Congrats on landing the job! I went through this same situation a few months back. Definitely file one last weekly cert and report that you started working - it's the proper way to close out your claim. When I did mine, the system walked me through entering my employer info and start date, then automatically marked my claim as inactive. Takes like 5 minutes and gives you peace of mind that everything is properly documented. Much better than just disappearing from the system and potentially having issues later if you ever need to file again. Best of luck with the new position!

Congrats on the new job! I just went through this exact same situation last month. Definitely file one final weekly certification and report your return to work - don't just stop filing. When you do your last cert, there will be a section where you can indicate you've returned to work and enter your new employer details and start date. This properly closes your claim in the system. I made the mistake of just stopping initially, but then got nervous about potential issues and went back to file that final week. The whole process was really straightforward once I did it correctly. It's much better to close things out properly than leave your claim hanging in limbo!

Hey Sean! I was in your exact situation about a year ago when I got laid off from my server job at a chain restaurant. The whole "benefit year" thing totally confused me at first too! Here's how I finally understood it: Think of it like a gym membership that lasts 12 months, but you only get 26 personal training sessions included. You can use all 26 sessions back-to-back in 6 months, or spread them out over the full year by taking breaks when you pick up work. What really helped me was creating a simple tracker in my phone - just a basic note where I wrote down each week: "Week 1: Claimed UC ✓" or "Week 2: Worked (saved UC week)". Super simple but it kept me aware of how many weeks I had left. Since you're in restaurants, this is actually great timing! Spring is when most places start ramping up for patio season and summer events. I'd definitely check out catering companies, wedding venues, and even corporate cafeterias. Even picking up just weekend shifts helps bring in extra money while preserving your UC weeks for later. One thing that caught me off guard - make sure you factor in time for those work search requirements (2 activities per week). But the good news is there are tons of things that count, including online job training courses and networking events. Don't stress too much about the timeline though - the restaurant industry has been hiring like crazy lately, so you'll probably find something way before you need to worry about using up all 26 weeks. You've got this!

Hey Sean! I just went through this same confusion when I filed for UC benefits after getting laid off from my line cook position about 3 months ago. Everyone here has explained it really well, but I wanted to share what finally made it click for me - think of it like a Netflix subscription that lasts one year, but you only get 26 "movie downloads" that you can use during that time. You can binge all 26 downloads in 6 months, or space them out by taking breaks when you pick up gig work. What saved my sanity was making a simple chart on paper - just two columns: "Week of [date]" and "UC Claimed? Y/N". I stuck it on my fridge and checked it off every Sunday. Super basic but it helped me visualize exactly where I stood without overthinking it. Since you mentioned restaurant work, definitely look into hospital food services and university dining halls - they're often more stable than regular restaurants and usually pay better too. Also, with graduation parties and wedding season coming up, event catering is about to get really busy. Even just doing weekend events can bring in decent money while keeping most of your UC weeks available for later. One quick heads up - the work search requirement is real! Make sure you're logging those 2 activities per week properly. The PA CareerLink website makes it pretty easy to track everything in one place. Restaurant hiring has definitely picked up lately, especially with spring weather bringing back outdoor dining. You'll probably land something before you even need to stress about the 26-week limit!

Yes, absolutely mention both of those points! Inconsistent enforcement of rules and lack of progressive discipline are both factors that can help your case. PA unemployment referees often consider these elements when determining if there was actual misconduct. Document the names of coworkers with similar or worse attendance who weren't fired if you can. The more specific details you can provide, the stronger your case will be. Best of luck with your hearing!

Congratulations Cole! This is such fantastic news and really inspiring for anyone else going through the appeals process. Your case is a perfect example of why documentation and preparation matter so much - having those text messages about bus delays and knowing the exact company policy made all the difference. It's also great validation that the system can work when you present the facts clearly. Enjoy getting those back benefits and I hope your job search goes smoothly from here!

I've been a hearing referee in PA for several years and want to reassure you that we are trained to identify inconsistencies between written documentation and verbal testimony. When an employer's hearing testimony contradicts their own contemporaneous records, it raises immediate red flags. The disciplinary write-up you have will be given significant weight because it was created at the time of the incident, not months later when preparing for a hearing. My advice: 1) Submit all evidence through the portal at least 48 hours before your hearing, 2) During testimony, remain factual and unemotional, 3) When referencing your evidence, be specific: "As documented in the disciplinary notice dated [X], the only language mentioned is [Y]", 4) Let the inconsistencies speak for themselves - don't accuse anyone of dishonesty. The burden is on the employer to prove willful misconduct, and contradicting their own documentation makes that very difficult. You're in a much stronger position than you realize.

I just wanted to add one more thing that might help ease your nerves - I went through a PA UC hearing 6 months ago where my employer claimed I was "verbally abusive and used profanity" but their own incident report only said I was "argumentative." The referee literally said during the hearing "I'm noting a significant discrepancy between the written documentation from the date of incident and today's testimony." I won my case immediately. The fact that you have that write-up is honestly like having a smoking gun in your favor. PA referees see employers try to embellish stories ALL the time, especially when they realize their original documentation might not be strong enough for willful misconduct. Just remember - they fired you based on what's in that write-up, not based on things they're claiming now. If the additional allegations were true and serious, why weren't they documented? That's the question that will be running through the referee's mind. You've got this!

. We recently changed to an app to keep our time. When working offside you just use the punch in button and your location on ur phone proving you are there allows you to clock in. My app didn't have that and the mobile app was a mess so I was encouraged to do it at main hospital. I was sent a message saying do your time I am about to submit it. I looked at my schedule and just put the time I was scheduled. It was an HOUR difference but her showing my text and not giving context about how I was scared of them treating me like shit bam...fired

Should I bother appealing? I loved my job I have been there for two years and that was my end goal. To be there. I would never risk my job for 20.57 I made in that hour. When I explained during the meeting out of nowhere he asks why I talked shit about my supervisor to this coworker and why it took me 40 mins to get there when it took 15 max. I explained I was helping her. He said he had someone who watched me sit in my car for 20 minutes but first said I was shit talking. It was hostile and I barely said a word other than I panicked when driving here that Dan would treat me like shit and tell everyone I was late I just had a meeting with my bosses for not being able to call in that i was late cause a huge storm put 3 trees down in my driveway. No biggie just spoke to them and also told them I've been having a hard time in my personal life lately and I hope they know how much I care about this job and I apologize if I seem off or anything. They thanked me and said they love having me and praised me. Now this hr guy is saying my performance is bad? It was an ambush. This girl also has taken 3 or 4 other people to HR and they have the union behind them saving them I didn't. We just started keeping our own time. I am trying to win the appeal by proving that termination was an extreme measure to take for an employee who was praised just days prior. Removing me from working offsite, different shift, and probationary period. I would have done ANYTHING to keep my job. And not only that but the girl got lucky that I was sent a message saying add your time and I did it based off my schedule not even thinking. Her job is to look them over see if there are discrepancies and to ask us before submitting. She didn't do that. Also if an employer doesn't hold everyone to the same standard or doesn't follow their own policy. We were sent an email saying they haven't been giving tarsies out but it's gotten so bad they might start. So they definitely pick and choose. Anyways that's all the details. The only thing left out is that I went to the HR guy crying because this one coworker was so cruel and he said it's not my fault people don't like you and asked me to leave. I was asking his advice on what to do if he could have us sit together and figure out the problem. He also showed up to drunk under a false name when he should've been working. Not breaking any health info laws I was told this by someone randomly a few days ago. OK anyways thanks guys. Am I wasting my time or not? I became a single mom to my two kids a week prior to losing my job so I need this money until I find a job