One more thing about the hearing - the referee will focus specifically on whether you had a necessitous and compelling reason to quit. Being a caregiver for a family member CAN qualify, but you need to show: 1. You communicated the problem to your employer 2. You gave them a chance to accommodate you 3. You had no reasonable alternative but to quit Your emails requesting accommodation and their refusal will be crucial evidence. If possible, get a letter from your mother's doctor stating she requires daily care. Organize your evidence chronologically and be prepared to explain the timeline of events clearly. Good luck!

I won my hearing against my employer last year. Some practical tips: 1) Make multiple copies of all your documents 2) Highlight the key parts you want to reference 3) Write down bullet points of your main arguments 4) Stay calm and stick to facts 5) Be honest - don't try to embellish or exaggerate 6) If you don't know an answer, just say so rather than guessing. Most importantly, answer the referee's questions directly without going off on tangents. Good luck!

ohhh and dont interrupt the ref when their talking!! my friend got yelled at for that and it made the ref all mad lol. just wait ur turn even if the employer is saying stuff thats not true you get chance to respond after

Remember to follow up after the hearing. If you win, make sure to file any backdated weekly claims for the weeks you were waiting for the appeal. If you lose, you have 15 days to appeal to the UC Board of Review (the next level up). Good luck with your hearing! Come back and let us know how it went - your experience could help others in the same situation.

i forgot to ask, did u check ur determination letter carefully?? sometimes they deny ppl for dumb technical reasons like u answered a question wrong or didnt report some tiny income. might be easier to fix that than fight about the separation if thats actually the problem

One more important tip - when you file your appeal (do it online if possible), clearly explain the specific facts that disprove the job abandonment claim. Don't just say "I disagree" or "This is unfair." For example: "I appeal this determination because I did NOT abandon my position. I provided written two-week notice on [date], worked all scheduled shifts through my final day on [date], and even trained my replacement. My manager [name] acknowledged my notice and final day. I have text messages and witness testimony to verify these facts." This approach immediately focuses the referee on the key dispute. Good luck with your appeal!

One more thing to consider - if you hire an attorney, make sure they specialize in unemployment cases specifically. I initially talked to a general practice lawyer who gave me completely wrong information about the appeal process. PA unemployment hearings have very specific rules and procedures that not all attorneys understand. Ask potential lawyers how many UC appeals they've handled in the past year.

My friend who works at the unemployment office (not in appeals tho) says a lot of people represent themselves and win. Just depends on how complicated your case is and how well you can organize your thoughts when you're nervous.

forgot to mention - make sure ur bank acct info is 100% correct. my friend put the wrong routing number and it delayed everything by another 3 weeks

Honestly the whole PA system is designed to make it as difficult as possible to get your benefits. I bet they'll keep sending checks just to make it harder for you. Not trying to be negative but that's just how they operate. They hope you'll miss a check in the mail and then they save money. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!!