Just wanted to update everyone - I followed the advice and reopened my claim today. The process took about 15 minutes and asked about my new employer, why I needed to reopen (reduced hours), and some questions about my work search. The system told me I can file my weekly certification on Sunday for this week. Thanks for all the helpful advice!

Good luck with your certification on Sunday! Just a heads up - when you report your earnings, make sure you report the gross amount (before taxes) for all hours worked this week, including Monday-Wednesday before you reopened. The system is pretty good at calculating the partial benefits automatically once you enter the correct wage info. Hope you get your payment processed quickly!

This has been such a comprehensive discussion! As someone who's new to this community and dealing with unemployment for the first time, I really appreciate how everyone shared their experiences and specific steps. It's reassuring to see there's a clear consensus on the proper procedure: keep filing until you actually start working, then indicate on that week's certification that you've returned to full-time employment. The warnings about "irregular closures" and system flags from just stopping filing are especially valuable - I never would have known those could be issues. The additional tips about documentation, checking submissions went through, and even setting phone reminders are so practical. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their knowledge. This kind of detailed guidance makes navigating these systems so much less stressful!

This thread is a goldmine of information! I'm currently on UC benefits and anticipating a job offer soon, so this is exactly what I needed to read. The step-by-step breakdown is so clear: continue filing weekly certifications until you actually start working, then mark that you've returned to full-time work on that week's certification. What really caught my attention were all the stories about people who just stopped filing and ran into problems later - "irregular closure" and system flags sound like a nightmare to deal with. I'm definitely going to follow the proper procedure and keep documentation like several people suggested. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and creating such a helpful resource for the community!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I've been filing for about 2 months and was getting so anxious about the inconsistent timing. What really stood out to me was learning that the status update is separate from when they actually process your payment - I had no idea those were two different things! I was treating the portal like it was Amazon tracking, expecting real-time updates. The batch processing explanation makes so much sense now. I'm definitely going to start doing the "check only twice a week" approach because constantly refreshing was honestly making me more stressed than just waiting for the money to hit my card. It's amazing how much better I feel just knowing that the randomness is totally normal and not a sign that something's wrong with my claim.

I'm so grateful you asked this question! I just started filing about 3 weeks ago and have been driving myself absolutely crazy checking the portal multiple times a day. Reading through all these responses has been such a relief - especially learning that the inconsistent timing is completely normal and that "in progress" just means they received my claim, not that there's a problem. The batch processing explanation really opened my eyes to why it feels so random. I love all the practical tips people shared like setting specific check days and keeping a simple log. I'm definitely going to try the "check only on Wednesday mornings" approach instead of refreshing constantly throughout the week. It's amazing how much anxiety comes from just not understanding how the system actually works behind the scenes!

This entire thread is such a fantastic resource! As someone who went through almost the exact same situation about 8 months ago, I can't stress enough how important it is to act quickly when you realize you've missed weeks. I waited an extra few days thinking "it's probably fine" and ended up making the phone call process even harder for myself. One thing I'll add that might help future readers - when you do get through to a PA UC rep (whether through persistent calling or using a service like Claimyr), have all your information ready: Social Security number, PIN, the specific weeks you need reopened, and ideally a rough idea of your work search activities for those weeks. The reps are usually pretty helpful once you get connected, but having everything organized will make the call go much smoother and faster. Also, for anyone worried about using third-party services like Claimyr - I was hesitant at first too, but it really did save me hours of frustration. Just remember they're only helping you get connected to an official PA UC representative, so you're still dealing with the state directly for your actual claim issues. Hope this helps someone else avoid the stress that comes with this situation!

Wow, this thread is incredibly thorough and will definitely be a lifesaver for people dealing with this exact issue! I'm actually bookmarking this for future reference since I'm still pretty new to the whole PA UC system myself. What really stands out to me is how many different people had the same experience - it really shows that PA UC needs to do a much better job explaining the ongoing filing requirements after initial approval. Like, why isn't there a clear email or notification that says "Hey, you got approved, but now you need to file every two weeks"? The practical tips everyone shared are gold - especially the early morning calling strategy, keeping detailed work search records, and having all your info ready before calling. And huge thanks to everyone who shared their actual experiences rather than just general advice. Reading about real timelines (like payments processing within 3-5 days) and specific challenges (like needing exact dates for work searches) makes this so much more actionable. This community really shows how we can help each other navigate these frustrating bureaucratic systems when the official resources fall short!

I went through almost the exact same situation last year! Got denied for "unsatisfactory work performance" when my employer suddenly changed our metrics without any warning or training. The key thing that won my appeal was proving they didn't follow progressive discipline - they went straight from "you're not meeting the new numbers" to firing me in like 2 weeks. Make sure you emphasize in your appeal that you were meeting expectations under the original system and only "failed" after they unilaterally changed the requirements. The referee will want to see if you were given a reasonable opportunity to improve under the new standards. Also, don't be intimidated by their HR department at the hearing - half the time they send someone who doesn't even know the details of your case. I had 3.5 years of good performance reviews and emails showing I requested help, and that was enough to overturn their decision. You definitely have grounds for a successful appeal with those documented emails! File it ASAP and keep your chin up - the system is designed to initially deny but appeals have a much higher success rate.

I'm in a very similar situation right now - just got denied for "unsatisfactory work performance" after my company changed our production targets by 40% overnight with zero additional support or training. Reading all these success stories is giving me hope that I can win my appeal too! Quick question for those who've been through this process - did any of you have issues with your employer trying to claim you were "insubordinate" or "refused to follow directions" in addition to the performance issues? My HR department mentioned in my termination meeting that I had "attitude problems" when I questioned the feasibility of the new quotas, and I'm worried they might try to frame it as willful misconduct rather than just performance issues. Also, for those who won their appeals - approximately how long did it take to receive your first unemployment payment after the successful appeal? I'm trying to figure out my finances while this plays out. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is incredibly helpful during such a stressful time!