also make sure u have ur license or state id ready for the id.me thing. my cousin had to start over cuz he didnt have his id ready when he was doing the verification

Good news! I just checked and you'll need: - Government-issued photo ID (driver's license or state ID) - Social Security Number - Email address you can access - Phone number for verification codes If you don't have an email, the CareerLink staff can help you create one. The whole process usually takes about 15-20 minutes if everything goes smoothly. Glad to hear you got an appointment! Let us know how it goes.

I just went through this exact same process last month! Was told my claim was "expedited" after 8 weeks of waiting, and honestly I was skeptical after reading horror stories online. But I actually got lucky - took about 12 days and then I got a notification that all my back payments were approved and would be deposited within 2 business days. What really helped was calling back 3 days after they said it was expedited to confirm they actually did it (turns out the first agent never put it through). The second agent was more helpful and gave me a case number to reference. I also kept detailed notes of every call - date, time, agent name if they gave it, and exactly what they said. Don't give up hope! The "expedited" process does seem to work for some people, but definitely follow up to make sure it was actually done. And keep filing your weekly certifications no matter what - you'll get backpaid for all the weeks you were eligible once it goes through.

I'm going through this exact situation right now - 5 weeks of waiting and just got the "expedited" promise on Friday. Reading through all these experiences is both reassuring and nerve-wracking! It's wild how different everyone's timelines are, from a few days to months. I'm definitely taking notes on all the great advice here: getting a reference number for the expedite, following up in a few days to confirm it was actually submitted, and keeping detailed records of every interaction. The suggestion about contacting state reps is something I hadn't considered but makes total sense if this drags on much longer. Has anyone tried escalating through social media? Sometimes companies respond faster when complaints are public. Really hoping the "expedited" status actually means something this time around. Will update if I see any movement!

Kind of a side question but related - does anyone know if the severance affects the job search requirements? Do I still need to apply to jobs while getting severance even if my benefits are $0?

Just wanted to add my experience from when I was laid off in 2023 with severance. I filed immediately and I'm so glad I did! Even though my weekly benefits were reduced to $0 for the first 6 weeks due to severance, when the severance ended my benefits kicked in right away without any delays. The key is being super accurate when reporting your severance amounts each week - I kept detailed records of every payment. Also, don't forget that your severance might push you into a higher tax bracket temporarily, so definitely consider having taxes withheld from your UC benefits when they do start. The whole process was way less painful than I expected once I got into the routine of filing weekly claims.

I went through this exact situation about 3 months ago and it was so stressful! What I learned is that PA UC basically runs two separate systems - one for processing payments and another for managing payment preferences. When you switch from debit card to direct deposit, your preference gets updated immediately in their system, but it takes several payment cycles for the actual payment processing to catch up. During my transition, I had 3 payments go to my old debit card even after my dashboard showed direct deposit was active. The good news is that once it switches over, it's pretty reliable. Just keep checking both places and don't throw away that Money Network card until you're 100% sure all payments are going to your bank account!

I work for a local credit union and see this issue frequently with our members who receive PA UC benefits. One thing that might help reduce anxiety during the transition is to call your bank and ask them to set up text alerts for ANY incoming ACH deposits, even small ones like $0.01 test deposits. Sometimes PA UC will send a small test deposit to verify your account before sending the full payment amount. Also, make sure the routing and account numbers you provided are exactly correct - even one wrong digit will cause the payment to bounce back to the debit card system. If you have your bank statements handy, double-check those numbers in your PA UC dashboard. The transition period is definitely frustrating, but most people see their payments switch over within 2-3 payment cycles once the account verification is complete.

my boss tried to do the EXACT same thing to me but i got lucky and found another job before they could fire me. these companies think they OWN us and our time!!! the whole system is rigged against workers with families. good luck with your claim!

I'm sorry you're going through this! I had a similar situation a few months ago where I was fired for not being able to work mandatory overtime due to my elderly mother's medical appointments. The separation issue on my claim took about 3 weeks to resolve, but I was eventually approved. The key things that helped my case were: having documentation of my caregiving responsibilities (medical appointment schedules), showing that I had communicated my limitations to my supervisor in writing (emails), and demonstrating that the overtime demands were unreasonable and not part of my original job description. Since you have documented daycare late fees, that's great evidence that you had legitimate childcare obligations. Make sure to bring those receipts to your interview and emphasize that you were a reliable employee who just couldn't accommodate last-minute schedule changes due to your parental responsibilities. PA generally recognizes family care obligations as good cause. Stay strong - the system is frustrating but it does work out for legitimate cases like yours!