I just remembered something else important! When I was dealing with my self-employment issue, I made sure to answer the weekly certification questions properly. There's that question about whether you're self-employed or own a business - make sure you answer NO to this since you're no longer doing the freelance work. I accidentally answered YES the first week because I was thinking about my previous situation, and it created even more confusion. Be super consistent with your answers!

I went through something very similar last year! I had a small photography side business while working full-time at a retail store. When I got laid off, my claim was flagged for the same self-employment investigation. The key things that helped me get approved were: 1. I documented exactly when I stopped taking photography clients (had text messages and emails declining new bookings) 2. I showed that my W-2 job was clearly my primary income source 3. I was completely honest about the amounts I earned from the side work when they asked It took about 4 weeks total, but my claim was eventually approved and I got all the back pay. The waiting is super stressful, but based on what you've described (stopping the freelance work before your layoff, minimal income compared to your main job), you should be in good shape. Just keep filing those weekly claims and have your documentation ready when they ask for it!

Just a final tip - when you're doing your weekly certifications during the severance period, make sure you accurately report any severance amounts received during each week. If you report it all upfront correctly, the system should calculate everything properly, but sometimes there are glitches. If your claim shows "open issues" for more than 2-3 weeks, that's when you should try to get someone on the phone to review your case. Also, start documenting your work search activities immediately. Even during weeks you're receiving severance, you need to complete and document your work search requirements (applying to jobs, attending workshops, etc) to remain eligible.

Good luck with your claim! One more thing to keep in mind - if you run into any issues or delays, you can also try contacting your local CareerLink office. They sometimes have direct contacts at the UC office and can help escalate stuck claims. I had to use this route when my claim got flagged for a "fact-finding interview" that never got scheduled. The CareerLink counselor was able to get it moving again within a week. Also, keep all your severance documentation handy (offer letter, severance agreement, pay stubs) because they might request it even months later during an audit.

I work in HR, and I'd recommend targeting growth industries in PA right now. Healthcare is absolutely desperate for workers - not just clinical roles but administrative positions too. Many hospitals and healthcare networks have their own job boards separate from the main job sites. Also, look at state and local government jobs - they often take longer to fill positions but offer good stability. Don't underestimate the power of reaching out directly to hiring managers on LinkedIn. Send a brief, professional message expressing interest in their organization. I've hired several people who took this initiative, even when we didn't have an active job posting.

Don't give up hope - you're doing everything right by applying to so many jobs and meeting your work search requirements. Two weeks might feel scary, but that's still 14 days of opportunity. One thing that helped me when I was in a similar situation was setting up Google alerts for job postings in my field with keywords like "administrative assistant," "office manager," etc. This way new postings hit my email immediately instead of waiting for me to check job sites. Also, have you tried reaching out to any staffing agencies that specialize in administrative roles? Companies like Robert Half, Kelly Services, and local staffing firms often have temp-to-perm opportunities that could start quickly. Even if it's temporary, it gets you working and potentially leads to permanent placement. You've got this - don't let the panic overwhelm the practical steps you can still take. The combination of exploring those training benefits @Libby Hassan mentioned plus aggressive outreach to staffing agencies could be your path forward.

Update: I filed my weekly certification yesterday and reported my 4 hours of orientation plus the $58 gross pay. The system calculated everything automatically and I'm still getting a partial benefit payment of $382 instead of my usual $400. Pretty seamless process! Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice - I'll file one last certification next week when I start full-time to properly close out my claim.

Glad everything worked out for you! This is a perfect example of how reporting partial work should go. Your experience will definitely help other people in similar situations. Just curious - did you have to manually add your new employer to the system when filing, or was it already in their database? I'm starting a new job soon too and wondering if I should expect any hiccups with that part of the process.

Yes, bring any documentation of your housing situation during those months. This could include shelter intake forms, lease agreements (once you found stable housing), correspondence about looking for housing, etc. This helps explain the filing gap and supports your overall case that you were dealing with genuine hardship. One more tip: During the hearing, if your former employer attempts to claim you could have found alternative transportation, be prepared to explain exactly why each alternative wouldn't work (cost prohibitive, no public transit routes, etc.). The more specific you can be about why you had no viable options, the stronger your case will be.

I'm new to this community but have been following unemployment discussions for months while dealing with my own situation. Your case actually sounds pretty strong to me based on what others have shared here! A few things that might help that I haven't seen mentioned yet: 1. If you have any medical documentation about stress/health impacts from homelessness, that could support your case that you weren't in a position to handle a 140-mile daily commute even if transportation existed. 2. Consider bringing a printout showing gas costs for 70 miles each way - even if you had a car, that could be $30-40/day in gas alone, which might exceed your daily wages. 3. The fact that you were hired as remote originally is HUGE. This wasn't you taking a job knowing the commute - they changed the terms on you while you were dealing with a housing crisis. I've been lurking here learning from everyone's experiences, and from what I've read, cases like yours where there's a clear change in working conditions plus genuine hardship tend to have better outcomes than simple "I quit because I didn't like my job" situations. Wishing you the best of luck on Friday! The advice everyone's given here is solid - you've got a good community backing you up.