Does severance delay my unemployment claim?

I was offered severance of 18 weeks after being let go as a production planner and I am unsure how it affects benefits. It has been a long 5 weeks. I also wonder about the job-search requirement. 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.

Some states only count certain kinds of severance. A local workforce centre could tell me which.