One more thing to be aware of: if you made ANY errors on your weekly certification forms, the system sometimes flags the payment and defaults back to a paper check. This happens especially if you report part-time work or job search activities in a way that triggers their verification system. For future reference, always double-check your weekly certifications before submitting.

I had the exact same thing happen to me! Got approved after 6 weeks of waiting and was so excited to see the direct deposit hit my account, but nope - paper check showed up instead. I was worried I messed something up during the application process but it sounds like this is just how PA UC operates. Really wish they would mention this somewhere on their website or during the filing process so people aren't caught off guard. At least we're finally getting paid though! Going to keep an eye on my next payment to see if it switches to direct deposit like everyone says it should.

@OP to answer ur question from earlier - yes i won my appeal! they started paying me like 10 days after i got the decision letter. backpay came all at once on my unemployment card thing

I'm in a similar situation right now - had my appeal hearing last week and my employer was a complete no-show too! The referee seemed really annoyed that they wasted everyone's time. From what I've been reading online, it seems like employer no-shows are actually pretty common in PA UC appeals. One thing that helped me feel more confident during the hearing was that the referee explained they can only make decisions based on evidence that's actually presented. So if your employer didn't show up AND didn't submit any strong documentation beforehand, that really works in your favor. I'm also anxiously waiting for my decision - it's only been 5 days but feels like forever when you're stressed about money! Keep us posted on how it goes for you. Fingers crossed we both get good news soon!

And DON'T FORGET they require job search activities EVERY WEEK now. You have to apply to at least 2 jobs and do 1 other "work search activity" EVERY. SINGLE. WEEK. Miss one week and they can deny your benefits!!!

Just wanted to add - if you're still confused about your specific situation, you can also check your wage records online through the PA UC portal before applying. Go to the PA UC website and look for "View Wage Records" or something similar. It will show you exactly what wages they have on file for each quarter, so you can calculate if you meet the minimum requirements. This saved me a lot of stress because I could see my exact earnings for each quarter in 2024 before filing. Also, make sure all your employers reported your wages correctly - I found one employer had the wrong SSN on file which delayed my claim!

Update: I was in the exact same situation (cafeteria worker, summer break claim under review) and JUST got approved yesterday after almost 4 weeks waiting. They didn't even contact me for additional information - it just switched from "under review" to "approved" overnight. Received all my backpay for the weeks I'd been filing too. Hang in there!

I'm a school bus driver going through the exact same thing right now - claim has been under review for 2.5 weeks. Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really helpful because I was starting to panic that something was wrong with my application. It sounds like the 4-6 week timeline is pretty standard this year due to the new verification procedures. I'm going to upload my contract showing I'm only paid during school months like some of you suggested. Really appreciate everyone sharing their timelines and updates - it helps to know we're not alone in this waiting game!

Just to address your original questions again with some specific numbers: 1. For 2025, the minimum qualifying wages in your base period is about $2,088 (18 weeks × $116) 2. For misconduct cases, the burden of proof is on the employer, but attendance is something they can usually document easily 3. For refiling, you typically need to earn approximately 6× your previous weekly benefit rate in new wages to qualify for a new claim after your benefit year ends Hope this helps clarify things!

I was in a similar situation last year and want to share what I learned. The key thing about attendance-related terminations is that PA UC will look at whether your absences were "willful" or beyond your control. Having medical documentation is crucial, but make sure it's from actual healthcare providers (urgent care, doctors, hospitals) - not just employer sick notes or self-certifications. Also, keep track of how you reported each absence to your employer. If you followed their call-out procedures correctly, that helps your case. If you had no-call/no-shows, be prepared to explain the circumstances (like being in the ER and unable to call). One thing that helped me was creating a timeline of all my absences with dates, reasons, and what documentation I had for each. When they investigate, they'll want specific details about every absence that contributed to your termination. The process can be stressful, but don't give up if you get initially denied. A lot of attendance-related denials get overturned on appeal if you have good documentation and valid reasons for your absences.