pumper911's journey

I'm currently in a tricky situation as my division is being shut down, and we are all set to be laid off with severance starting October 1. I've been in advanced talks with another company for a new position, and if everything goes smoothly, I could potentially start on September 15. They were the ones who preferred a later start date. Given that my current role is winding down, I won't have much to do by that time, and I'm considering starting the new job without informing my old employer to continue receiving my severance. My boss likely won't mind since I'm working remotely and there's not much left to manage. However, I'm concerned about whether my current company could find out about my new job. I’m based in the US, so I’m unsure if there are any legal implications. I’ve heard that discretion is key, and I plan to keep this under wraps. I also wonder about any potential rules regarding using my PTO during this transition. If the new company is okay with a September 15 start, would they consider pushing it to October 1 instead? I know there could be paperwork that prohibits overlapping jobs, so I want to tread carefully.