Does severance delay my unemployment claim? - 8 months and counting

My employer is paying severance in instalments and I am not sure whether to file now. I would rather hear the honest version than the polite one. The agreement mentions a release and a payment schedule. Who should I ask before signing?

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.

Before signing, I asked a friend who is a lawyer to look at the agreement. It was a short conversation and worth it.