Pennsylvania Unemployment
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PA UC overpayment appeal catastrophe - can't feed my kids or pay rent while waiting
I'm at my breaking point with PA unemployment. They're saying I have to go through a SECOND appeal process for an overpayment from 4.5 years ago! Meanwhile, they've completely cut off my current benefits that I desperately need. I spoke with a rep for literally 3 hours today, sobbing the entire time, and they just kept saying there's nothing they can do until this appeal is resolved. How is this even legal??? I'm a single mom with a chronically ill child, and now I have to choose between medicine, food, or keeping our apartment. My landlord already gave me a warning notice yesterday. All the local assistance programs I've called say they're out of funds for the quarter. This overpayment wasn't even my fault - they originally approved everything and now years later they're saying I didn't qualify? I'm honestly at the end of my rope and don't know how we'll survive the next few weeks. Has anyone dealt with this overpayment appeal nightmare while having current benefits frozen?
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PA UC hearing question: Is telephone faster than in-person for overpayment waiver appeal?
Hi everyone, just got my notice for a hearing regarding my overpayment waiver request with PA UC. They're saying I was overpaid about $4,200 last year, but I honestly had no idea until they sent me the notice 2 months ago. I filed for the waiver right away since it wasn't my fault and I definitely can't afford to pay that back. I have the option to do the hearing by phone or in person, and I'm wondering which one is typically faster? I really need this resolved ASAP because I'm stressing about this potential debt hanging over my head. Also, has anybody here gone through an overpayment waiver hearing before? Any tips on what documentation I should have ready? I'm super nervous about the whole thing.
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One more thing to add - for phone hearings, they'll typically send you all the exhibits they plan to reference during the hearing ahead of time by mail or email. Make sure you review all of these documents carefully before your hearing. If you don't receive them at least 5 days before the hearing, call the UC service center right away to make sure they sent them to the correct address.
That's really good to know. I'll keep an eye out for those documents. I'm guessing they'll include the initial overpayment notice and my waiver request form? Should I also send them my financial documents ahead of time, or just have them ready for the hearing?
Yes, typically they'll include the overpayment determination, your waiver request, and any other relevant documents from your claim file. You should definitely submit your financial documents ahead of time - there should be instructions on how to do this included with your hearing notice. Don't wait until the actual hearing to present your evidence for the first time.
I had an overpayment waiver hearing in February. I chose the phone option because I didn't want to miss a full day of work. My advice: write down exactly what happened and practice explaining it clearly before the hearing. The referee interrupted me a lot and I got flustered and forgot to mention some important details. Definitely prepare notes to refer to during the call!
That's a great tip about preparing notes ahead of time. Was your waiver approved? How long did it take to find out the result?
Mine was partially approved - they waived about half the overpayment amount. I got the decision letter about 2 weeks after the hearing. They determined some of it was their error but said I should have noticed part of the overpayment. Better than nothing I guess!
PA UC payment sent to old Money Network card about to expire - how to transfer to new card?
Hey everyone, I'm in a weird situation with my PA unemployment payments. I got laid off from my warehouse job on February 15th this year and applied for UC benefits right away. Since I had collected benefits back in 2023, they sent me a brand new Money Network card (it's actually a Visa now). I activated it immediately and was waiting for my first payment. But here's the problem - I just got a text notification that my payment was deposited, but they put it on my OLD Money Network card which expires at the end of this month! Not the new one they just sent me. Does anyone know how to get this fixed? Can I transfer the funds from the old card to the new one? Or do I need to call someone to get future payments directed to the correct card? I really need this money ASAP and I'm worried about losing access when the old card expires in a couple weeks. Any help appreciated!
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I actually just got laid off too and haven't applied for UC yet. Thanks for posting about this card issue - I'm going to make sure I specifically ask about this when I file my claim! My old ReliaCard from 2023 expired a few months ago so I was gonna need a new one anyway.
Just a helpful tip for anyone dealing with PA UC payments and Money Network cards: you can set up direct deposit to your personal bank account through your UC dashboard online. It's much more convenient than dealing with these cards and any related issues. Look for the "Payment Information" section after logging in to your dashboard.
I tried setting up direct deposit when I first applied but the system kept giving me an error. I'll try again now that my claim is actually approved. Would definitely prefer that over dealing with these cards!
PA UC payments stopped for 6 weeks after contacting state rep - timeline expectations?
I'm at my wit's end with PA unemployment! My weekly payments suddenly stopped coming 6 weeks ago with absolutely no explanation. No messages in my dashboard, no status change, just...nothing. After endless busy signals and getting disconnected repeatedly, I finally contacted my state representative's office this morning to see if they could help look into it. The staff took my information and said they'd submit an inquiry on my behalf.\n\nHas anyone else gone the state rep route when your benefits just disappeared? How long did it take to see movement on your claim after they submitted the inquiry? I'm down to my last $200 and starting to panic about rent next month. Any experiences (good or bad) would help me know what to expect!
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I had something similar happen last year and it turned out I had accidentally answered one of the weekly filing questions wrong and my claim got flagged. Once I finally got someone on the phone they fixed it in like 5 minutes! So frustrating we have to jump through all these hoops just to talk to someone. Hope your state rep comes through for you!
PA UC payment reversed without warning - still eligible for 6 more weeks?
I'm freaking out right now! Just checked my account and saw that my UC payment posted this morning, but then a few hours later it was REVERSED! No explanation, no messages, nothing! I still have 6 more weeks of eligibility left on my benefit year according to my dashboard. Has anyone experienced this before? Could this just be a system glitch? Will my payment still process tomorrow?? I've got rent due next week and really need this money to come through.
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Any update? Did your payment come through today?
YES!! Payment showed up this morning and hasn't disappeared! You were right - must have been some kind of processing glitch. Thanks everyone for helping me not completely panic yesterday.
Malia Ponder
this happened to me and my boyfriend last year!!! the trick is you HAVE to keep calling and calling until you get someone who knows what their doing. half the reps dont even know the proper procedures! eventually we got someone who knew about the emergency continuation of benefits during appeal and they fixed it in like 2 days. dont give up!!!
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Callum Savage
AuthorThat gives me hope! I feel like the rep I talked to yesterday was just reading from a script and didn't really know how to help with my specific situation. I'll keep calling until I find someone who knows about these relief options.
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Aliyah Debovski
I want to check in - were you able to get through to UC and request the Relief from Benefit Suspension? If they're still giving you trouble, consider contacting the Pennsylvania Unemployment Project or Community Legal Services as others suggested. They offer free assistance specifically for these situations and know how to navigate the system. Also, if your child has medical needs, make sure to document how the benefit interruption is affecting their care. This can be critical information for both your appeal and any emergency assistance applications.
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Callum Savage
AuthorUPDATE: I finally got through this morning after trying for hours! I asked specifically for the Relief from Benefit Suspension form and mentioned the 3-year limit on collections. The supervisor I spoke with checked my file and said there might have been a mistake with my case. They're putting a hold on the recoupment while they review everything again! I should hear back by Monday. I'm still going to follow up with legal services just to be safe, but this is the first positive news I've had. Thank you all SO MUCH for your advice - I would never have known about these options otherwise.
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