Pennsylvania Unemployment
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Will PA UC deny my claim if I resigned from base year job but was fired from most recent position?
I'm in a weird situation with my PA unemployment claim and getting really anxious about whether I'll qualify. I worked at an accounting firm for 3 years, but resigned last August to take a position at a tech startup (complete career change). The startup just let me go last month due to budget cuts. When I filed for unemployment, I realized the accounting job would be used for my base year calculation since it was where most of my wages were earned during the qualifying period. Now I'm stressing out because I RESIGNED from the accounting job, but was FIRED from the tech job. Will the UC examiner deny my claim because I voluntarily left the job that's being used for my base year? My claim has been sitting with 'open issues' for 11 days now and I'm going crazy waiting. Has anyone dealt with something similar?
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PA UC denied my claim for "disqualifying separation" despite caregiver documentation - help with appeal?
I'm absolutely crushed right now. Been waiting 9 weeks on my PA unemployment claim with 2 open issues that finally got resolved today - WITH A DENIAL. The issues were about me leaving my job. Yes, I quit, but I had legitimate reasons! I'm the primary caregiver for my sister who has a serious medical condition leaving her non-mobile. I submitted ALL the documentation proving this - medical records, a formal letter explaining the caregiving situation, everything. My employer had me on a performance improvement plan too (convenient timing, right?), but that wasn't why I left. My former employer never even responded to their part of the fact-finding questionnaire! I called UC today and the rep was super nice, said they'd escalate to a supervisor and I'd get an answer within 24 hours. Well, got my answer alright - DENIED for "disqualifying separation" at 4pm. They completely ignored all my documented evidence! Now I have to file an appeal and wait even longer. To make matters worse, my former employer is withholding my final paycheck claiming I went over on PTO (which is total BS - I never even took time off). I'm so tired of getting the runaround from these UC reps who just tell you what you want to hear to get you off the phone. Has anyone been through the appeal process? How long does it usually take? Any tips for winning?
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For your appeal hearing, organize all your evidence chronologically and make 3 copies of everything - one for yourself, one for the referee, and one for your employer (who may or may not show up). Practice explaining your situation clearly and concisely. Focus on these points: 1. Your sister's medical condition requiring care 2. That you notified your employer and requested accommodation 3. That your employer refused accommodation 4. That you had no alternative but to quit 5. That the performance review was unrelated or possibly retaliatory Bring a timeline of events with specific dates. Referees appreciate organization and clear presentation of facts. And yes, they will backpay all weeks if you win the appeal, so keep filing those weekly claims!
This is incredibly helpful. Thank you! I'll start organizing everything today. Do you know if the hearing will be over the phone or in person?
Most UC hearings are still being conducted by phone in PA, though some offices have returned to in-person. Your appeal acknowledgment letter will specify which type you'll have. Phone hearings are actually easier for most people - you can have all your notes and documents spread out in front of you without feeling nervous.
Submit documentation both ahead of time AND have it ready during the hearing. When you receive your hearing notice, it will have instructions for submitting evidence beforehand. Follow those exactly, and make sure to send it by the deadline. But also keep copies to reference during the hearing. As for your withheld final paycheck - that's a separate issue from UC. File a wage complaint with the PA Department of Labor & Industry ASAP. Employers cannot legally withhold your final paycheck for alleged PTO overages without prior written agreement. You can file the complaint online at www.dli.pa.gov.
Thank you so much. I'm going to file that wage complaint tonight. My former employer has been awful through this whole process. Really appreciate everyone's help and advice - feeling slightly less panicked now.
PA UC payment deposited early this week - is this normal?
Just checked my account and my PA unemployment payment hit today instead of Tuesday which is when I normally get it. Not that I'm complaining about getting money faster! But has this happened to anyone else? Is it because of some holiday I'm forgetting about? Or should I be worried something's wrong with my claim? This is my 8th week on unemployment and the timing has been consistent until now.
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Anyone know if the UC office is closed on Monday too? I was planning to call about my work search requirement question since I have a potential job interview coming up.
Yes, the UC service centers will be closed on Monday for the holiday. But good news - job interviews definitely count toward your work search activities! Make sure to document the employer name, date, and contact information for your records. Good luck with the interview!
my friend said early deposits happen when they're doing system upgrades too
That's actually not correct. Early deposits only happen for banking holidays. System upgrades might cause delays, but never early payments. The PA Treasury follows a strict payment schedule except for holidays. Just wanted to clarify so nobody gets confused about their payment patterns!
