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Yes, the Sunday filings are your weekly certifications. Make sure when you do those, you're answering the work search question correctly. If you say you didn't complete work search activities when required, it will disqualify you for that week's benefits.
Just want to add that if you're in graphic design, don't overlook updating your portfolio on sites like Behance, Dribbble, or even LinkedIn - these count as work search activities! I've been updating mine weekly and documenting it. Also, reaching out to staffing agencies that specialize in creative roles is another good activity to track. Many of them in PA work with graphic designers for both temp and permanent positions. The key is being proactive about different types of activities so you're not just relying on job applications when openings are slim.
This is great advice! I'm also in a creative field and hadn't thought about portfolio updates counting as work search activities. Do you know if there's a specific way I should document these activities? Like should I take screenshots of the updates or just note the date and what I changed? I want to make sure I have proper proof if they audit me later.
Great to see you got your payment! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - been waiting 5 weeks for my examiner call after my employer appeal. Seeing success stories like yours gives me hope. Quick question though - when the examiner called you, did they resolve everything on that same call or did you have to wait for additional processing after speaking with them? Just trying to get an idea of the timeline once I finally get my call.
Hey! The examiner was able to resolve everything during that one call, which took about 15 minutes. She said my employer never responded to their requests for information, so she ruled in my favor based on my documentation. The payment showed up in my portal literally the next day after our call. Hang in there - 5 weeks is rough but once you get that call things should move quickly! Make sure you have all your paperwork ready when they do call.
One more thing about your UC claim - make sure you answer the weekly certification questions correctly. If you make a mistake it can delay payments. The question about being "able and available for work" means physically able to work and available (not on vacation). Also, report ANY earnings during the week you earned them, not when you get paid. These are common mistakes that cause payment delays.
Hey Aisha, I'm really sorry you're going through this - I know how scary it is to lose your job and insurance at the same time. I went through something similar last fall and wanted to share what worked for me. First, definitely apply for Medicaid online like Carmen suggested - don't trust what they tell you over the phone. The income calculation is more complex than they make it sound, and they look at your projected annual income, not just that one final paycheck. For your medications, while you're waiting for coverage to kick in, check if your doctor has any samples or if the manufacturer has a savings program. My doctor gave me a 30-day supply of samples when I explained my situation, which bought me time to get my new insurance sorted out. Also, some pharmacies (like Walmart and Costco) have really cheap generic programs - like $4 for a 30-day supply of common medications. Might be worth asking your pharmacist if your meds are available as generics on one of those programs. The healthcare.gov Special Enrollment Period is definitely your backup if Medicaid doesn't work out. You have 60 days from losing coverage to enroll, so don't panic about timing. You've got this! It feels overwhelming now but there are options. Keep us posted on how it goes!
Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! Just to summarize what I understand now: 1) Keep filing weekly claims, 2) Report my gross earnings for when I WORKED, not when paid, 3) They'll deduct 40% of my earnings from my benefit, 4) I still need to do two work search activities each week, and 5) My part-time job doesn't count as a work search activity. This is much clearer now!
You've got it exactly right! That's a perfect summary of how partial unemployment works in PA. One small tip I'd add - when you're doing your weekly certification, make sure you're consistent with how you calculate your weekly earnings. If you work different hours each week, just report the actual gross pay for that specific week. Also, since you mentioned your benefit rate is $425 and you'll be earning about $380 weekly, you should still get around $273 in UC benefits each week (like Connor mentioned), which combined with your part-time pay should help bridge the gap until hopefully you can get back to full-time hours. Good luck with everything!
This is really reassuring - thank you for breaking it down so clearly! I feel much more confident about navigating this situation now. The math actually works out better than I initially thought. Getting $273 in UC benefits plus my $380 from part-time work means I'll still have decent income while I look for something full-time. Really appreciate everyone taking the time to help explain this!
Lucy Lam
Glad to see your transaction number showed up! Just wanted to add for anyone else reading this - if you're having trouble accessing your PA UC dashboard or getting logged in, make sure you're using the correct URL (uc.pa.gov) and try clearing your browser cache. I had issues for days thinking my claim didn't go through when it was just a browser problem. Also, if you're like me and tend to overthink things, screenshot your transaction number once it appears - gives you peace of mind to have that confirmation saved!
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Zoe Stavros
•Great tip about screenshotting the transaction number! I'm definitely one to overthink things so having that saved confirmation will help me sleep better lol. Also good point about the browser cache - I've had similar issues with other government websites where clearing cache fixed login problems.
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Liam Mendez
Adding to what others have said - I just went through this process last month. The transaction number appeared for me in about 18 hours, but here's something nobody mentioned: make sure you have your SS card and driver's license ready for the ID verification step that comes next. PA UC uses ID.me and it can be pretty picky about document quality. I had to retake photos of my documents 3 times because of lighting/blur issues. Also, don't panic if you see "monetary determination pending" for a while - that's totally normal and just means they're calculating your benefit amount based on your work history.
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AstroExplorer
•Thanks for the heads up about ID.me being picky with document photos! I haven't gotten to that step yet but I'll definitely make sure I have good lighting and a steady hand when I take those pictures. Good to know about the "monetary determination pending" status too - I would have probably freaked out seeing that without your warning. This whole process has so many steps I never knew about before!
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