Will Master Gardener training program affect my ESD claim eligibility?

As long as you're able and available to work full-time during your normal occupation's typical work hours, you should be fine. The key is that you must be willing to quit the Master Gardener program if you receive a job offer that conflicts with it. ESD considers you available for work if you would accept a suitable job offer, even if it means discontinuing other activities. Since it's only on Saturdays and many jobs are M-F, you're still considered available for full-time work. Just make sure to answer the weekly claim questions honestly about your availability.

I did a coding bootcamp while on UI last year and had similar concerns. I called ESD about it (took forevvvver to get through) and they said as long as I was willing to quit the bootcamp if I got a job offer, I was still considered available for work. Make sure u document everything tho incase they question u later!!

I'm going to offer a slightly different perspective based on my experience with ESD adjudication. While it's true that being willing to quit an activity if you get a job offer is important, you should also consider how this might appear during an eligibility review. Technically, you should report any activity that might limit your availability, even partially. The Master Gardener program occurs during weekend business hours when some employers in retail, hospitality, or healthcare might expect you to work. I'd recommend noting this training in your work search log or contacting ESD directly to document your participation while confirming your continued availability for full-time work. This creates a clear record that you've been transparent about your activities while claiming benefits.

OMG GOOD LUCK GETTING THROUGH TO ESD!! I spent DAYS trying to reach a human being there last month. Their phone system is the absolute WORST. You call, wait on hold forever, then get disconnected. Over and over and over. So frustrating! I needed to ask about my standby status and it was a complete nightmare trying to talk to anyone.

Im doing a nursing assistant program right now while on unemployment. my advisor said as long as i can work fulltime and quit school if needed im good. but retail and restaurants need weekend workers so u might have a problem depends on ur normal job type

Just a suggestion - don't overthink this. The Master Gardener program is basically a volunteer thing, right? Not even a job or paid training? I did all kinds of volunteer work during my unemployment period last year and never mentioned it on my claims because it didn't affect my availability for actual paying work. But if you're worried, better safe than sorry I guess.

Hey, I just noticed something in your original post - you mentioned this is a 12-week program? Make sure you're aware that after 5 weeks on unemployment, your job search requirements change and you have to be willing to accept work outside your usual occupation or at lower pay (like 90% of previous wages for weeks 5-8, then 80% after that). So if retail jobs that require weekend work become "suitable employment" for you after a few weeks, that gardening program could actually make you unavailable for suitable work by ESD's definition.

Thank you all for the helpful advice! I'm going to try contacting ESD directly to document this situation. Better to be upfront now than deal with problems later. I'll make it clear that I'm primarily looking for work in my field (which is typically M-F) but that I'm willing to accept suitable work even if it means quitting the gardening program. Sounds like being transparent is the safest approach.