Does severance delay my unemployment claim? - 10 months and counting

I was offered severance of 16 weeks after being let go as a procurement assistant and I am unsure how it affects benefits. I am in San Diego, in case local advice matters. I have a mortgage and need to plan. Who should I ask before signing?

Rules differ by state. I called the claims line and asked directly, then wrote down the answer and the date.

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it last year, and it settled down once I kept a simple log of every call and form.