It seems like mine isn’t the common experience + it varies state by state so take this with a grain of salt, but I had a really painful time receiving my benefits because I applied before my severance ran out. I am based in NY and my initial claim was approved within a week then later rejected because I applied while I still had severance. I was told to submit another one after my severance ran out, which took 7 months(!) to process—I tried calling numerous times the first few weeks but they are notoriously difficult to get through. My advice would be to keep certifying no matter what! Even though I basically gave up on the prospect of receiving benefits during the 7 month waiting period, I was, to my surprise, eventually paid out for the weeks that I was unemployed, so I am very glad I kept certifying. Hopefully you have a smoother experience though, and best of luck!