If you're having trouble reaching someone at unemployment to clarify this, I recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation last month - confused about work search requirements and couldn't get anyone on the phone after trying for days. Used their service and got through to a real person at PA UC in 20 minutes who explained everything. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2

Just to be 100% clear for anyone reading this thread: 1. CareerLink is the PREFERRED method for tracking work search in PA as of 2025 2. The UC-304 form is acceptable but not required if you use CareerLink 3. You need at least 2 work search activities per week 4. Print or have electronic access to your work search records for RESEA 5. RESEA is random selection, not because you did anything wrong This information comes directly from my career advisor who works with PA UC daily.

Something else to consider - check if your union contract has any provisions about unemployment benefits. Some union contracts actually have supplemental unemployment benefit funds (SUB pay) that can provide additional income on top of regular UC. Also, if your company is claiming you violated the attendance policy, request a copy of your attendance records directly from HR. When I got let go from my union position, I discovered discrepancies in their records that helped my case.

After 2 weeks with no update on my UC claim I finally got through to a rep yesterday. Apparently my employer is contesting it (no surprise) but the agent said with my documentation I should be fine. Just a waiting game now!

Just to follow up - the specific regulation about this is that claimants with a return-to-work date need to: 1. Register with PA CareerLink within 30 days (no exceptions) 2. Provide documentation of return date from employer 3. Return date must be within 12 weeks 4. You still need to file your bi-weekly claims 5. Answer "YES" to the question about having a return-to-work date If all these conditions are met, the work search requirements should be waived. But the system is buggy, so it's good practice to call and confirm everything is noted in your husband's file.

btw tell ur husband dont forget to do income taxes on unemployment money!!! they dont take enough out and we got hit with big tax bill last year!!

For the financial statement, you'll typically need to provide: - Recent pay stubs or proof of income - Bank statements (sometimes) - List of monthly expenses - Information about dependents They use this to determine a reasonable monthly payment. Be honest but thorough about your expenses - don't agree to a payment plan you can't realistically maintain. If your situation is particularly difficult, they may consider that when setting up the plan. And to address another comment here - while tax refund offset is the most common collection method, Pennsylvania can also use wage garnishment for unemployment overpayments in some cases, particularly for fault overpayments. So it's definitely best to address this proactively.

UPDATE: Finally got through to someone at UC after calling repeatedly this morning! Turns out there was an overpayment of $1,450 from when I started my part-time job. They say I reported my start date incorrectly (though I'm 99% sure I didn't). The good news is I was able to set up a payment plan - $60/month which I can manage. They're sending me all the paperwork so I can review exactly what happened. The person I spoke with said I can still file an appeal if I have documentation showing I reported correctly. Thanks everyone for your advice! Definitely don't ignore these notices like I almost did.

did u try checking ur claim correspondence? sometimes they send u a notice saying why ur payment is held but dont tell u about it

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to resolve this issue? The most common resolution for this specific problem (showing paid on dashboard but funds not appearing anywhere) is typically: 1. A UC representative needs to manually release the payment from the holding queue 2. There may be a verification flag that doesn't show up in your online account 3. Money Network may have sent your card to an old address if you've moved Did you try Claimyr or find another way to get through to a representative?

My friend just went through the appeal process last month and she said to make sure you call and confirm they received your mailed documents at least once a week. They kept saying they didn't have her stuff but suddenly "found it" after she called for the third time. She ended up winning her appeal and got backpay for all 6 weeks.

One additional thing to note about PA UC appeals: if you win your appeal, be prepared for a delay of 2-3 weeks before any back payments are processed. It's a separate department that handles payment after appeals, and they're still working through backlogs. You may need to proactively contact them after receiving your favorable decision. Also, be sure to continue certifying for benefits every week during the entire appeal process, even though you won't receive payment until after a decision is made.

update?? did u get this figured out OP?? im curious what happened

I was actually able to get through to UC yesterday! I used that call service someone mentioned and got connected pretty quickly. The agent was super helpful and put detailed notes in my file explaining the situation. She said it was good I submitted the form with

this is why the whole system needs to be rebuilt. its designed to frustrate people so much they give up. my buddy waited 17 weeks for benefits and by then hed already found another job so he just gave up fighting for backpay. thats what they want.

Final update: My claim was approved! All weeks were paid including backpay from when I first filed. For anyone else in the immigration verification loop - persistence is key. Call early, ask for supervisors, and document everything. Thanks again everyone for your help and advice!

One important thing to prepare for your misconduct appeal hearing: PA uses a two-part test for attendance-related misconduct: 1. Did you violate a known and reasonable employer policy? 2. Was the violation deliberate/willful or was it due to good cause? The burden of proof is initially on the employer to show there was a policy and you violated it. Then the burden shifts to you to show you had good cause. Childcare emergencies generally count as good cause, especially if you made efforts to find alternatives and communicated properly. Make sure you're prepared to clearly explain the circumstances of each absence, what you did to try to resolve it, and how you communicated with your employer. Bring any evidence showing you tried to find alternative childcare. This can make a big difference in how the referee views your case.

after my appeal got approved i got backpay for all the weeks i was waiting which was like $6200!!! make sure u keep filing every week during the wait even tho they'll all say 'appeal pending' or whatever. its a pain but worth it if u win

One important thing to remember - make sure you file for that final week of benefits! Some people miss out on their last payment because they don't realize they need to file one more time after receiving the notice about benefits exhausting. That last week still counts!

For future reference (and for others reading this thread), here's how to calculate your total benefit weeks in PA: 1. Find your financial determination letter 2. Look for your "Maximum Benefit Entitlement" (total amount) 3. Look for your "Weekly Benefit Rate" 4. Divide the maximum benefit by the weekly rate This gives you the maximum number of weeks you'll receive benefits if you claim full benefits each week. It's typically between 16-26 weeks depending on your work history and previous earnings. The higher your previous earnings, generally the more weeks you'll qualify for (up to the 26-week maximum).