Earlier today, my previous employer who terminated my employment on Friday informed me that I would be eligible for Unemployment Insurance (UI) after my severance package expires, and that my application would not be contested. This new information has made me reconsider showing up to my new job tomorrow, although I feel guilty about this decision since I've already invested a lot of time into the onboarding process with the staffing agency.
The new job is a contract-to-hire position obtained through the staffing agency. If I inform the agency that I cannot make it to my first day of work tomorrow due to unforeseen circumstances, would this decision negatively affect my eligibility for unemployment benefits?
I'm considering this option because at the time of my termination, I was unsure if UI benefits would be guaranteed or not. Now that HR has confirmed this, I see this as an opportunity to explore other job opportunities with more stability, benefits, and a permanent role.