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Congratulations on landing the new job! I just went through this exact situation about 2 weeks ago and had all the same worries. Everyone here is giving you perfect advice - you absolutely don't need to formally "close" your claim. Just stop filing your weekly certifications once you start working full-time, and that's it! The system automatically handles everything else. Since you're starting Monday, definitely file for this current week (since you haven't earned anything yet), and then you're all done with the weekly routine. Your claim stays open for the full benefit year as a backup, which is actually really nice to know it's there just in case. I took a screenshot of my last certification and wrote down my final filing date and job start date in my phone - probably not necessary but it gave me peace of mind. The hardest part was honestly remembering NOT to file the next week after it had become such an automatic habit! Best of luck with your new position - it feels amazing to be done with those weekly filings and back to regular work life! 🎉
Congratulations on your new job too! It's so helpful to hear from someone who literally just went through this process 2 weeks ago. The timing couldn't be better for getting your perspective! I'm definitely feeling much more at ease about everything after reading through all these responses. You're absolutely right about taking that screenshot and noting the dates - better to have the documentation and not need it than the other way around. I can totally see how the weekly filing would become such an ingrained habit that you'd have to actively remind yourself to stop! Thanks for sharing your recent experience and for the congratulations. This whole thread has been such a lifesaver for my peace of mind! 🎉
Congratulations on your new job! I'm actually in a very similar situation - just received an offer this week and was stressing about the exact same thing. After reading through all these helpful responses, it's clear that I was way overthinking the process too. The consensus is so consistent: just stop filing weekly certifications once you start working full-time, and the system handles the rest automatically. Your claim stays open as a safety net for the full benefit year, but goes inactive when you stop certifying. Since you're starting Monday, filing for this current week and then stopping makes perfect sense. It's such a relief to see so many people who've successfully navigated this transition! Thanks for asking this question - you've helped more than just yourself. Here's to both of us moving forward with confidence! 🎉
I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Just started collecting UC two weeks ago and was completely panicking when I noticed $19 being taken out of my $417 weekly benefit. I thought there was some kind of error or that I'd messed up something during my application. Reading through all these comments has been such a huge relief - it's definitely the federal tax withholding that I must have selected when I first applied. Like everyone else here, I was so overwhelmed during the application process that I barely remember what options I chose! Just logged into my dashboard to check the Payment History section that everyone mentioned, and sure enough, there's the breakdown showing my gross benefit, the tax deduction, and net payment. You're all absolutely right that PA's UC system needs to do way better at explaining this upfront - would have saved me so much unnecessary stress this week! Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and making this community such a helpful resource for navigating the confusing parts of UC.
I'm so glad I found this thread! I just started collecting UC last week and noticed the exact same $20 difference between my determination letter ($465) and what actually hit my ReliaCard ($445). I was honestly starting to panic thinking I'd made some mistake on my application or there was a system error. Reading through everyone's explanations about federal tax withholding has been incredibly reassuring - I completely forgot about selecting that option during my initial application since the whole process was so overwhelming. Just checked my Payment History in the dashboard and there it is - the full breakdown showing gross benefit, -$20 federal tax, and net payment exactly like everyone described. Definitely keeping the withholding active since I really don't want to deal with a surprise tax bill next year. Thank you all for taking the time to explain this so clearly - this community has been a lifesaver for understanding the confusing parts of the UC system!
Welcome to the community Keisha! I'm also relatively new to UC and went through this exact same panic about a month ago when I first noticed that tax withholding deduction. It's honestly incredible how universal this experience seems to be - reading through all these comments really shows that PA's system leaves pretty much everyone confused about this! I'm so glad you found the Payment History section helpful for seeing the breakdown. That was a game changer for me too when I was trying to figure out where my money went. You made the right call keeping the withholding active - I did the same thing after everyone here explained how much better it is than getting hit with a massive tax bill later. This community really has been amazing for navigating all the confusing aspects of the UC system. Hope everything goes smoothly with your future payments!
Thanks everyone for the info! At least now I understand what's happening. Still annoyed I have to wait so long for that first week payment, but at least I know I'll get it eventually. I'll keep claiming my weeks and hope the second week payment comes through soon.
Just make sure you continue filing your weekly/biweekly claims on time and meet all the work search requirements! You need to do at least 2 work search activities per week (applying for jobs, attending job fairs, etc.) and keep records of them. PA will randomly audit people so keep good notes.
