did u try filing for partial bennefits during those 2 weeks of part time work? u might of qualified for something even while working a little

Update for anyone following this thread: The PA Department of Labor actually updated their guidance on this recently. Even if you don't meet the 6x earnings requirement, they're now automatically checking if you qualify under any special programs before issuing a denial. The key steps to follow are: 1. File your new application before your benefit year ends 2. Continue completing your weekly work search activities (minimum 3 per week) 3. If denied, appeal within the 15-day window if you believe there's been a mistake Also worth noting that the UC service center's phone hours changed recently - they're now open Monday-Friday 8am-4pm. This might help with planning when to call.

Just wanted to chime in with my recent experience since I'm also new to PA UC! I filed my first claim about 3 weeks ago after getting laid off from my manufacturing job. The weekly payment schedule everyone's describing is spot on - I file every Sunday night and consistently get my direct deposit on Wednesdays. One thing that really helped ease my anxiety was calling my bank to ask about their ACH processing times. They told me direct deposits from PA UC typically post between 6-8 AM on Wednesdays, so now I know exactly when to expect it instead of checking my account all day Tuesday wondering if something went wrong. Also, since you mentioned budgeting carefully - I found it helpful to treat my UC payments like a regular paycheck and immediately allocate the money when it hits. I use a simple budgeting app to divide it up for rent, utilities, groceries, etc. Makes the uncertainty feel more manageable when you have a clear plan for every dollar. The work search requirement seemed overwhelming at first, but keeping that notebook like others mentioned makes it pretty simple. I just jot down details right after applying somewhere so I don't forget later. Good luck with everything - this thread has been super helpful for all of us navigating this for the first time!

Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who's been through this process twice in PA! I was laid off from my HVAC job in 2019 and then again during COVID, so I've gotten pretty familiar with how the UC system works. You're absolutely right to go with direct deposit - it's so much more reliable than those prepaid cards. I always filed my weekly claims on Sunday nights (usually around 9 PM after getting the kids to bed) and consistently received my payments on Wednesday mornings. My bank is PNC and they typically post the deposits around 3 AM, so I'd wake up to the money being available. One thing I learned that might help with your budgeting: PA UC has a benefit calculator on their website where you can estimate your weekly payment amount based on your previous earnings. It's not 100% exact, but it gave me a pretty good ballpark figure to work with when planning my budget during unemployment. Really helped me figure out what expenses I could maintain and what I needed to cut back on. Also, since you're in construction, definitely check out the PA CareerLink website - they often have listings for construction jobs that aren't posted elsewhere, and attending their workshops counts toward your work search requirements. Two birds with one stone! The uncertainty is tough at first, but once you get into the routine of filing Sunday and expecting payment Wednesday, it becomes much more manageable. Hang in there!

I'm so sorry to hear about your sudden layoff - that's incredibly stressful when you're completely blindsided by it. I went through something very similar about 14 months ago and know exactly how overwhelming it feels trying to understand all the unemployment details while processing the shock of losing your job. Everyone has given you really comprehensive information about the benefits structure. Just to reinforce the key points: the maximum weekly benefit is $784, you can collect for up to 26 weeks with your 5-year work history, and your actual benefit amount will be calculated based on your highest quarter earnings during your base period (roughly 50% of your average weekly wage up to that maximum). One thing I wanted to add that really saved me time and stress - create a dedicated email folder for all unemployment-related correspondence right away. PA UC sends a lot of important notifications, confirmations, and requests electronically, and having everything organized in one place made it much easier to reference information when I needed it. I also set up calendar reminders for my weekly certification day so I never missed the deadline. Another tip: if you're in a field where professional associations or industry groups are active, consider attending their virtual networking events or webinars. These often count as qualifying work search activities and can be more targeted to your specific career goals than general job fairs. The fact that you're being so proactive about understanding the system before you even need it shows you're going to handle this transition well. With your solid employment history, you should have no issues qualifying for full benefits. This could end up being the opportunity to find something even better than what you had. Take care of yourself during this challenging time!

Really sorry to hear about your sudden layoff - that's such a difficult situation when you're completely caught off guard. I went through something similar about 6 months ago and remember that initial panic of trying to figure everything out quickly. Everyone has covered the key details really well - the $784 maximum weekly benefit and 26-week duration are accurate, and with your 5 years of solid employment history you should definitely qualify for the full benefit period. One thing I learned that might help you - when you file your initial claim online, the system might seem slow or unresponsive during peak times (especially Sunday evenings when everyone is doing their weekly certifications). If you run into technical issues, try filing early in the morning or late at night when there's less traffic on the site. Also, make sure to keep a copy of your final pay stub and any severance/vacation payout information handy when you file. They'll ask specific questions about your last week of work and final earnings, and having those documents ready will make the process much smoother. The work search requirements might seem daunting at first, but they actually helped keep me motivated and organized. I found that mixing different types of activities - job applications, networking calls, career fair attendance, even updating my professional profiles - made it easier to hit the 5 activities per week requirement while actually being productive. With your experience and the proactive approach you're already taking, you're going to navigate this transition successfully. This community has been incredibly helpful for so many people going through similar situations. Hang in there!

I'm currently on day 3 of an IP investigation and finding this thread has been such a relief! Like many others here, I'm almost certain mine is related to multi-state wages since I worked in both New York and Pennsylvania during my base year. Reading through everyone's experiences, especially @Toot-n-Mighty's success story and @Keisha Jackson's detailed timeline, has really helped me understand what to expect and given me a solid action plan. I'm going to start the 8 AM calling strategy tomorrow morning based on all the recommendations here, and I'm already checking my correspondence section daily and continuing to file my weekly claims religiously. It's incredible how this community has transformed what felt like a complete mystery into something with clear steps to follow. The consistent 2-4 week timeline for multi-state wage verifications that everyone has shared gives me realistic expectations instead of just panicking. If I can't get through by phone after a week or so, I'll definitely try Claimyr based on the positive experiences shared here. Thank you all so much for sharing your stories - it's amazing how much difference it makes to know you're not alone in this process!

I'm on day 2 of an IP investigation and stumbled across this thread while frantically googling what it meant - thank goodness I found you all! Like so many others here, I'm pretty sure mine is related to multi-state wages since I worked in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania last year. Reading @Toot-n-Mighty's success story about getting their multi-state wage verification resolved in 5-7 days after speaking to someone gives me so much hope! And @Keisha Jackson, your detailed breakdown of the process and timeline is exactly what I needed to hear. I was starting to panic thinking something was seriously wrong, but now I understand this is actually pretty common. I'm going to start the 8 AM calling strategy tomorrow and keep filing my weekly claims religiously. If I can't get through after a week, I'll definitely try Claimyr based on all the positive feedback here. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - knowing there's a whole community going through this makes the stress so much more manageable!

One thing no one mentioned is that the 26 weeks don't have to be consecutive! If you work part-time some weeks and don't claim benefits, those weeks don't count toward your 26-week maximum. My benefit year just ended and I stretched my benefits to almost 10 months by working odd jobs here and there.

Just wanted to add that you can also check your remaining benefit balance and weeks left on the PA UC website under "View Benefit Summary" - it shows exactly how many weeks you have left out of your 26-week maximum. This helped me keep track when I was getting close to the end of my benefit year. Also, if you're getting close to exhausting your regular UC benefits, you might want to look into Extended Benefits (EB) or other federal programs that sometimes kick in during high unemployment periods, though those aren't always available.