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PA UC question: New job accepted - Do I just stop filing or notify unemployment?
Hey everyone, I'm in a bit of a weird situation and not sure what the proper protocol is. I just accepted a job offer this morning (yay!). My previous company had us off for the summer, and I've been collecting UC benefits during this time. I've already told my old employer that I won't be returning when their summer break ends. My question is: What's the right way to handle my unemployment now? Do I just stop filing my weekly claims? Or am I supposed to formally notify PA UC somehow that I'm employed again? I don't want to mess anything up or accidentally commit fraud or something. Starting the new job in about 2 weeks.
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PA UC weekly claim confusion - reporting unknown earnings from new job?
I finally got a job offer after 5 months of unemployment (retail management). Starting next Monday! But I'm confused about my weekly claims now. When I file my weekly certification, it asks about earnings - but I'll be paid bi-weekly and won't know my exact earnings until I get my first paycheck in about 2 weeks. How am I supposed to report earnings I don't know yet? Do I estimate? Skip filing? Wait until I get paid? I don't want to mess up my remaining benefits or get hit with an overpayment. Anyone dealt with this transition back to work?
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Great job resolving this! And congratulations again on the new position. Remember to keep track of your hours carefully these first few weeks. When you receive your first paycheck, take a moment to verify everything matches up with what you reported to UC. Best of luck with the new job!
Congrats on getting the job and getting your pay rate sorted out! Just wanted to add - since you mentioned potential commission, make sure to report any commission earnings in the week you actually receive them (not when you "earn" them through sales). Commission reporting can be tricky because it's often paid in a different pay period than when the sales were made. Also, $18.50/hr is pretty decent for retail management! Hope the new position works out well for you.
PA UC weekly filing: How to report starting a new job before first paycheck?
I'm starting a new job next week after being on unemployment for about 3 months. The PA UC portal asks if you worked during the week when you file your weekly claim. My question is - how do I handle the gap between when I start working and when I actually get my first paycheck? My new job pays bi-weekly, so I'll be working for 2 full weeks before getting paid anything. I can't go 2+ weeks with no income at all! Do I still report that I'm working even though I haven't been paid yet? Will my benefits immediately stop? Really stressing about making rent next month if there's a gap in income.
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Just to add one more important point: Make sure you continue filing your weekly claims until you receive your first full paycheck and are working full-time hours. Many people stop filing as soon as they start a job, but you should continue filing (and accurately reporting your work and earnings) until you're fully employed and paid. This ensures you get any partial benefits you might be entitled to during the transition period.
Will do! So even after I start, keep filing weekly and reporting my hours/earnings accurately until I'm fully transitioned. That makes sense. Thank you so much for all the advice. I'll update here after I get through this transition period in case it helps someone else.
Good luck with the new job! Just wanted to add that you should also keep all your documentation during this transition period - save screenshots of your weekly filings, keep track of your actual hours worked and wages earned, and hold onto your first paystub when you get it. If there are any discrepancies or questions later, having that paper trail will be really helpful. PA UC can sometimes take a while to process changes in employment status, so documentation is your friend!
PA UC claim 'under review' status - Is my employer contesting? What is transitional claim type?
Hey everyone, I just logged into my PA UC dashboard and saw my claim is showing 'under review' status. Been waiting almost a week now with no updates. Does this usually mean my employer is contesting my claim? I'm really stressed about this because I need these benefits asap to cover my mortgage payment. Also, my claim type says 'transitional' but I'm not sure what that means? I was on unemployment last year for about 3 months, then found work for 8 months, and now I'm filing again. Is that why it's considered transitional? Any insights would be super helpful. Thanks!
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Quick update on transitional claims that might help others reading this thread: For 2025, PA UC has been working to speed up transitional claim processing. The standard review process is typically 10-14 calendar days now (not business days). Also worth knowing: for transitional claims, the system often needs to verify both your separation reason AND your earnings between claims. So even if your employer doesn't contest anything, the review is still necessary to confirm you've earned enough to qualify for a new claim within the same benefit year. If you see no movement after 2 weeks, that's when you should try contacting them.
This is really helpful info! I'll try to be patient for the next week or so then. Really appreciate everyone's insights on this thread - feeling much less anxious now.
I went through something similar last month! My transitional claim was under review for about 10 days and I was freaking out thinking my employer was fighting it. Turns out it was just the standard wage verification process that Emma mentioned. One thing that helped ease my anxiety was logging into the portal daily to check for any "Issues" tab or messages requiring action from me. If there's actually a contest from your employer, they'll usually post specific questions for you to respond to. Since you mentioned it was a clear layoff due to budget cuts, you should be fine. The waiting is definitely the worst part, especially when bills are due. But based on your timeline (filed 6 days ago), you're still well within the normal processing window. Hang in there!
PA UC financial relief finally approved after 9 weeks - how long until payment hits?
After what felt like an eternity (9 weeks!), my PA unemployment claim was finally approved yesterday. The portal status changed from 'pending' to 'active' and shows my weekly benefit amount. I'm beyond relieved but also super anxious about when I'll actually see the money. My savings are completely depleted and I'm behind on rent. Does anyone know how long it typically takes for the first payment to arrive after approval? Will I receive the backpay for all 9 weeks at once or will it be staggered? I've been filing weekly claims this whole time even though I was in limbo.
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dont forget u still have to file ur weekly claims even tho ur waiting for payment
Yep, I've been filing every week diligently even during the 9 weeks I was pending. Didn't want to miss out on any weeks I'm eligible for!
Just a quick update check - has your payment come through yet? Should have hit your account by now if everything's processing normally.
Yes!! The money showed up this morning - all 9 weeks of backpay! Such an enormous relief. Thanks everyone for your help and support during this stressful time.
That's fantastic news! So happy to hear you finally got your payment. 9 weeks of backpay must have been a huge relief, especially with rent hanging over your head. Thanks for updating us - it gives hope to others still waiting in the system. Glad you stuck with it and kept filing those weekly claims!
Simon White
Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! I'm going to continue filing my weekly claims until I actually start my new job. Then on that certification, I'll indicate that I've returned to full-time work. Seems like this is the proper way to handle it and will avoid any potential issues if I ever need to file again in the future.
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Hugo Kass
Perfect plan. And congratulations again on the new job!
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Nia Williams
Great advice from everyone here! Just wanted to add that when you do file that final certification indicating you've returned to work, make sure to save a screenshot or print confirmation for your records. I've heard of cases where people had proof they properly closed their claim when questions came up later. Also, if your new job doesn't work out for any reason and you need to reopen your claim within a year, having that proper closure documented can make the process much smoother. Best of luck with the new position!
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