I went through the same thing when I first started claiming! That "Not Applicable" status is definitely confusing - I thought there was an error with my claim too. Just to add to what others have said, make sure you keep track of when your benefit year started because that waiting week payment will come exactly one year later (or when you exhaust benefits if that happens first). I set a reminder in my phone so I wouldn't forget about it. Also, your second week should process normally and you should see that payment within a few days if there are no other issues with your claim.
That's really helpful advice about setting a reminder! I definitely would have forgotten about it by then. Quick question - when you say the second week should process normally, how long did it actually take for you to see the money? I'm trying to budget and figure out when I can expect it to hit my account.
Just adding my experience here - I've been using the Money Network card for about 6 months now and honestly the best combo I've found is having both the app AND knowing the text method (BAL to 22622). The app is great when you're at home and want to see transaction history, but the text thing is clutch when you're in line at the store and just need a quick balance check. Also, pro tip: screenshot your balance when you check it so you don't have to keep looking it up every few minutes while shopping. Saved me from some embarrassing card declines at checkout!
Great strategy! I just started using both methods too after reading all these tips. The screenshot idea is genius - I was definitely that person constantly rechecking my balance while shopping and holding up the line. Having both options has been a lifesaver, especially when one method isn't working for whatever reason. Thanks for sharing your experience!
This thread has been super helpful! I just got my Money Network card yesterday and was totally lost on how to check the balance. Tried the app first based on everyone's recommendations and it worked perfectly - way easier than I expected. Also set up those alerts that @Megan D'Acosta mentioned and already got a notification about my first deposit hitting the card. Really appreciate everyone sharing all these different methods (especially that text option to 22622 - so simple!). Makes dealing with this whole unemployment process a little less stressful when you have a community like this to help navigate it all.
Welcome to the Money Network card club! 😅 It's definitely overwhelming at first but you've got the hang of it already. This community has been such a lifesaver for figuring out all the little tricks and workarounds. The alerts are seriously game-changing - no more constantly wondering if your payment went through. And yeah, having multiple ways to check your balance is clutch because something always seems to go wrong with at least one method at any given time. Glad you found the thread helpful and hope your unemployment journey gets smoother from here!
Henry Delgado
I just wanted to add one more option that saved me when I was in a similar situation - if you have access to a computer or smartphone, try clearing your browser cache and cookies, then attempt to log into the PA UC website again. Sometimes the system glitches and thinks you're still logged in with old session data, which can cause PIN errors even when you're entering it correctly. Also, if you're tech-savvy, check if your browser has saved any old login credentials - you might have your PIN stored in your password manager without realizing it. I found mine saved in Chrome's password settings after thinking it was completely lost! The early morning PAT calling strategy that others mentioned is definitely your best bet though. I had success calling at 7:15 AM on a Tuesday - got through on the second ring. Just make sure you're calling from a quiet place where you can concentrate, because some of those automated prompts are hard to hear clearly. You're going to get through this! The combination of all the advice in this thread should definitely get you sorted out quickly.
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Zainab Abdulrahman
•That's such a clever tech tip! I never would have thought to check my browser's saved passwords - you're right that I might have stored my PIN without realizing it. I'm going to try clearing my cache and checking Chrome's password manager right now before I do anything else. The point about calling from a quiet place is really important too since I was planning to call from my car, but you're right that those automated prompts can be hard to hear. I think I'll set up at my kitchen table with a pen and paper ready instead. This whole thread has given me so many different approaches to try - between the browser tricks, early morning PAT calls, and the CareerLink backup plan, I'm feeling really confident that one of these will work. Thank you for adding another helpful option to the mix!
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Javier Torres
I've been following this thread and wow, what an incredible resource this has become! As someone who's helped family members through PA UC issues before, I wanted to add one more perspective that might be helpful. If you're feeling overwhelmed by all the options (which is totally understandable), here's what I'd recommend as the simplest path forward: Try the browser cache clearing and password manager check that Henry mentioned first - it takes 2 minutes and might solve everything instantly. If that doesn't work, call PAT at exactly 7 AM tomorrow with all your info ready. If you can't get through or get confused with the prompts, then head to CareerLink as your backup plan. The key thing to remember is that you have legitimate "good cause" for missing your deadline, and PA UC does accommodate these situations. I've seen people stress themselves into panic attacks over this stuff when the reality is much more manageable than it seems. One last tip from my experience helping others: when you do get this resolved, take a screenshot or photo of your confirmation page/number and also write it down on paper. Having multiple copies of that confirmation has saved people I know when there were payment processing delays later. You're going to get through this! This community has given you a complete roadmap to success.
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