UPDATE: I finally got through the application process for my new benefit year. For anyone who might have a similar situation in the future - yes, you MUST file a new application after your benefit year ends, even if you still have a balance. I did lose the remaining balance from my previous claim, but my new weekly benefit amount is actually $25 higher because of the temp work I did. They scheduled me for a phone interview next week to review my job search activities. Thanks everyone for the advice! This process would have been so much more confusing without your help.

I went through this exact same situation back in March! The "standby status" is basically PA UC's way of saying your claim is in limbo while they wait for you to file a new application. Don't panic - this is totally normal when your benefit year ends. Here's what I learned the hard way: you absolutely MUST file a new claim even with money left in your balance. That remaining $2,600 will unfortunately disappear - it doesn't roll over to your new benefit year. I know it feels unfair, but that's how the system works. The good news is that since you worked temp jobs during your benefit year, those wages will count toward your new claim calculation. My weekly amount actually went up by $40 because of part-time work I did while collecting benefits. Pro tip: keep filing your weekly claims even while waiting for the new application to process! I missed one week because I thought I had to wait, and it created a whole mess to fix later.

Update: I filed my new claim yesterday and got an email confirmation. The system still isn't letting me file for that last week though. I guess I'll just have to wait until the new claim is processed? Really hope I don't lose that week's payment.

I went through this exact same situation a few months ago and it's super stressful! The good news is that you absolutely will NOT lose that final week's payment - I was worried about the same thing. Once your new claim gets approved (mine took about 2 weeks), you'll be able to backfile for that week that ended on your BYE date. The system just won't let you file it until the new claim is active. Make sure you keep track of the dates so you don't forget to file for it once you're able to. Also, if you're still doing part-time work, make sure all your wage info is updated in the new claim so there's no delays with processing.

One last piece of advice - when you eventually get your Notice of Determination, read it VERY carefully. If denied, the specific reason they cite for denial will be crucial for your appeal strategy. For example, if they deny because "employee knowingly violated established policy" your appeal would focus on proving either you didn't know about the policy OR that the policy wasn't consistently enforced. If they cite "theft of company property" you'd focus on proving the items weren't considered valuable inventory. The most successful appeals are the ones that directly address the specific reason given in the determination, rather than trying to make general character arguments.

I've been following unemployment cases in PA for a while, and your situation actually has some promising elements. The 5-month delay between incident and termination is really significant - PA UC looks at whether the employer's response was proportional and timely. If they truly considered it serious misconduct, why wait until someone reported it months later? Also, the fact that you had a positive performance review in January (after the November incident) suggests your employer didn't view it as misconduct at the time. This could be strong evidence that the termination was more about workplace politics than actual policy violation. Keep documenting everything - the timeline, your positive review, any evidence about similar incidents being handled differently, and especially anything showing the promotional items were considered disposable. Your case isn't as hopeless as some people are suggesting. I've seen similar cases get approved, especially when there's evidence the employer's response was delayed and disproportionate.

UPDATE: The money just hit my account this morning (Thursday)! Thanks everyone for the reassurance and advice. Looks like it was just the normal processing time for a first payment. Such a relief!

Congrats on getting your first payment! This is such a common worry for new UC recipients. I went through the exact same panic when I started - kept refreshing my bank account every hour! The 2-3 day delay after the portal shows "processed" is totally standard. Pro tip: once you get into the weekly rhythm, you'll know exactly when to expect your deposits. Usually mine come on the same day each week now. Hope things get easier for you from here!