Pennsylvania Unemployment
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PA UC deducting $40 from first payment - what's this mysterious withholding?
My cousin just got her first PA unemployment payment and noticed they took $40 off the top. She was expecting the full amount based on her calculation. Is this normal? Some kind of processing fee or something? She doesn't want to spend hours trying to call them if this is just standard procedure. Has anyone else had money deducted from their first UC payment? She's wondering if she needs to do something to stop it from happening to future payments too.
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PA UC reopened claim after surgery - do I serve another waiting week?
Hey everyone, got a quick question about reopening my PA unemployment claim. I was collecting benefits for about 3 weeks back in January, then had to have unexpected surgery and couldn't work or claim for almost 8 weeks while recovering. Now I'm well enough to work again but still haven't found a job, so I just reopened my claim yesterday. Do I have to serve another waiting week like I did when I first applied? The online system wasn't clear about this and I'm trying to budget for bills next week. I remember the first waiting week was rough financially and want to be prepared if I'm facing another one. Thanks for any help!
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Waiting weeks are THE WORST!!! I had an issue last year where they made me serve TWO waiting weeks because of some glitch in their system and it took me filing an appeal to get it fixed which took FOREVER and I almost got evicted while waiting!!!! The UC system is completely BROKEN!!!!
wow that sucks. i hate dealing with them. always something going wrong
Update: Just wanted to thank everyone for the help! I claimed my first week yesterday and got confirmation that payment has been processed - no waiting week required! Such a relief. For anyone in a similar situation, just make sure you definitely hit "reopen" rather than starting a new claim, and double-check that your benefit year start date hasn't changed. Thanks again for all the advice!
That's awesome news! Thanks for posting the update - it's really helpful for others who might go through the same situation. Glad everything worked out smoothly for you!
PA UC filing 8 weeks worth of claims - still no payment. What's the typical wait time now?
I've been filing my weekly PA unemployment claims for 8 weeks straight now, but I haven't received a single payment yet. Is this normal? I thought the money would start coming after 2-3 weeks max, but my dashboard just shows all claims as 'processed' with no payments issued. Is the unemployment office super backed up right now? Anyone else experiencing long delays before getting their first payment? My rent is coming due AGAIN and I'm getting really worried... Any idea how much longer I should expect to wait?
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Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get through to someone? If you're still having trouble, remember that you can also try contacting your state representative's office. They often have liaisons who can help escalate unemployment issues. This has worked for many people when they can't get through directly to UC.
I've been trying all morning with no luck. That's a great suggestion about contacting my state rep - I hadn't thought of that! I'll give them a call this afternoon if I still can't get through. Thanks!
any luck??? did u find out what the issue was???
FINALLY got through today! Turns out my former employer contested my claim saying I quit (I was laid off). Now I have to wait for a determination interview. At least I know what's happening now!
Oh wow, that's such a relief that you finally got through! Employer contests are super common unfortunately. Make sure you have all your documentation ready for the determination interview - any emails, texts, or paperwork showing you were laid off and didn't quit. The good news is once you win the appeal (which you should if you were truly laid off), you'll get all those back payments at once. Hang in there!
PA UC new claim after benefit year end - Money Network card vs. old ReliaCard question
So my benefit year just ended yesterday and I had to file a new PA UC claim this morning (what a headache that was). My question is about the payment method. I've been receiving my payments on my ReliaCard for my previous claim, but I've heard rumors that PA doesn't use ReliaCard anymore and switched to some Money Network card? I never got a new card in the mail or anything. Will my new claim payments automatically go to my old ReliaCard, or will they mail me a new Money Network card? I really don't want to wait weeks for a new card if they're sending one. Anyone deal with this situation recently? I need to plan ahead for bills coming due next week.
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Just wanted to follow up - did you end up getting your Money Network card or setting up direct deposit? Which worked better for you?
I ended up doing both! Set up direct deposit right away, but my first payment actually hit the Money Network card that arrived 6 days after my claim was approved. For anyone else reading this in the future - definitely set up direct deposit right away if you're switching from ReliaCard to Money Network. The card will still come, but at least you have options for getting your money faster. Thanks everyone for the help!
Thanks for sharing the follow-up @Zara Ahmed! This is really helpful for anyone else going through the same transition. It sounds like having both options worked out well in the end. For future readers - it's good to know that even if you set up direct deposit, PA still sends the Money Network card automatically, so you're not stuck waiting if there are any issues with the bank transfer. The 6-day timeline for card delivery seems pretty consistent with what others have reported too.
5 weeks no PA UC determination letter despite employer not contesting - legal waiting time?
I'm at my wits end with PA unemployment! It's been FIVE WEEKS since I filed my initial claim after being let go (downsizing), and I still haven't received any determination letter. My former employer already confirmed to me that they responded to UC's request for information over 3 weeks ago and told them they are NOT contesting my claim. I've been faithfully filing my weekly claims but haven't seen a penny. My rent is due next week and I'm seriously starting to panic. Is this normal?? Can PA UC legally take this long to make a decision when the employer isn't even fighting it? What should I do next? I've tried calling but can't get through, and the chat feature just tells me to wait for a determination letter.
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Great news! This is actually a common issue that many people encounter - old claims creating problems with new ones. Glad you got it resolved. Make sure to print out or screenshot the determination letter when you get it for your records. PA UC sometimes has system glitches where documents disappear from your dashboard.
Wow, what a relief that you finally got through and resolved it! That's exactly why I always recommend people keep trying different approaches when the regular phone lines aren't working. The old claim issue is definitely something PA UC should flag better in their system - so many people get stuck on that without realizing it. Congrats on getting it sorted out, and hopefully your determination letter comes through quickly as promised. This whole thread will probably help other people who are dealing with similar delays!
Lourdes Fox
Update: Just talked to my cousin and she checked her account. It was indeed the tax withholding! She found where to change it for future payments. Thanks everyone for the help!
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Sofia Rodriguez
Glad your cousin got it sorted out! Just a heads up for anyone else reading this - if you do decide to stop the tax withholding like she did, it's a good idea to set aside about 10-12% of each payment in a separate savings account for taxes. I learned this the hard way when I got a big tax bill the following year. UC benefits are taxed as regular income, so depending on your other income for the year, you might end up owing more than you expect come tax time.
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