I'm dealing with a somewhat similar situation right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful. I wanted to add one thing that my union rep mentioned to me - if you're still employed, consider talking to your supervisor about whether you can take unpaid leave instead of accumulating more attendance points. Some employers are willing to work with you if you're upfront about health issues, and it might buy you time to either get better medical treatment or find another job before getting terminated. Also, I've been keeping a daily log of my health symptoms and any medical appointments, even if I don't miss work that day. It helps establish a pattern of ongoing health issues that could support your case later. Just a thought - sometimes the documentation you don't think you'll need ends up being the most important. Hope things work out for you! The fact that you're being proactive about understanding your options shows you're thinking ahead, which is smart.

I went through almost the exact same situation at a different warehouse in PA last year and wanted to share what ended up working for me. I was at about 8 months when I got fired for attendance points - mostly medical absences but a few instances where I couldn't call in time due to emergencies. Here's what I learned: PA UC really does care more about WHY you were absent than how long you'd been at the job. I had documentation for about 80% of my absences (urgent care visits, one hospitalization) but still got initially denied because of the few unexcused ones. However, I won on appeal because I could prove a pattern of legitimate health issues and show that I followed company call-out procedures whenever physically possible. The key things that helped my case: 1) I had saved all my text messages to supervisors when calling out sick, 2) I got a written statement from my doctor about my ongoing condition, and 3) I showed that the unexcused absences were genuinely emergency situations (one was when I was unconscious in an ambulance). It took about 4 months total to get through the appeal process and start receiving payments, but I did eventually get all the back pay. Don't give up if you get initially denied - attendance cases can definitely be won with proper documentation and a good explanation of circumstances. Also, start that paper trail with HR about your health condition ASAP like others mentioned. Even a simple email can make a huge difference later.

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through this recently - while there are definitely challenges with the PA UC system, try not to let the anxiety consume you too much in these early stages. I filed my claim in December and yes, I did hit an "open issue" around week 3, but it turned out to be something minor - they just needed to confirm my start date with my previous employer. The whole thing resolved in about 10 days once I got through to someone. My advice: stay proactive but don't panic. Keep doing your weekly certifications, document everything like others have suggested, and remember that even if there are delays, you'll get backpay for those weeks once everything is sorted. The horror stories online are real but they're not everyone's experience. You've got this!

I'm in a similar boat - filed my claim about 10 days ago and checking the portal obsessively every day! Reading through all these responses has been really eye-opening. I had no idea about the work search requirement being 5 activities per week now, or that I should be doing weekly certifications even before approval. Quick question for everyone - when you say "weekly certifications," is that something that shows up automatically in the system, or do I need to look for it somewhere specific? I don't want to miss filing them if they're already available. Also really appreciate everyone mentioning the CareerLink connection - going to set that up today!

I'm experiencing the exact same frustrating issues! Just lost my job last Friday and I've been trying to file my initial claim since Monday with zero success. The PA UC website keeps timing out right when I get to the wage verification section - every single time! I've tried at different hours, cleared my cache, used different browsers, even tried on my phone, but nothing works. The phone situation is equally hopeless. I've called 127 times over the past 4 days (yes, I'm keeping a spreadsheet at this point) and haven't gotten through once. It's either busy signals or that automated "all representatives are busy" message followed by a dial tone. What's really concerning me is that my severance pay runs out in two weeks and I NEED to get this claim processed. The stress of not being able to even START the application process while bills are mounting is honestly making this whole unemployment situation so much worse than it already is. Has anyone tried contacting their local state representative's office about these technical issues? I'm starting to think that might be my only option at this point. This is completely unacceptable for a system that people depend on during some of the most difficult times in their lives.

I'm going through the EXACT same nightmare right now! Been laid off for 6 days and I've attempted to file my initial claim 23 times with the PA UC website. Every single time I get to a different section before it crashes - sometimes it's the personal info page, sometimes employment history, once I even made it to the final review before getting a "system error" message that wiped everything. What's driving me absolutely insane is that each failed attempt seems to create some kind of ghost record in their system. Now when I try to start fresh, it sometimes autofills certain fields with old information, but then won't let me edit them or continue with the application. It's like the website is haunted by all my previous attempts! I've also joined the "failed call counter" club - I'm at 78 attempts over 5 days. I even tried calling at 3am thinking maybe their phone system would be less overloaded, but nope, still got the "all representatives are busy" recording. The worst part is the anxiety this is creating on top of already losing my job. I keep refreshing news sites hoping to see an announcement that they've fixed the technical issues, but nothing. Has anyone heard ANY official timeline for when these problems might actually be resolved? I'm starting to wonder if I should look into legal options since this is preventing access to benefits I'm legally entitled to.

I work for a PA legal aid organization and see these cases frequently. The distinction between "voluntary" and "involuntary" leave is absolutely crucial for UC eligibility. From what you've described, you have a strong foundation for appeal since you were "selected" for leave due to restructuring rather than requesting it yourself. When you file your appeal, include: 1) The original restructuring announcement, 2) Any emails/documents showing you were chosen (not volunteering), 3) Request HR provide a letter stating the leave was "mandatory" and "employer-initiated," and 4) Emphasize you were willing and able to work but made unavailable by employer decision. The "approved leave" wording is unfortunately standard HR language that doesn't reflect whether it was your choice or theirs. Keep filing weekly claims during the appeal process - if you win, you'll get backpay for those weeks. Appeals typically take 4-8 weeks, but cases like yours with clear employer-initiated circumstances often succeed. Don't let the confusing initial paperwork discourage you!

I'm a case worker with PA Department of Labor and Industry and wanted to add some clarity here. The system initially shows monetary eligibility based solely on your wage history, but the actual eligibility determination considers your employment status and reason for unemployment. For restructuring-related leaves, documentation is key - you'll want to show this was an employer decision, not employee choice. The appeal process exists specifically for situations like yours where the automated system may have missed important context. Focus your appeal on proving the involuntary nature of your leave and include any communications showing you were "assigned" or "selected" for this leave rather than requesting it. Good luck with your appeal!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Filed my first PA UC claim this past Sunday and it's now Friday evening with still no deposit. Reading through this entire thread has been such a huge help - I had no idea what timeline to expect and was starting to worry something was wrong with my claim. It's so reassuring to see that 4-5 business days seems to be totally normal for first payments due to all the verification processes they run on new claims. My portal also shows "processed" since Wednesday, so I'm hoping it hits over the weekend or Monday morning. The anxiety of waiting for that first payment when you've got rent and bills coming up is definitely real! Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and all the helpful tips about bank alerts, checking correspondence, and calling early if needed. This community is amazing for helping newcomers understand what's actually normal vs. what to worry about. Fingers crossed all of us still waiting see our payments come through soon!

I'm going through this same exact situation right now! Filed my first PA UC claim on Sunday and it's now Saturday morning with still no deposit. Reading through all these experiences has been so helpful - I was getting really anxious thinking something was wrong but seeing that 4-5+ business days is normal for first payments due to verification checks makes me feel much better. My portal shows "processed" since Thursday so I'm hoping it hits my account today or Monday. The stress of waiting when you have bills due is so real! Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines and tips - this community is amazing for helping newcomers understand what to expect. It's comforting to know so many others have gone through this same waiting game with their first payment!