This exact thing happened to me 3 months ago! I was checking my bank account obsessively for days thinking the system was broken. What's even more frustrating is that the PA UC portal shows "direct deposit" as an option during setup but then quietly defaults to the debit card anyway. One tip that helped me: once you get the Money Network card and activate it, you can actually expedite future payments by calling them and requesting express delivery for replacement cards if yours ever gets lost or damaged. Regular delivery is free but express costs like $15 - might be worth it if you're in a tight spot financially. Also, make sure to save the Money Network customer service number (1-888-659-9085) in your phone. Their hold times are way shorter than trying to reach PA UC directly, and they can at least tell you when payments hit the card and help with transfers to your bank.

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! My payment showed up in the portal on Friday with a transaction number, but nothing in my bank account. Reading through all these comments has been a huge relief - I had no idea about the automatic debit card for first payments. Just checked my email and spam folders but haven't found anything from Money Network yet. Question for those who've been through this: if the payment date in the portal was Friday, should I expect the Money Network email to come this week? Also, does the card get sent to the same address you used when filing your claim? We moved recently and I'm worried it might go to our old place. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this forum is literally the only place I've found clear answers about how PA UC actually works!

PA school employee here with some clarification. For snow days, the key factors UC considers are: 1. Whether you have "reasonable assurance" of returning to work (most school employees do) 2. If your hours/pay were reduced by at least 35% during a benefit week 3. Whether your work agreement specifically addresses snow days If you're an hourly employee with no contractual protection for snow days, AND your weekly earnings dropped significantly, file a claim for just those specific weeks. You'll need to report any earnings from days you did work that week. Many school districts have alternate policies for hourly staff during snow days - some offer makeup hours, some provide alternative duties, and some might have a limited number of paid snow days. Check your employee handbook or speak with HR before filing.

I'm in a similar situation as a substitute teacher in PA. What I've learned from my experience is that you should definitely keep detailed records of your lost hours and wages for each week. Take screenshots of your pay stubs showing the reduced hours, and document which specific days were snow days. When you file, be very clear that you're filing for "partial unemployment" due to reduced hours, not regular unemployment. Also, don't be discouraged if your first claim gets denied - you can appeal and provide more documentation. The appeals process sometimes results in different outcomes than the initial review. Good luck!

Reading through everyone's experiences here is giving me hope! I'm in a similar boat - my manufacturing job is relocating from Pittsburgh to Cleveland (about 2.5 hours away) and I've been panicking about whether I'll qualify for UC benefits if I refuse. What I'm taking away from all the advice here is: 1. Document EVERYTHING - closure notice, relocation offer, my reasons for declining 2. File as "lack of work" not "quit" 3. Calculate the actual financial burden of commuting 4. Be very specific about family hardships (my elderly parents live nearby and I help care for them) 5. Get something in writing from HR about the situation The success stories from people like ApolloJackson and Amina give me confidence that PA UC does recognize when these relocations are genuinely unreasonable. A 2+ hour commute would basically mean leaving my house at 5 AM and not getting home until 8 PM - that's no way to live! Omar, it sounds like you have an even stronger case than some of us since you have kids in school and a spouse with a good job locally. Start gathering that documentation now and don't let the system intimidate you. From what everyone's shared, you should be approved as long as you explain the situation properly. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread has been incredibly helpful for all of us dealing with these impossible relocation demands!

I'm going through something very similar right now and this thread has been incredibly valuable! My company is moving from Harrisburg to Baltimore (about 2 hours away) and I was terrified about UC eligibility. After reading everyone's experiences, especially the success stories, I'm feeling much more confident. The key seems to be documentation and being very specific about WHY the relocation creates undue hardship rather than just saying "it's too far." For anyone else in this situation, here's what I'm taking from this thread: - Calculate exact commute costs (gas, wear/tear, etc.) - Document family obligations that prevent moving - Get everything in writing from your employer - File as "lack of work" not "quit" - Be prepared to explain the financial/family hardship in detail Omar, your case sounds really strong with the 2-hour commute, kids in school, and spouse's local job. The fact that multiple people here got approved with similar situations (some even had to appeal but ultimately won) shows PA UC does recognize these relocations can be unreasonable. The $400-500/month in commute costs alone that people calculated would be devastating to most budgets. Add in leaving at 5 AM and getting home at 8 PM, and it's completely unsustainable with a family. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this gives all of us hope!

I totally understand your panic - I had the exact same reaction when I missed my weekly filing about a year ago! The good news is that missing ONE week definitely won't close your entire claim. Your claim stays active for the full 52-week benefit year, you just forfeit that one week's payment (frustrating but not devastating). What's important now is to make sure you file your certification for THIS week during your normal filing window. After my experience, I learned to treat weekly filing like paying rent - it's just a non-negotiable weekly responsibility. I set up a Sunday morning alarm at 7:30am that says "FILE UC NOW!" and I always do it before checking social media or doing anything else. Also keep a simple log of your work search activities throughout the week so you're never scrambling for information when filing time comes. You're going to be totally fine - just get back on track this Sunday and don't let it happen again!

Don't panic! I went through this exact same situation about 3 months ago and had the same terrified reaction. Missing one week absolutely will NOT close your entire claim - your claim stays active for the full 52-week benefit year, you just can't get paid for that specific week you missed. It's frustrating to lose that money, but it's not the end of the world! The most important thing right now is to log in and file your certification for THIS week during your regular filing window. After my scare, I became super diligent about setting reminders - I have a phone alarm every Saturday at 8pm that says "DON'T FORGET UC TOMORROW" and another one Sunday morning at 9am. I also started keeping all my work search information in a Google doc so I'm always prepared when filing time comes around. This happens to way more first-time filers than you'd think, so don't beat yourself up about it. Just file this Sunday and create a system to prevent it from happening again!

I see a lot of frustration about calling, so I wanted to add one more tip: Try calling right at 7:59am when they open at 8am. That's typically when their queue is shortest. Also, Thursdays and Fridays tend to have lower call volumes than Mondays and Tuesdays. In the meantime, make sure you've verified your mailing address in the system is correct, as they will sometimes mail you a paper check if they've had multiple failed attempts at direct deposit or card payments.

So glad you got through and got it resolved! I've been dealing with a similar card activation issue but haven't had the courage to call yet after reading all these horror stories. Your success gives me hope that it's actually possible to reach someone if you time it right. Going to try the 7:59am strategy tomorrow morning. Thanks for updating us on how it worked out - really helpful for others who might be going through the same thing!