When to stop filing weekly ESD claims after getting new job - start date May 13th
I finally landed a full-time position after 3 months of job hunting (retail management layoff). My new employer wants me to start on May 13th, which falls on a Thursday. I'm confused about when I should stop filing my weekly claims with ESD. Do I file for that partial week? And if I do, how do I report the hours I worked? I don't want to accidentally commit fraud or have to deal with an overpayment notice down the road. Any advice from people who've been in this situation would be super helpful!
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Amara Adebayo
Congrats on the new job! You should file for that week, but you need to report the exact hours you work on those days. When you file your weekly claim for May 9-15, you'll be asked if you worked, say yes, and report your hours for Thursday and Friday. ESD will then calculate a partial payment based on your earnings for that week. If you earn over your weekly benefit amount, you won't receive benefits for that week, but you should still report accurately.
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PixelWarrior
•Thank you! So even if I only work 2 days that week, I should still file the claim? I wasn't sure if I should just stop completely once I have a job offer or keep filing until my last fully unemployed week.
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Giovanni Rossi
yes file!! u still get money for days not worked
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Fatima Al-Mansour
•Not necessarily true. It depends on how much they earn those 2 days. If they make more than their weekly benefit amount in those 2 days, they won't get anything for that week.
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Dylan Evans
You absolutely should file for that week! This is a common situation. The way it works is: 1. File your weekly claim as normal for May 9-15 2. When asked if you worked, select "Yes" 3. Enter the exact hours worked and wages earned for Thursday and Friday 4. Answer all other questions honestly (you were available and looking for work Sun-Wed) ESD will calculate if you're eligible for partial benefits. Generally, you can earn up to 75% of your weekly benefit amount before benefits are reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis. So if your weekly benefit is $500, you could earn up to $375 that week and still receive your full benefit. Beyond that, they subtract dollar for dollar. This is not fraud - the system is designed to handle partial employment weeks. Just be accurate with your reporting!
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PixelWarrior
•This is super helpful, thank you! I didn't realize there was a formula for how they calculate partial weeks. My weekly benefit is $756 so I guess I'd still get something if I earn less than that amount during those two days. I'll definitely file and report exactly what I earn.
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Sofia Gomez
I just went thru this last month! Don't forget u still have to do job search activities for Sun-Wed that week even tho u got a job already. Weird rule but my friend got in trouble for skipping that part.
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Dylan Evans
•This is an excellent point! Yes, you technically need to continue your job search activities for the days you were unemployed that week. However, securing employment can count as one of your job search activities. You'd still need two more for that week though.
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Fatima Al-Mansour
ESD is such a pain about this. I had almost exactly the same situation last year and thought I was doing everything right. Then 3 months later they hit me with an overpayment notice because I apparently didn't report my hours correctly! I spent WEEKS trying to get through to someone at ESD to fix it. The phone lines are impossible.
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StormChaser
•If anyone's struggling to get through to ESD on the phone, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation with reporting issues when I started my new job and couldn't get through for days. Used their service and got connected to an ESD agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 - definitely worth it for situations like this where you need to talk to someone quickly to avoid future problems.
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Dmitry Petrov
THE JOB SEARCH REQUIREMENT IS RIDICULOUS in this situation!!! I got a job offer and ESD STILL made me do 3 job contacts that week. WHY??? I already HAD A JOB! The whole system is designed to make people fail I swear.
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Amara Adebayo
•I understand your frustration. The system isn't always logical. However, I've found that you can use creative strategies for those job search activities in your final week. For example, sending thank you emails to places you interviewed, following up on previous applications, or even researching industry trends related to your new position can sometimes count as valid activities. Just be sure to document them properly.
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Dylan Evans
Just to clarify on the job search requirements for that final week - accepting a job offer actually counts as one of your three required job search activities. So for that May 9-15 week, you'd only need two additional activities for Sunday through Wednesday. Also, make sure you're using the correct wage reporting. Some employers pay bi-weekly, so you might not actually receive a paycheck during that first week. ESD wants you to report when you EARNED the money, not when you were paid. So even if your first paycheck comes two weeks later, you still report those hours for the May 9-15 claim week.
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PixelWarrior
•Oh that's a good point about reporting when I earned vs when I get paid. My new job is bi-weekly pay so I won't actually get a check until the end of May. I'll make sure to report the hours worked during that week even though I won't have a pay stub yet. Thank you!
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Ava Williams
my cousin didnt file his last week and said it was way easier just to be done with ESD forever lol. but i think he missed out on like $200 so probably worth doing it right
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Dylan Evans
•While it might seem easier to just stop filing, this approach can potentially cause problems. If you don't formally close your claim by reporting your return to full-time work, your claim technically remains open. This could create confusion in ESD's system, especially if you need to file for unemployment again within the next year. It's always best to properly close out your claim by reporting your work and wages for that final week.
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Amara Adebayo
One more thing to keep in mind: After you file that partial week claim, there's a section at the end where you can indicate that you've returned to full-time work. Make sure to check that box or select that option. This lets ESD know they should close your claim properly. It helps prevent any confusion down the road and makes things smoother if you ever need to apply for benefits again in the future.
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PixelWarrior
•Perfect, thank you! I'll make sure to check that box to formally close the claim. I really appreciate everyone's advice - this has been super helpful and much clearer than anything on the ESD website.
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