I'm going through something very similar - 19 years at a chemical plant, laid off in December with a callback that's now been pushed from February to April. At 54, the thought of starting over is absolutely terrifying, but this thread has given me so much hope and practical advice! What I've learned from my own research is that PA UC will notify you in writing when your work search requirements change, but don't wait for that letter - start preparing immediately. I've been quietly updating my resume and researching companies, and honestly it's been empowering to realize how much I've actually accomplished over nearly two decades. One thing that's helped my confidence is volunteering at a local food bank - it counts as community involvement and has helped me practice talking to new people again after being in the same workplace bubble for so long. For what it's worth, I've started reaching out to former coworkers who left over the years, and several have told me their new employers specifically sought out people with long manufacturing experience. We're more valuable than we think! Keep your head up - we've weathered plant shutdowns, recessions, and massive industry changes. We can handle this transition too.

I'm reading through all these experiences and feeling so much less alone in this situation! I've been laid off from my automotive parts manufacturing job after 21 years with a callback date that's been pushed twice now. At 56, I was completely panicking about the work search requirements, but everyone's advice here has been incredibly helpful. I had no idea about PA CareerLink workshops or that networking activities count toward the weekly requirements - that makes it feel so much more manageable than just firing off random applications. What really hits home is realizing how many of us experienced workers are dealing with these endless callback extensions. It's clearly become a way for companies to avoid real severance obligations while keeping us in limbo. I'm taking everyone's advice to heart and starting to prepare now rather than waiting for my March 15th deadline. Already signed up for a virtual CareerLink workshop and started reaching out to former colleagues. Thank you all for sharing your stories and proving that our decades of experience really do have value in today's job market!

UPDATE: You guys were right! Just checked this morning (Monday) and now I see a transaction number has appeared! The payment status says "paid" with today's date. So relieved! Thanks everyone for the help and reassurance.

Congrats on getting the transaction number! That's exactly how it worked for me too - approved Friday, transaction number Monday morning. Just a heads up that when the money hits your Money Network card, you might want to check if there are any ATM fees at your usual locations. Some people don't realize the card has specific fee-free ATM networks. Also, if you need to make a large purchase or pay rent, you can usually do a cash advance at certain banks or use it for direct payments. The money should be available by Wednesday at the latest!

I just filed my claim on February 22nd and was having this exact same confusion! I was literally refreshing my dashboard every few minutes thinking something was wrong when I saw my waiting week wouldn't start until this Sunday. Reading through all these experiences has been such a relief - it's clear that PA's Sunday-Saturday rule is a universal source of confusion. The train schedule analogy finally made it click for me too - you can't count a partial journey as a complete trip! I was honestly ready to call and re-file everything because I thought I had messed up. It's incredible that PA doesn't just put a simple one-sentence explanation about this on their filing page - they could prevent so much unnecessary stress. Now I understand I'm not actually losing benefits, just dealing with their weird calendar system. Going to make sure I file all my weekly certifications consistently and keep detailed records of my work search activities from day one. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - this thread has been absolutely invaluable for understanding what PA should have explained upfront!

I just filed my claim on February 24th and was going through this exact same confusion until I found this amazing thread! I was literally panicking at 3am thinking I had somehow filed incorrectly when I saw my waiting week wouldn't start until this Sunday. Reading everyone's experiences here has been such a huge relief - it's incredible how universal this Sunday-Saturday rule confusion is! The train schedule analogy really made it click for me too - you can't board mid-journey and expect to count the partial trip. I was honestly about to call PA UC first thing in the morning thinking my claim was broken. It's mind-boggling that PA doesn't include even a simple sentence about this timing rule on their filing page - they could save so many people from unnecessary stress! Now I completely understand that I'm not losing any benefits, just dealing with their specific calendar system. This community has been absolutely invaluable for explaining what PA should have told us upfront. Going to make sure I stay consistent with all my weekly certifications and keep detailed records of my work search activities from day one. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - you've saved me from so much anxiety!

