Pennsylvania Unemployment
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PA UC overpayment from 2 years ago - will they take my tax refund?
I just found out I have an overpayment from my pandemic unemployment (PUA) from about 2 years ago. I never received any letters about this until now, and I'm completely freaking out! The notice says I owe $4,250 back to the state. I don't have that kind of money right now, and I'm worried they're going to take my tax refund this year. Does anyone know how to set up a payment plan for this? Is there any way to appeal after so much time has passed? Or am I definitely going to lose my tax refund? Any help would be really appreciated because I was counting on that money for some car repairs.
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PA UC payment delay: Direct deposit changed to ReliaCard without my authorization?
Really frustrated right now! I filed my weekly PA UC claim on Sunday like always, but it's Thursday and I STILL haven't received my payment. I've been getting direct deposit for months without any issues (usually hits my account Tuesday morning), but when I checked my payment information today, it shows that my payment method was changed to the ReliaCard a few weeks ago?? I never authorized this change! I checked the ReliaCard balance and there's nothing there either. Has anyone else experienced this? Is the system just being slow this week, or did someone mess with my account? What's the fastest way to get this fixed? I've got bills due tomorrow and was counting on this money.
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did you fix it??? having the same problem starting this week
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!
PA UC payment missing after switching from ReliaCard to direct deposit - 3 weeks no money
Hey folks, I'm seriously stressed out about my unemployment payments. When I was on the ReliaCard system, my payments always hit like clockwork every Wednesday. But when PA announced they were switching from ReliaCard to that new Money Network card, I decided to just go with direct deposit instead of dealing with another card. That was THREE WEEKS ago! I've filed my weekly claims like normal, and each time the system tells me "you should expect to get paid this week" but NOTHING is showing up! No deposits to my bank account and definitely no paper checks in my mail. I've triple-checked my banking info in the portal (routing/account numbers are 100% correct) and verified my mailing address is current too. Has anyone else had payment delays after switching from ReliaCard to direct deposit? I've got bills piling up and can't get through to anyone on the phone. Starting to panic here!
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Just checking back - did you have any luck uploading your bank verification documents or getting through to someone? The bank statement upload suggestion is actually really good advice and can speed things up considerably.
Yes! I uploaded my bank statement AND used the Claimyr service to get through to an agent this morning. The agent confirmed there was a verification hold due to the payment method change, but they were able to clear it after verifying my identity and bank info. She said I should receive all my back payments within 2-3 business days! Such a relief. Thanks to everyone who helped!
That's awesome news Connor! So glad you got it resolved. For anyone else dealing with this issue, it sounds like the key steps are: 1) Check for open issues in your dashboard (especially "payment method verification"), 2) Upload bank verification documents if available, and 3) Try to speak with an agent to expedite the process. Good to know the system does work eventually, even if it's frustrating waiting weeks without communication about what's happening behind the scenes.
PA UC system keeps saying my birth date is incorrect when filing new claim - stuck in error loop
I'm at my wit's end trying to file a new unemployment claim in PA! The system keeps giving me an error message saying my date of birth is incorrect, but I KNOW it's right! I've triple-checked and re-entered it at least 10 times exactly as it appears on my license (MM/DD/YYYY format). Every single time I get the same error and can't proceed to the next screen. Has anyone else dealt with this? Is there some weird formatting trick I'm missing? This is so frustrating because I really need to get this claim filed ASAP as my savings are almost gone after being laid off last week.
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UPDATE: Finally got through to PA UC! Turns out there WAS a data mismatch - they had my birth year wrong by one digit in their system (had me born in 1982 instead of 1983). The rep fixed it on their end and I was able to complete my claim right away. For anyone else having this issue, definitely call them - there's no way to fix it yourself online.
That's great news! Did you use the regular phone line or that Claimyr service someone mentioned? Wondering for future reference because I've got a benefits year ending soon and will probably need to file again.
I used Claimyr and it actually worked! Got a call back within a few hours instead of spending days trying to get through. Definitely worth it for anyone stuck in my situation. Now I'm just waiting for my claim to be processed - keeping my fingers crossed there aren't any more issues!
Thanks for updating us! Make sure you file your weekly certifications on time while you're waiting for the initial claim to process. Sometimes people think they need to wait for approval before filing weekly, but you should start right away.
Glad you got it sorted out! @705d260b7646 Your experience might help others - could you share roughly how long the whole process took from when you first called to when your claim was approved? I'm dealing with a similar data mismatch issue and trying to set realistic expectations for myself.
PA UC appeal decision reversed in my favor! How do I get my 8 weeks of backpay?
Just got the BEST news today! After fighting with PA unemployment for nearly 3 months, my appeal decision finally came through and they reversed my initial disqualification!! I'm actually eligible for benefits! My former employer had claimed I quit but I was able to prove I was laid off due to department restructuring. So what happens next?? I have 8 weeks of back payments due from December through January (I started a new job beginning of February). Do these payments just automatically show up on my Money Network card? Do I need to file something special to trigger the backpay? Anyone been through this appeals reversal process before? I'm honestly in shock that I actually won my appeal. The hearing examiner seemed pretty skeptical during my phone hearing.
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Just wanted to say congrats on winning your appeal! I've been fighting my own appeal for 10 weeks now and still waiting. It's so frustrating. Did you have a lawyer for your hearing or did you represent yourself?
I just represented myself. My advice is to gather as much documentation as possible. I had emails from my manager about the department restructuring that really helped my case. Good luck with your appeal!
Quick update on my earlier comment - when you file those backdated weeks, make sure you answer the questions exactly the same way you would have at the time. Like if they ask if you were able and available to work, say yes (assuming you were). The system might flag your claim for review if your answers don't make sense for someone who was unemployed at the time. Also, once you do get all your backdated weeks processed, the payments usually come all at once, not spread out. So be on the lookout for a larger deposit to your Money Network card.
This is super helpful! I just managed to get through to someone at the UC center (had to call right when they opened at 8am). They said my appeal decision is in the system but there was some kind of flag that needed to be removed before I could access the backdated weeks. Should be able to file them by tomorrow. So relieved I didn't miss the deadline!
That's awesome news! So glad you got through to them and got that flag removed. The 8am call strategy is definitely the way to go - I've noticed they're much more responsive first thing in the morning before the phone lines get completely jammed. Hope you get all those backdated weeks filed smoothly and see that money hit your card soon!
Sienna Gomez
my brother had his wage garnished for unemployment overpayment so watch out for that too if u have a job
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Daryl Bright
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.
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Dylan Wright
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.
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