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UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at the UC office this morning! After being on hold for almost 2 hours (ugh). They confirmed I do have an overpayment notice for $4,750 from March 8. The agent said they'll mail me a new copy and noted in my file that I'm planning to appeal. They're giving me until April 5th to submit my appeal (yay for the extension!). Apparently they're claiming I didn't provide adequate proof of self-employment income for some weeks, even though I swear I uploaded all my 1099s and bank statements. At least now I know what I'm dealing with. Thanks everyone for your help!
That's great news that you got through and have a clear deadline now! The self-employment income verification issue is super common with PUA claims. When you get that new letter, pay close attention to which specific weeks they're questioning. Sometimes they want very specific documentation formats - like profit/loss statements or detailed invoices rather than just bank deposits. You might want to reach out to a tax preparer or accountant who's familiar with self-employment documentation to help strengthen your appeal. Good luck with April 5th!
So glad you got through and have a path forward! @fc89033d6fb5 Just a heads up - when you're preparing your appeal documentation, organize everything chronologically by week and make sure each document clearly shows the date and income amount. I went through something similar and the appeals officer really appreciated having everything laid out clearly. Also, if you have any emails or correspondence from when you originally submitted those documents, include those too as proof you did submit them on time. The April 5th deadline gives you plenty of time to put together a solid appeal package!
Congrats on getting through! That's a huge relief that you have a clear deadline now. Just wanted to add - when you're gathering your self-employment documentation for the appeal, make sure you also include any correspondence or confirmations from when you originally uploaded those documents. Sometimes the system glitches and doesn't properly save files, but if you have screenshots or email confirmations showing you submitted everything on time, that can really help your case. Also, consider requesting a phone hearing rather than just a written appeal if that's an option - it gives you a chance to explain your situation directly to the hearing officer. You've got this!
If you're concerned about the timeline, you can also check your PA UC dashboard for any updates. Sometimes they'll post messages about the review status there before you receive anything by mail. Regarding potential future reviews - they typically don't repeat this process unless there's a significant change in your reporting pattern or you have a new employer. The system is designed to verify once, then trust the established pattern unless something changes.
I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Just started a part-time job at a retail store and after 3 weeks of partial payments, I got the review form last week. It's so stressful not knowing when the money will come through, especially when you're already struggling financially. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's reassuring to know this is normal and not something I did wrong. Keeping my fingers crossed it resolves in the 2-3 week timeframe most of you mentioned!
Yes! Finally got it resolved. Had to speak to an actual person at UC who manually fixed the payment routing issue. They reissued the payment to my correct direct deposit account, and it should arrive Monday. Used the Claimyr service to get through on the phone after days of trying unsuccessfully on my own.
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who helped Daniel with this issue! I'm bookmarking this thread because it seems like this payment routing glitch is becoming more common. The detailed explanation from Ella about what's happening behind the scenes was really eye-opening - I had no idea the system could get stuck like that between payment methods. And good to know about the Claimyr service as a backup option if the regular phone lines are jammed. Hopefully PA gets this bug fixed soon so people don't have to go through all this stress just to get their benefits!
my brother had his wage garnished for unemployment overpayment so watch out for that too if u have a job
That's correct. If tax refund interception doesn't cover the full amount, PA UC can pursue wage garnishment, but they typically only do this after other collection attempts have failed. They must provide notice before beginning garnishment, and there are limits to how much they can take from each paycheck.
I'm in a very similar situation - just got hit with a $3,800 PUA overpayment notice from 2021 that I never knew about until last week. I've been reading through all these responses and it's really helpful to see everyone's experiences. From what I'm gathering, it sounds like the key is to act FAST before they process any tax intercepts. I'm going to try calling that overpayment collections number tomorrow morning and also look into that PUA waiver program that Rudy mentioned. Has anyone had success getting through to them early in the morning or is there a better time to call? I've been trying for days with no luck getting through.
I've had the best luck calling right when they open at 8am - usually get through within 15-20 minutes instead of hours of busy signals. Also try calling on Tuesdays or Wednesdays if possible, Mondays are always swamped. When you do get through, have all your paperwork ready including your notice, social security number, and any documentation about your original claim. The agents are actually pretty helpful once you finally reach one - it's just the getting through part that's brutal! Good luck and definitely pursue that PUA waiver option too, sounds promising for pandemic-related overpayments.
Adrian Connor
I'm so glad to hear you got it resolved! This gives me hope for my own situation. I accidentally selected "yes" to refusing suitable work last week when I meant to click "no" - was filing on my phone and my thumb slipped. Now I'm in the same boat with my claim under review. I've been calling nonstop but can't get through. Did the Claimyr service cost anything? And how quickly were you able to get connected? I'm really stressing because rent is due in a few days and this is my only income right now.
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Connor Richards
•Hey Adrian! I totally understand the stress - I was in the exact same panic mode when this happened to me. Claimyr does cost a small fee (I think it was around $20-25) but honestly it was worth every penny to avoid weeks of uncertainty. I got connected to a UC rep within about 30 minutes, which is a miracle compared to the regular phone lines. The whole call took maybe 10 minutes and they fixed it on the spot. Since rent is due soon, I'd definitely recommend trying it - much faster than waiting for an email response or hoping to get lucky with the regular phone system. Keep filing your weekly claims while you wait though!
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Paolo Rizzo
Wow, this is exactly what I needed to see! I'm dealing with the same nightmare right now - accidentally clicked "yes" to being absent from work when filing my weekly claim three days ago. My heart sank when I saw that review message pop up. I've been calling the UC office every hour on the hour but just get busy signals or disconnected after waiting forever. Reading through all these responses is giving me some hope though. Sounds like this mistake is way more common than I thought! I'm definitely going to try that live chat option first thing tomorrow morning, and if that doesn't work I might have to bite the bullet and try that Claimyr service. Twenty-five dollars is definitely better than missing rent payments while waiting weeks for this to get sorted out. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's such a relief to know I'm not the only one who's made this stupid mistake with PA's confusing system!
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Talia Klein
•You're definitely not alone in this! I just went through the exact same thing last month and was absolutely panicking too. The PA UC system seems deliberately designed to confuse people with these poorly worded questions. I also tried the live chat route but couldn't get through - it fills up so fast in the morning. Ended up using Claimyr after reading about it here and honestly, best $25 I've spent in a long time. Got connected to someone who immediately understood it was just a simple mistake and cleared the review flag. The whole process from payment to getting connected to resolution took less than an hour. Definitely keep filing your weekly claims while you're waiting though - that's super important! You'll get through this, just hang in there.
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