Congrats on finally getting approved after that exhausting 7-week wait! I just went through this exact situation a couple months ago and remember that nerve-wracking feeling of being approved but still waiting for the actual money. In my case, I got approved on a Thursday and my direct deposit hit Tuesday morning (3 business days). Since you got approved Friday, I'd expect to see something by Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest. The great news is all your back weeks should definitely come as one lump sum - mine was for 6 weeks and after living on credit cards, seeing that amount felt incredible! Just keep obsessively checking that Payment History section in your dashboard (we've all been there!) and make sure to stay on top of your weekly certifications and work searches while you wait. You've survived the hardest part of this whole nightmare system - that financial relief is so close now!

Congrats on finally getting approved! That 7-week wait must have been absolutely brutal. I went through something very similar about 2 months ago - got approved on a Friday and my direct deposit hit Wednesday morning (3 business days). Since you chose direct deposit and already have all your weekly certifications done, you should definitely see something by Wednesday or Thursday at the latest. The amazing part is getting all those back weeks in one lump sum - after surviving on credit cards for 7 weeks, that payment is going to feel life-changing! Make sure to keep checking your Payment History section obsessively like the rest of us did, and definitely stay on top of your weekly certs and work searches while you wait. You've already survived the worst part of this whole nightmare - just a few more days and you'll finally have that relief you've been fighting for!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this situation - it's incredibly stressful when you're already sick and then have to worry about losing your job and income on top of it! I actually went through something very similar about a year ago when I got terminated from a big retail chain for attendance points after getting really sick with a stomach bug that lasted over a week. Like you, I had proper medical documentation and followed all their call-out procedures, but their point system doesn't care about legitimate medical reasons - you're just marked absent regardless. I was terrified to apply for UC because I thought being "fired" automatically disqualified me, but Pennsylvania really does look at the whole picture. The key thing that helped my case was that I was very detailed in my UC application about each specific absence, the medical reason behind it, and included all my documentation - doctor's notes, pharmacy receipts, call-out confirmations, everything. My employer contested it automatically (seems like they all do), but I won on appeal after about 6 weeks total. The hearing officer specifically said that genuine illness with proper medical documentation isn't willful misconduct under PA law - it's circumstances beyond your control. You have doctor's notes, you called out properly, you have confirmation numbers and texts - that's exactly the kind of documentation they're looking for. Don't panic about the rent deadline - if you're approved, you'll get back pay from when you first applied. Keep applying for jobs and documenting everything for your work search requirements. You're doing everything right and you have a legitimate case. This whole situation sucks but you're going to get through it!

I'm so sorry you're going through this stressful situation! I went through something almost identical about 6 months ago when I got terminated from my retail job for hitting their attendance point limit after getting sick with a really bad case of bronchitis that turned into pneumonia. Just like your situation with Walmart, I had proper medical documentation from my doctor and the ER, followed all their call-out procedures perfectly, but their point system doesn't differentiate between legitimate illness and just choosing not to show up. I was absolutely terrified to apply for UC benefits because I thought being "fired" automatically meant I'd be denied, but Pennsylvania really does examine the specific circumstances behind attendance-related terminations. The fact that you were genuinely sick with medical documentation and followed proper notification procedures puts you in a much stronger position than you might think. Legitimate illness isn't willful misconduct - it's completely beyond your control. I ended up getting approved after about 5 weeks total, even though my employer contested the claim automatically (which seems to be standard practice for these big retailers). The appeals hearing was actually pretty straightforward - I just had to present my medical documentation and explain each absence. The hearing officer specifically emphasized that genuine illness with proper medical proof doesn't constitute misconduct under Pennsylvania law. My advice: apply immediately if you haven't already, be extremely detailed about each absence and the medical reasons behind them, upload ALL your documentation (doctor's notes, call-out confirmations, text screenshots), and start keeping detailed records of your job search activities right away since PA requires 3 work search activities per week. Don't get discouraged if there's an initial denial - most people with legitimate medical situations win on appeal. And remember, any benefits you're approved for will include back pay from when you first applied, which should help with your rent situation. You have solid medical documentation and followed all the right procedures - that gives you a really strong case. The stress is completely understandable, but you're doing everything right and you have legitimate grounds for benefits. Hang in there!

