This is y i always transfer my UC money to my regular bank account as soon as it hits the card. dont trust these government cards AT ALL

Glad you got it sorted out! For future reference, PA UC also has a text alert system you can sign up for that will notify you about system outages and maintenance. You can enable it in your UC dashboard under notification preferences. Would have saved you (and all of us) a lot of stress! Also seconding the automatic transfer suggestion - I've been doing that for months and it's been a lifesaver.

I'm really sorry you're going through this - the stress of waiting while bills pile up is absolutely awful. Based on everyone's experiences in this thread, it sounds like you actually have a solid case since you had that written job offer with a specific start date. The fact that the position was eliminated due to budget cuts (not anything you did wrong) should work in your favor. A few things that might help while you wait: definitely try to get that email from the company confirming why the position was eliminated - even a brief response could strengthen your case significantly. Also, keep answering all unknown phone calls since examiners apparently call from random numbers. And don't lose hope if you get an initial denial - seems like a lot of people here won on appeal for similar situations. The waiting process is clearly broken and way too stressful, but you're doing everything right with the documentation and job search. Hoping you hear good news soon and can get some relief from this nightmare situation!

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago and want to give you some hope! I had a written job offer, resigned from my previous position, then the company had a "restructuring" and eliminated my role just 3 days before my start date. PA UC initially denied me after about 5 weeks, but I immediately appealed and won. The appeal hearing was actually pretty straightforward - the hearing officer understood that I had a legitimate job offer and the position was eliminated through no fault of my own. Key things that helped my case: 1) The written offer letter with specific start date and salary, 2) My resignation letter that mentioned the new position, and 3) I managed to get an email from HR at the new company confirming the position was eliminated due to budget cuts. Even though it was just a brief 2-sentence email, it made all the difference. Total time from filing to getting approved was about 12 weeks, but I did get full backpay for all eligible weeks. The financial stress during that time was brutal, but it worked out in the end. Don't give up if you get initially denied - your case sounds very similar to mine and these situations often get approved on appeal. Keep documenting everything and stay strong!

Thank you everyone for the advice! I'm going to appeal to the Board of Review within the 15-day window and gather all my documentation about the transportation issues. I'll also prepare myself for having to repay just in case the appeal doesn't work out. If anyone has gone through the Board of Review appeal process and has specific tips, I'd really appreciate hearing them.

I went through a Board of Review appeal last year and wanted to share some tips that helped me. Make sure your written statement is organized - I used headings like "Facts" and "Legal Arguments" to make it easy to follow. Include copies of ALL your documentation with your appeal, even if you submitted some at the referee hearing. The Board doesn't always have access to everything from the lower level. One thing that really helped my case was showing a pattern of good attendance before the issues started, and demonstrating concrete steps I took to fix the transportation problems. If you have any emails or texts with your employer about the tardiness or your efforts to resolve it, definitely include those. The whole process took about 6-8 weeks for me to get a decision. Even though it's stressful, the Board really does look at cases with fresh eyes. My referee decision got overturned because they found my employer didn't follow their progressive discipline policy properly. Keep your hopes up but prepare for both outcomes!

i think it also depends on how much ur severance was? my cousin got like 6 months severance from his company and he couldnt get UC until that was all used up but if its just 1 week maybe its different idk the rules are weird

Just went through this exact same thing 2 months ago! Definitely upload BOTH stubs. I made the mistake of only uploading my regular final paycheck at first and got a message back asking specifically for "all separation payments including severance." Had to resubmit and it delayed everything by like 3 weeks. The system flags incomplete documentation automatically when they cross-check with what your employer reported. Save yourself the headache and just include everything from the start - regular pay stub, severance stub, any unused PTO payments, everything. They'd rather see too much than too little!

Good news! Just got the determination letter today and I was APPROVED! The UC examiner said my employer didn't provide sufficient evidence that I committed willful misconduct. They said performance issues without proper documentation and warnings don't constitute misconduct under PA law. Thank you everyone for your help and support through this stressful process! First payment should arrive next week.

Congratulations! This is such a relief to read. Your case gives me hope since my situation sounds almost identical. I'm still waiting for my determination letter after my employer contested my claim with similar vague accusations. It's reassuring to know that PA UC actually does look for real evidence of misconduct rather than just taking the employer's word for it. Thanks for sharing the positive outcome!