Will starting college classes disqualify me from ESD unemployment benefits?

yeah its complicated. i think it depends if ur school interferes with ur ability to work full time. like if u can still accept a job, ur probably ok. but def report it to esd when filing ur weekly claim.

Going to school while on unemployment is allowed IF you meet certain conditions. The key factor is whether your schooling would prevent you from accepting full-time work. Since your classes are online, that works in your favor. You DO need to report this on your weekly claim. There's a specific question about attending school. Be honest about it. ESD will likely have you complete a Training Benefits application, but this doesn't mean you'll lose benefits. It just helps determine your eligibility. If your schooling is self-arranged (not approved through WorkSource), you must remain able and available for work, and actively seeking employment. Keep doing your 3 job search activities weekly and documenting them properly.

I went back to school last year while on unemployment and it was SUCH A NIGHTMARE! They put my claim on hold for like 6 weeks while they "reviewed" my education status. Kept telling me different things every time I called. One person said I was fine, next person said I was disqualified. Almost lost my apartment waiting for them to figure it out!!!

You absolutely must report your school attendance on your weekly claims. ESD will ask if you're attending school or training. If you say yes, they'll have you complete a Training Benefits application. If you choose not to apply for Training Benefits, you'll need to prove you remain available for work despite your schooling. From my experience working with claimants, online/asynchronous classes typically don't create eligibility issues as long as you can demonstrate you're still able and available for full-time work and are actively job searching. Keep detailed records of your job search activities (3 per week) and be prepared to answer questions about how your class schedule allows for full-time employment. If ESD determines your schooling doesn't interfere with your ability to work, you'll continue receiving regular benefits. If there's any question, they may place you in adjudication temporarily while they review your situation.

This happened to me last year and it was such a pain trying to get through to ESD to explain my situation. I tried calling for WEEKS and either got disconnected or was on hold forever. Finally found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual ESD agent in about 20 minutes (claimyr.com). They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The agent I talked to explained that as long as my schooling didn't interfere with my ability to accept full-time work, my benefits wouldn't be affected. But they did have to put a note in my file about it.

Theyre actually trying to ENCOURAGE people to go to school while on unemployment these days!! My cousin just got approved for Commissioner Approved Training (CAT) and gets benefits while going to school full time and doesn't even have to look for work during the approved training period!! You should ask about that!!

UPDATE: I reported my school attendance on my weekly claim yesterday, and this morning my account shows I'm in adjudication status now. Hoping this doesn't take forever to resolve. At least my weekly claim was still processed and paid while they review my school situation. I'll update again when I hear more from ESD about this.

While you're in adjudication, make sure to upload any documentation showing that your courses are online/asynchronous to your ESD portal. Also, keep a log of your availability schedule that demonstrates you're available for full-time work despite taking classes. This will help speed up the adjudication process since the adjudicator will need this information to make a determination. Continue filing your weekly claims and conducting your job search activities while in adjudication. If approved, you'll receive all back payments for weeks properly claimed. Most education-related adjudications are resolved within 2-3 weeks if all necessary information is provided.

y dont u just not tell them ur in school? not like they would know right?

FINAL UPDATE: Just got my determination letter - I'm approved to continue receiving benefits while taking classes! They said since my classes are online and don't interfere with my ability to accept full-time work, I'm still eligible. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your help and advice through this process.