PA UC eligibility after state limited-term position ends with previous disqualification on record
Hey everyone, I'm in a weird spot with my job situation and hoping someone can help me figure out if I can file for UC when my current position ends. I've been working at a state limited-term position since last summer (July 31, 2023) and just found out they're eliminating the position soon. My supervisor hasn't given me an exact end date yet - she's waiting on word from the capital. Super stressful! My UC history is a bit complicated: I had a claim that ended January 2024. I originally filed in Jan 2023 after losing my previous full-time job (worked there from Oct 2022 to Jan 2023). But I got disqualified on that claim because I took a new job that didn't work out, and they said the DQ would last until the end of my benefit year. The good news is I've been working steadily at this state job for about 7 months now, so I think I've earned enough to establish a new weekly benefit rate. But I'm worried that my previous disqualification might affect my ability to file a new claim when this limited-term position ends. Has anyone dealt with filing after a limited-term state position? Or know if a previous DQ affects a completely new claim after you've worked consistently? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
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One more important thing: Once you do file, you'll need to file biweekly claims (not weekly like some states). PA UC requires you to file every two weeks to certify you're still eligible. Make sure you do this even if your initial claim is still pending or has issues. You can't go back and file these later if you miss them. Also, for your work search requirements, keep detailed records of all activities - PA requires you to do this even if they don't ask for the records immediately.
This is super helpful info. I didn't realize the claims were biweekly in PA. And thanks for the tip about keeping detailed work search records - I'll set up a spreadsheet to track everything from day one.
Based on what you've shared, you should be in good shape for a new claim. The fact that your previous disqualification was within a benefit year that has already ended means it won't affect your new claim. Just make sure you understand that there might still be a week waiting period before benefits begin, so plan your finances accordingly. Good luck with your job search!
Thank you! That's a good reminder about the waiting week - I'll make sure to budget for that gap.
PA UC Hearing this Wednesday - Website Down Proof & 9-Week Open Issues - Will Both Be Addressed?
Hey everyone, I'm in a real bind here. Got my PA unemployment appeal hearing scheduled for this Wednesday and feeling super nervous. My claim was denied because they said I never registered with PACareerLink, but I have screenshots showing their site was completely broken for nearly a week! Every time I tried creating a profile, the system would freeze or crash at the final step. I documented everything with timestamped photos.\n\nMy bigger concern is that my UC claim has had these mysterious "open issues" for 9 weeks now with zero explanation. Will the referee address both problems during the same hearing, or are these separate issues? I'm worried they'll only focus on the CareerLink registration and ignore the open issues that have kept my payments on hold since March.\n\nHas anyone gone through an appeal hearing recently? Should I print all my screenshots? Do I need to dress formally? Any advice would be MASSIVELY appreciated because I'm seriously stressing out here.
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Listen everyone keeps talking about your HEARING but nobody's addressing your OPEN ISSUES question. After 9 weeks you need to be AGGRESSIVE about getting those fixed. Call your state rep like someone mentioned AND call UC every single day. I had to call 57 times in one day before getting through. The open issues won't magically disappear even if you win your appeal.
Connor Gallagher
One additional point that might help ease your mind: PA UC regulations (specifically Chapter 65.63) state that when a claimant has earned six times their weekly benefit rate at a new job following a voluntary quit, the voluntary quit is no longer disqualifying. Since you worked at the tech job for 7 months, you've almost certainly met this requirement, which means your resignation from the accounting position shouldn't affect your eligibility. Keep certifying for benefits weekly while waiting for the determination. If approved, you'll receive all back payments for properly certified weeks.
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GalacticGuardian
AuthorThank you for citing the specific regulation! I just looked it up and that definitely helps me understand the process better. I've been filing my weekly claims, so hopefully once they resolve the open issue, I'll get all the back payments. Really appreciate everyone's help here!
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Yara Khoury
my cousin works for UC (not saying this to brag lol) and she says they have a HUGE backlog right now because they updated their computer system in March and it's causing all kinds of problems. so prob nothing to do with your specific situation just general incompetence
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Miguel Diaz
OMG that makes so much sense!! My claim was stuck for 3 weeks and then suddenly approved with no explanation. The whole system is a MESS.
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GalacticGuardian
AuthorThanks for the insider info! That's actually comforting to know it might just be system issues rather than something wrong with my particular claim. I'll try to be more patient.
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