Interesting thread. I actually wrote an appeal letter last year for my husband when he got hit with a $5,300 overpayment notice from his 2020 claim. We won the appeal but never thought to ask about getting the remaining funds. Now I'm curious if we missed out on something! Btw @profile1 I used that Claimyr thing you mentioned when we were dealing with the appeal. It actually worked - got through to someone in like 15 minutes when we'd been trying for weeks.

I'm dealing with a similar overpayment situation right now and this thread has been really helpful! Just wanted to add that I called PA UC last week about my waiver status and the rep specifically told me that even if approved, expired benefit years can't be reopened - which matches what most people are saying here. The confusing part is that some reps seem to give different information, but the consensus seems to be that waiver approval = no repayment required, but doesn't restore access to unused benefits from years ago. @Ashley Simian at least you got that huge relief of not having to pay back $4,200! That's still a major win.

Just wanted to share my experience from when I went through this same situation about 8 months ago. I was in week 24 of my benefits and panicking about what would happen when they ran out. I spent hours researching extensions and calling the UC office (which was a nightmare). What I learned is that you really do need to plan for just the 26 weeks. I ended up having to take a temporary job that wasn't ideal, but it helped bridge the gap while I continued looking for something better in my field. It actually worked out because that temp job led to a permanent position that I'm happy with now. My advice would be to start applying for anything that could work as a bridge job - even if it's not perfect. Part-time work, temporary positions, gig work, whatever keeps some income coming in. You can always keep looking for your ideal job while you're working. The stress of potentially having no income made it much harder for me to interview well, so having some kind of backup plan really helped with my mental state during the job search.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now - week 22 of benefits and starting to really worry about what happens next. Reading through everyone's responses has been really eye-opening, especially learning that the Extended Benefits program has such specific requirements that aren't currently being met in PA. I think I've been holding onto false hope about extensions based on what I remembered from the pandemic era. It's tough to accept that those 26 weeks are really it, but I'd rather plan realistically than be caught off guard. The suggestion about PA CareerLink services sounds promising - I hadn't realized they offered free resume help and training programs. I'm also going to take the advice about considering bridge jobs seriously. I've been so focused on finding something in my exact field that I might be limiting myself unnecessarily. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge. It's stressful not knowing what to expect, but at least now I can make informed decisions about my next steps.

I received backpay in February for a similar situation and it took exactly 8 days to appear on my Money Network card after the determination letter date (which was a Friday, so maybe that extended it). Just to prepare you though - when I called to check my card balance after a week, the automated system said I had $0, but when I spoke to a human rep, they could see the payment was pending in their system. Sometimes there's a delay between when UC processes it and when it actually hits the card. As others have said, just keep checking your card balance, and if nothing shows up after a week, that's when you should start making calls.

Congratulations on finally getting your backpay approved! I went through something similar last year where my BYE expired before my wage correction came through. The good news is that PA UC will automatically deposit the backpay to your existing Money Network card - you don't need to file any additional weekly certifications or take any action on your part. In my case, it took about 5 business days for the money to show up after the determination letter date. One tip: if you have the Money Network app, enable push notifications so you'll get alerted the moment the deposit hits. Also, don't panic if the amount is slightly less than what's on your determination letter - they'll still withhold taxes and any other deductions you had selected during your original claim. Keep us posted on when it comes through! Fingers crossed it's quick and painless for you.

I had the same issue this morning but just tried again (it's 11:24am now) and was able to get in and file my weekly claim. The site seems to be working again, though it's running a bit slow. Hope this helps!

I've been dealing with PA UC website issues for months now and here's what I've learned: always try to file on Sunday or Monday if possible because the system gets overwhelmed later in the week. If you're having trouble, don't panic about missing your deadline - as long as you file within your weekly filing period (which runs Sunday through Friday), you should be fine. I keep a screenshot of any error messages I get just in case I need to prove the system was down if there are any issues with my claim later. Also, if you use a password manager, sometimes that can cause problems with the PA UC site - try typing your info manually if you're getting login errors.

mine randomly showed up at like 10pm on a thursday lol. the money network system is weird about when it posts

I work for a nonprofit that helps people navigate UC issues, and what you're experiencing is unfortunately very common with PA backpay right now. The system is backed up and large backpay amounts (especially 7+ weeks) are getting flagged for additional review even after showing "paid" status. A few things to try: 1) Call Money Network tomorrow to verify your card details are correct 2) Check your UC dashboard for any new messages or requirements 3) If nothing by day 10, try calling PA UC early morning (7:30am) for better chance of getting through. The good news is I've never seen a legitimate "paid" status not eventually result in payment - it's just taking longer than usual. Hang in there!