Good luck with your application! You're taking the right approach by being honest and exploring all your options. Just wanted to add that when you do apply, make sure to mention any tips you received at the bar job if you reported them on past tax returns - sometimes people forget that tip income can count toward eligibility if it was properly reported. Also, keep records of all your contacts with the Department of Labor about the misclassification issue, as this could be helpful if they do investigate your employer. The fact that you're being proactive about reporting the situation properly shows you're handling this the right way despite your employer's poor practices.

I went through something similar a few years ago working at a pizza place. The owner paid everyone cash and when I got fired, I was in the same boat. What I learned is that even though you can't get UC benefits for the under-the-table work, you might still qualify for other assistance programs like SNAP (food stamps) or emergency rental assistance through your county. I know it's not the same as unemployment, but it can help bridge the gap while you're looking for new work. Also, don't feel bad about not knowing the tax implications - a lot of employers in the service industry take advantage of workers who don't realize they're being screwed over. You're doing the right thing by asking questions and trying to handle this properly now.

Good news: After you get this fixed, your weekly claims should process normally. Bad news: It won't fix itself. My friend who works in seasonal fishing industry had an almost identical situation. His employer's HR person coded the holiday bonus as January wages instead of December. Took him calling and explaining to get it fixed, but once it was resolved, he got all his back payments at once. The agent manually recoded the bonus to the correct date. Just be ready to clearly explain that the bonus was received in December 2024, before your new benefit year started on Jan 1, 2025.

so did u get this fixed yet? im curious cuz im having similar problems with my seasonal claim

UPDATE: Finally got through to someone at UC this morning! Used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above and it actually worked - got me past the busy signals. The agent confirmed my appeal is "in final review" and should be decided within the next 7-10 days. She also added a hardship note to my file which might help speed things up. They said decisions from January hearings are being processed now, so the timing lines up with what others mentioned. Feeling slightly more hopeful now that I at least know where I stand!

So glad to hear you finally got some concrete information! That "final review" status is definitely encouraging. I went through something similar last year and once they told me it was in final review, I got my decision 5 days later. The hardship note was smart too - I think that really does help prioritize cases. Fingers crossed you get good news soon and can finally put this nightmare behind you. Keep us posted on how it goes!

If you're concerned about the timeline, you can also check your PA UC dashboard for any updates. Sometimes they'll post messages about the review status there before you receive anything by mail. Regarding potential future reviews - they typically don't repeat this process unless there's a significant change in your reporting pattern or you have a new employer. The system is designed to verify once, then trust the established pattern unless something changes.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Just started a part-time job at a retail store and after 3 weeks of partial payments, I got the review form last week. It's so stressful not knowing when the money will come through, especially when you're already struggling financially. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's reassuring to know this is normal and not something I did wrong. Keeping my fingers crossed it resolves in the 2-3 week timeframe most of you mentioned!

Just to add some official information: According to the PA UC website, the only holiday officially observed this month is Christmas Day (December 25th). The UC service centers are open normal hours on December 23rd and until 12pm on December 24th. So claims processing should happen normally on the 23rd, but if you need to speak with someone, best to do it early on the 24th or wait until the 26th.

also dont forget the money network card takes longer sometimes than direct deposit i switched 2 payments ago and its way better now