Congratulations on getting your payment! This is such a helpful thread for anyone going through the PA UC approval process. It's good to see that the 3 business day timeline is pretty reliable once you're truly approved with no outstanding issues. For future reference for anyone reading this - it sounds like the key things to watch out for are: making sure there are no hidden issues in your determination letters, keeping up with weekly certifications even during approval delays, and having your payment method properly set up. Thanks for updating us on the outcome!

This is such a great success story! I'm currently in week 2 of waiting for my verification issues to be resolved, so seeing that you got approved and received payment within 3 business days gives me hope. I've been stressing about my bills piling up while waiting. Quick question - when you say you had "verification issues" for 3 weeks, what kind of documents did they end up needing from you? I'm wondering if I'm missing something that could speed up my process. Thanks for sharing your experience and congrats on getting it sorted out!

Just wanted to add my recent experience for anyone else going through this - I got my determination letter last week and the payment hit my Money Network card after 3 business days. One thing I noticed that might help others is to check the "Payment History" section in your dashboard (not just the main claim status) because mine showed "Payment Issued" there a full day before the money actually appeared on my card. Also, if you're like me and obsessively checking your card balance, the payments usually post overnight between 2-4 AM from what I could tell. Hope this helps someone!

For anyone still following this thread, I wanted to share my timeline since I just went through this process. Got my determination letter on a Wednesday, and the payment showed up on my Money Network card the following Tuesday - so 4 business days total. What really helped was calling the Money Network customer service line (not PA UC) to verify my card was properly set up and there were no blocks on it. They were actually helpful and could see that a deposit was "pending" even before it showed up in my PA UC dashboard. If you're waiting and getting anxious, that might be worth a try since their hold times are way shorter than trying to reach PA UC directly.

I just wanted to share some hope with everyone here - I was in a similar situation last year and it did eventually get resolved! I waited 15 weeks total (including 4 weeks after they said it was "expedited"). What finally worked for me was calling first thing Monday morning at exactly 8:00 AM and asking to speak with a claims examiner about a "review status inquiry." I also mentioned I was facing financial hardship due to the delay. The examiner found that my file had been sitting in the wrong queue and was able to process it immediately. Got my backpay for all 15 weeks within 3 days. I know it's incredibly stressful and feels hopeless, but keep fighting and don't let them brush you off with generic responses. Document everything and be persistent! @Yuki Kobayashi - based on your timeline, I'd definitely try the hardship prioritization route that @Zoe Stavros mentioned. Hang in there!

Wow, reading through all these stories makes me realize I'm not alone in this frustrating situation! I'm currently at week 8 myself and just had a rep tell me they were "expediting" my claim yesterday. Based on what everyone is sharing here, it sounds like I should temper my expectations and prepare for several more weeks of waiting. The advice about asking specifically what TYPE of review and requesting a claims examiner instead of just any rep is incredibly valuable - I had no idea there was a difference! I'm going to try calling Monday at 8 AM sharp like @Emma Taylor suggested and use that exact phrase "review status inquiry." It's honestly ridiculous that we need to become experts in navigating their broken system just to get benefits we're entitled to, but this community is a lifesaver for sharing these insider tips. Thanks everyone for being so detailed about what worked (and didn't work) - it gives me hope and a much better game plan than just calling and hoping for the best.

Good luck with your application! You're taking the right approach by being honest and exploring all your options. Just wanted to add that when you do apply, make sure to mention any tips you received at the bar job if you reported them on past tax returns - sometimes people forget that tip income can count toward eligibility if it was properly reported. Also, keep records of all your contacts with the Department of Labor about the misclassification issue, as this could be helpful if they do investigate your employer. The fact that you're being proactive about reporting the situation properly shows you're handling this the right way despite your employer's poor practices.

I went through something similar a few years ago working at a pizza place. The owner paid everyone cash and when I got fired, I was in the same boat. What I learned is that even though you can't get UC benefits for the under-the-table work, you might still qualify for other assistance programs like SNAP (food stamps) or emergency rental assistance through your county. I know it's not the same as unemployment, but it can help bridge the gap while you're looking for new work. Also, don't feel bad about not knowing the tax implications - a lot of employers in the service industry take advantage of workers who don't realize they're being screwed over. You're doing the right thing by asking questions and trying to handle this properly now.

If you do file for that waiver, make sure you clearly demonstrate financial hardship. Include your monthly expenses, income, and any special circumstances (medical bills, dependents, etc.). The more specific evidence you provide, the better your chances. Also, definitely emphasize that the reporting error was your employer's mistake and not yours. If you have any documentation from your employer acknowledging the error, include that too.

Hey there! I went through something really similar about 8 months ago. The good news is that yes, you can still get relief even though you're past the initial appeal window. I was in almost the exact same boat - employer reported wrong info, got hit with a "fault" overpayment classification, and they were taking like 38% of my benefits. Here's what worked for me: I filed both the late appeal (citing that I didn't understand the process initially) AND the overpayment waiver at the same time. The waiver got approved first after about 5 weeks, and they actually refunded me about $800 that they had already deducted! The key was really documenting everything - I included my employer's written acknowledgment of their error, bank statements showing financial hardship, and a detailed timeline of what happened. Don't give up! The system is frustrating but there are definitely ways to fight this, especially when it wasn't your fault to begin with.