.

when i was on standby last year my employer actually requested an extension before it ran out and got me 4 more weeks. might be worth asking ur boss if they can do that but sounds like ur period already expired so probably too late now

To directly answer your question - yes, standby weeks are calendar weeks from when they're approved, not weeks of benefits used. That's why all 8 weeks are now used up, even though you worked during 4 of them. For future reference for anyone reading this thread: If you're put on standby status, use that time to prepare for possibly needing to do job searches later. The maximum standby period is typically 8 weeks (though there have been extensions during special circumstances), and the clock starts ticking immediately regardless of whether you're claiming benefits or working during that period. Also, remember that if you're working part-time during standby, you still need to report all earnings accurately on your weekly claims, even though you don't have to do job searches.