Severance and unemployment, do they overlap? after 8 years as an accounts payable clerk

I was offered severance of 8 weeks after being let go as an accounts payable clerk and I am unsure how it affects benefits. I would rather hear the honest version than the polite one. I also wonder about the job-search requirement. How did your state treat it?

Keep everything in writing and save the confirmation numbers. It made the follow-up calls so much easier.

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