When to apply for ESD after being laid off but still receiving 2 weeks paid leave?

You should apply for unemployment as soon as you're laid off (February 28th). Don't wait until your paid leave ends. ESD has a waiting week anyway where you won't receive benefits, and processing times can vary. When you file your weekly claims during those two weeks of paid leave, you'll need to report your earnings, which will reduce or eliminate your benefit amount for those weeks, but at least your claim will be in the system and processing. This way, once your paid leave ends, you'll already be in the system.

Thank you! That makes sense. So even though I won't get any money during those 2 weeks of paid leave, I should still apply right away to get the process started. Will I need to provide any documentation from my employer about the paid leave arrangement?

The application took like 3 weeks for me lol so definitely apply right away!!! my friend waited and she regretted it

Correct, apply immediately after your layoff date. You'll need to report your paid leave as earnings during your weekly claims. Make sure you have your separation letter that states your last day of work (Feb 28) and any severance or paid leave arrangements. Most applications are processing in 2-3 weeks right now, but it can take longer if there are any issues that require adjudication. \n\nAlso important: You'll need to start doing your job search activities (3 per week) during your waiting week and continue them even during the weeks you're receiving paid leave - unless you can get approved for standby status, which may be possible if you have a definite return-to-work date from your employer.

This is really helpful information! I didn't realize I'd need to do the job search activities even during the paid leave weeks. I'll definitely get my separation letter ready. I don't have a return date since this is a permanent layoff, so I guess standby isn't an option for me.

My company did the EXACT same thing last year! Applied right after my official layoff date even though I had 3 weeks severance. Just make sure when you file weekly claims you report ALL income for those weeks correctly. They'll probably deny benefits for those weeks due to excessive earnings but at least your claim is active. Once your paid time ends you'll start getting benefits without delay.

I had a NIGHTMARE getting through to ESD when I had questions about my situation (somewhat similar to yours). Spent literally DAYS trying to get someone on the phone. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an ESD agent in under 25 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. Totally worth it because the agent was able to explain exactly how to handle my specific situation with severance pay.

does that service actually work?? i've been trying to call ESD for a week straight and keep getting disconnected

It definitely worked for me last month. The agent I spoke with cleared up my confusion about reporting severance pay vs. regular wages. Saved me from potentially having an overpayment issue later.

I work in HR and deal with this situation frequently. Being \

Thank you for the HR perspective! I'll make sure to report everything accurately. Is there specific language I should use when explaining the

When reporting to ESD, don't use company-specific terms like \

btw the esd website is super confusing when you try to enter that bench pay stuff so maybe call them to make sure ur doing it right

im confused about something... if your getting paid leave why would you even NEED unemployment?? your still getting PAID right??

They're only getting paid for two weeks after the layoff. They're trying to plan ahead so there's no gap between when that paid leave ends and when unemployment benefits start. That's why filing immediately makes sense - the ESD claim can be processing while they're still receiving the paid leave.

oh ok that makes more sense. i thought they were trying to double dip or something lol

Watch out for the job search requirements!!!! I got denied benefits because I didn't do my 3 job search activities during my severance period. I thought since I wasn't getting benefits those weeks I didn't need to do them. BIG MISTAKE. Had to appeal and it was a whole ordeal.

Wow, thanks for the warning! I'll definitely keep up with the job search activities right from the start.

One more tip - take screenshots of EVERYTHING when you apply and file your weekly claims. ESD's system sometimes has glitches where information disappears. Having documentation of what you submitted can save you a lot of headaches if there's ever a dispute about what you reported.

Thank you all for the helpful advice! I'm going to apply right after my February 28th layoff date, report my bench pay correctly on my weekly claims, start my job search activities immediately, and keep good documentation. Really appreciate everyone's insights!

Good luck with everything! The initial setup can be confusing, but once you're in the system and understand the weekly claim process, it gets easier.