Just to add my experience - I'm in Bucks County and found out my township does charge EIT on unemployment benefits at 1%. What caught me off guard was that they didn't automatically withhold it, so I had to pay quarterly estimated taxes to avoid penalties. If your local municipality does tax UC benefits, ask them about their payment options upfront. Some let you pay quarterly, others expect you to handle it all at tax time. The PA unemployment office obviously can't help with local tax questions, so you really do need to contact your township/borough directly.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been through this recently! Pennsylvania definitely does NOT tax unemployment benefits at the state level - that's confirmed. But I learned the hard way that you really need to dig into your local municipality's rules. I'm in Delaware County and my township has a 0.5% EIT that applies to UC benefits. What made it tricky was that the township website didn't clearly spell this out - I had to call and specifically ask about "earned income tax on unemployment compensation." The person I talked to said a lot of people get caught off guard by this. So definitely call your local tax office directly and ask the specific question. Also, if they do tax it, ask about their payment schedule - some want quarterly payments, others let you pay it all when you file. Better to know now than get hit with penalties later!

I'm currently on the ReliaCard and have been thinking about making the switch to direct deposit after reading all these positive experiences! It's really encouraging to see how consistent the Tuesday timing seems to be across so many different banks. I'm with Regions Bank - has anyone had experience with how they handle the UC direct deposits? Also, I'm curious about one thing I haven't seen addressed much - do you still get the same email notifications about payment processing when you switch to direct deposit, or does that change? The ATM fee savings alone would probably save me around $10-12 per month since the fee-free locations are pretty limited in my area. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences - this thread has been incredibly helpful in making my decision!

I don't have direct experience with Regions Bank, but based on all the experiences shared here, it seems like the Tuesday timing is pretty universal across different financial institutions - I'd expect Regions to handle it the same way around 6-7am Tuesday mornings. As for email notifications, yes you still get them! I made the switch about 5 weeks ago and still receive the same email notifications about payment processing that I got with the ReliaCard. The only difference is now the email comes Monday evening/night when they process the ACH transfer, versus Tuesday evening when the card got loaded. The $10-12/month in ATM fee savings you mentioned would definitely add up over time - that's over $120 per year back in your pocket! Based on everyone's positive experiences here, I'd say go for it. The switch process is quick and easy through the UC portal, and the benefits (earlier payment + no fees) are immediate.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - my claim has been stuck for about 4 weeks with just "pending" status. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! I'm definitely going to try contacting both my state rep and senator like @Gabriel Freeman suggested. One question for those who've been through this process: did you find it helpful to document all your previous attempts to resolve the issue (like dates/times you called UC, screenshots of your claim status, etc.) when contacting your representatives? I've been keeping a log of all my failed attempts to get through to UC and wondering if that would be useful to include when I reach out to their offices.

I went through this exact nightmare 6 months ago and here's what finally worked: contact your state representative AND your state senator simultaneously. Don't wait - do both on the same day. My state rep took 2 weeks to respond but my senator's office called me back within 48 hours and had my claim resolved in 10 days. When you contact them, be very specific about your financial hardship (mention rent due dates, utility shutoff notices, etc.) and have ALL your documentation ready: claim number, SSN, dates you filed, screenshots of your pending status, and a timeline of every attempt you've made to reach UC. The authorization forms are crucial - most offices email them to you immediately. Also, don't give up on the regular UC phone lines entirely - try calling the Spanish language line even if you don't speak Spanish, then ask to be transferred to English support. Sometimes those lines have shorter wait times. The whole system is designed to frustrate people into giving up, but these elected offices really can bypass the regular bureaucracy. Stay persistent!