I'm in a very similar situation right now - remote worker for a company in another state but living and working from PA. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! It sounds like the consensus is definitely to file in PA since that's where you physically performed the work. The wage investigation issue seems to be totally normal for interstate situations like this. I'm bookmarking this thread because I have a feeling I might need to reference it if I end up in the same boat. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's so reassuring to know there are others who have successfully navigated this process!

I'm going through the exact same situation right now! Remote worker for a California company but living and working from my home in PA. I just got laid off last week and was completely confused about where to file. This thread has been a lifesaver - I had no idea about the wage investigation process or that it was normal for interstate situations. I'm definitely going to file in PA based on all the advice here. It's so helpful to see that multiple people have successfully navigated this process. The tip about uploading W-2s and pay stubs right away seems really smart. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's given me confidence that this will work out even if there's a waiting period for the wage verification!

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.

You're correct about how Pennsylvania unemployment benefits work! Your benefit year is indeed 52 weeks, but you can only receive payments for a maximum of 26 weeks within that year. If you pick up per diem work, you can absolutely skip filing for benefits during weeks you work (or when your earnings would disqualify you), and then resume claiming during weeks when you're not working or have reduced hours. This is a common situation and won't affect your overall eligibility as long as you're within your 52-week benefit year. A few important things to know: - When working part-time or per diem, you must report all earnings when filing your weekly claims - Pennsylvania has a partial benefit credit - you can earn up to 30% of your weekly benefit amount without reduction (this is called the "earnings allowance") - If you earn more than your allowance but less than your weekly benefit amount plus the allowance, you'll receive reduced benefits that week - If you earn more than your weekly benefit amount plus the allowance, you won't receive benefits for that week, but you won't lose weeks of eligibility Make sure to accurately report all earnings during any week you file a claim. The system will calculate if you qualify for full benefits, partial benefits, or no benefits that week. If you have specific questions about your situation, you can contact the PA UC service center at 1-888-313-7284 or check your benefit details in your online account at www.uc.pa.gov.

This is really helpful information! I'm in a similar situation and had been wondering about this exact scenario. Just to clarify - when you say we need to report earnings during weeks we file claims, does that include if I work just one day that week? And is there a minimum amount that needs to be reported, or do we report everything no matter how small? Also, I noticed you mentioned the 30% earnings allowance - is that calculated based on the gross pay or net pay from the per diem work? I want to make sure I understand this correctly before I start taking on any temporary work. Thanks for breaking this down so clearly!

Just wanted to follow up - if you do mail or fax your appeal, you should include: 1. Your full name 2. The last 4 digits of your SSN 3. Your address and phone number 4. The date of the determination letter you're appealing 5. The reason you disagree with the determination 6. Any evidence that supports your position Also, keep calling the appeals office at 717-787-5122 while you're waiting. Sometimes they can process an appeal over the phone.

This is such a common issue with the PA UC system! I had similar problems last year when trying to file my initial claim - the website would randomly error out or time out completely. It's really stressful when you're dealing with deadlines and can't get basic functions to work. For future reference, you can also try accessing the site during off-peak hours (like early morning or late evening) when there's less traffic on their servers. Sometimes the errors are just from the system being overloaded. Really glad to see you got it sorted out at CareerLink though! Those offices are a lifesaver when the online systems fail. Good luck with your appeal hearing - make sure to gather any documentation you have that contradicts their misconduct claim (emails, witness statements, company policies, etc.). The burden is on them to prove misconduct, not on you to prove innocence.

why dont u just go to ur local careerlink office? they can sometimes help with uc issues and u dont have to wait on the phone. thats what i did when i had problems last year

Just checking in - were you able to get this resolved? I'm curious if you found out what the employment separation issue was.