Does severance delay my unemployment claim? after 17 years as an operations analyst

I was offered severance of 17 weeks after being let go as an operations analyst and I am unsure how it affects benefits. I have read a lot of threads here and could not find my exact situation. The agreement mentions a release and a payment schedule. 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.