I'm so sorry you're going through this stressful situation! I went through something very similar about 8 months ago when I got terminated from my job at a big box store for hitting their attendance point limit after coming down with COVID. Just like your situation with Walmart, I had proper medical documentation from my doctor and urgent care, followed all their call-out procedures perfectly, but their point system doesn't care about the medical reasons behind absences. I was initially terrified to apply for UC because I thought being "fired" automatically meant I'd be denied benefits, but Pennsylvania really does examine the whole situation. The fact that you were genuinely sick with documented medical proof and followed proper notification procedures puts you in a much stronger position than you might realize. 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 large retailers). The appeals hearing was actually straightforward - I just had to present my medical documentation and explain each absence. The hearing officer specifically stated 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, upload ALL your documentation, and start keeping meticulous records of your job search activities right away (PA requires 3 work search activities per week). Don't get discouraged if there's an initial denial - the appeal process is where you can actually explain your situation to a real person. 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 try not to let it overwhelm you. You're doing everything right and you have legitimate grounds for benefits. Hang in there!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress! I went through almost exactly the same situation about 4 months ago - got terminated from a large retail chain for hitting their attendance point limit after missing work due to a severe respiratory infection. Just like you, I had proper medical documentation, followed all call-out procedures, but their point system doesn't distinguish between legitimate illness and just skipping work. I was absolutely terrified to apply for UC because I thought being "fired" meant automatic denial, but Pennsylvania really does look at the circumstances. The key is that your absences were due to something completely beyond your control - genuine illness with medical proof. That's not willful misconduct under PA law. I got approved after about 6 weeks (including an appeal because my employer contested automatically - they all seem to do that). The hearing was straightforward - I just presented my medical records and explained each absence. The hearing officer emphasized that documented illness doesn't constitute misconduct. Apply immediately if you haven't already, be super detailed about each absence and medical reason, upload ALL your documentation, and start logging your job search activities right away (PA requires 3 per week). Don't panic about the rent - back pay will cover from your application date. You have strong medical documentation and followed proper procedures - that puts you in an excellent position even if you have to appeal. The system works for legitimate cases like yours. Hang in there!

Reading through all these success stories is giving me so much hope! I'm dealing with a similar situation where my employer cut my hours from 38 to 16 per week (about 58% reduction) and I'm waiting for my referee hearing next week. The advice about calculating exact percentages, citing Section 402(b), and creating detailed budget breakdowns showing monthly expenses vs. reduced income is incredibly valuable. It sounds like the key is being very specific about WHY the referee's decision was legally wrong, not just disagreeing with it. @Zara Shah your 62.5% reduction case sounds rock solid based on everything people are saying about the 30% threshold - definitely worth appealing! I'm bookmarking this thread to reference when I (hopefully don't) need to file my own Board appeal. Thank you everyone for sharing such detailed experiences and practical advice!

I'm going through almost the exact same situation right now! My employer reduced my hours from 42 to 18 per week (about 57% cut) and I lost my referee hearing two weeks ago. Reading through everyone's success stories here has completely changed my perspective - I was ready to give up, but now I see there's real hope with a Board of Review appeal. The advice about calculating the exact percentage reduction and citing PA UC Section 402(b) is gold. I had no idea that 30% was the general threshold for "substantial change" - my 57% reduction is way above that, just like your 62.5% case. I'm definitely going to follow the framework that @Zainab Ismail shared about organizing the appeal around three points: legal error, factual evidence, and specific regulations. What really stands out to me is how many people emphasize showing the actual dollar impact on your budget. I'm going to create a breakdown like @Owen Jenkins suggested - my monthly expenses ($2,650) versus what I'd make at 18 hours (about $1,350/month). That gap makes it crystal clear why continuing wasn't financially viable. @Zara Shah - your case sounds incredibly strong! That 62.5% reduction is substantial by any measure, and you have great documentation. I'm filing my Board appeal this week too. Let's both fight these wrong referee decisions and get what we're legally entitled to!