This thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm in a very similar situation - my last day of work is tomorrow and I was completely confused about the waiting period too. Like so many others here, I was interpreting "waiting period" as having to wait before I could even file, when it's actually about waiting for benefits AFTER filing. The way everyone has explained it makes perfect sense now: file immediately after my last day, start weekly certifications this Sunday (knowing I won't get paid for that first week), and then receive my first payment the following week. I'm definitely going to file first thing Friday morning and make sure I have all my employment documents ready beforehand. It's amazing how much clearer this process is with real people explaining their experiences versus trying to decipher the official PA UC website. Thank you all for sharing your stories and preventing me from making costly mistakes!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm currently employed but expecting to be laid off in the next few weeks due to company restructuring, and I was already stressing about when to file for UC benefits. Reading everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring - I was definitely going to make the mistake of waiting a week after my last day to file, thinking that's what the "waiting period" meant. Now I understand that I should file immediately after my last day of work, then start the weekly certifications on the first Sunday after filing (even though that first week won't be paid), and expect my first actual payment the week after the waiting week. It's so frustrating how PA UC's website makes this sound more complicated than it needs to be! I'm bookmarking this thread to reference when the time comes. Thanks everyone for sharing your real-world experiences - it's way more helpful than anything I found on the official website.

I just went through this exact situation about 2 weeks ago and was equally panicked! I can confirm that selecting 'yes' is absolutely the right choice - your CareerLink registration counts as your first work search activity for week one. Here's exactly what I did: I logged into my CareerLink account and found my registration date in the profile activity section (great tip from others here!). When filling out the weekly certification, I entered "PA CareerLink Registration" as the activity, selected "Employment Service Registration" from the dropdown menu, and used my actual registration date. The system accepted it without any issues and my payment processed normally. The PA UC system is definitely confusing for new filers, but everyone here has given you the right advice. Don't overthink it - the CareerLink registration requirement exists specifically to fulfill your first week's work search activity. Just start preparing immediately for week two! You'll need 2 work search activities plus 1 job application starting with your next certification. I spent my first few days after filing browsing job boards and signing up for some CareerLink virtual workshops to get ahead of the requirements. You've got this - the first week is definitely the most stressful but it gets much more routine after that!

I was in this exact same situation just a few weeks ago and totally understand the confusion! I can confirm what everyone else is saying - definitely select 'yes' and use your CareerLink registration as your work search activity for that first week. Here's what worked for me: I went into my CareerLink account and found my registration date under the profile activity section. Then when filling out the weekly cert, I entered "PA CareerLink Registration" as the activity type, selected "Employment Service Registration" from the dropdown, and used my actual registration date. My payment went through without any problems. The key thing to remember is that PA specifically designed the CareerLink registration requirement to count as your first work search activity - it's not just busy work! So don't second-guess yourself on this one. One piece of advice I wish someone had given me: start working on your week two requirements immediately! You'll need 2 work search activities plus 1 job application for your next certification, so I'd recommend spending this weekend browsing job sites and maybe signing up for some CareerLink workshops or webinars. That way you won't be scrambling next week like I was! The whole process definitely gets less stressful after you get through this first certification. You're asking all the right questions and getting great advice here - you've got this!

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this same situation recently. I work seasonal construction and have dealt with partial UC claims for the past two years. The key thing that helped me was setting up a simple spreadsheet to track my weekly earnings and hours worked. This made it SO much easier when certifying each week and helped me catch a calculation error PA made once. Also, don't stress too much about the "reopen" process - it's usually pretty straightforward online and processes quickly. The most important thing is being consistent with your weekly certifications and accurate with your earnings reporting. I've found that as long as you're honest and consistent, the system actually works pretty well for partial claims. Good luck with your new job!

I'm new to this community but dealing with a similar situation right now! I just got hired for a part-time retail job after being laid off, but my hours are all over the place - sometimes 15 hours a week, sometimes 35. Reading through all these responses has been super helpful, especially the advice about certifying every single week regardless of hours worked. One question I still have - when you're reporting earnings, do you report them for the week you actually worked or the week you got paid? My paychecks are always a week behind so I'm not sure which week to report the earnings under when I certify. Also, does anyone know if tips need to be reported too? I sometimes get small tips but they're not on my paycheck stub. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread has already saved me from making some big mistakes with my UC claim!

I'm so sorry you went through this panic - I can totally relate! I had a similar lockout situation about 6 months ago and it's absolutely terrifying when you're dependent on those payments and the system just shuts you out with no clear timeline. I see from the comments that you were able to get through on the phone system which is amazing! That 888-255-4728 number really is a hidden gem that more people need to know about. Your payment should definitely process normally since you filed within the deadline through an official channel. After my lockout experience, I completely switched my filing routine. I now file every Tuesday morning around 9 AM and haven't had a single issue since. The system is so much more stable mid-week and you have those extra buffer days if anything goes wrong. Plus no more Sunday stress! I also started keeping a small notebook with important info - login details, that phone number, confirmation numbers, etc. It sounds old school but it's been a lifesaver when I'm stressed and can't remember things clearly. The lockout period is usually 24 hours from your last failed attempt, but like others mentioned, don't keep trying or it resets. You handled this crisis really well and found a solution! Hopefully switching to earlier in the week will prevent this stress in the future.

This whole situation is exactly why I always tell people to file their claims as early in the week as possible! I've been dealing with PA UC for almost 2 years now and learned this lesson the hard way myself. Sunday filing is like playing Russian roulette with the system - it's overloaded, slow, and prone to lockouts. I'm so relieved to see you were able to get through on the phone system! That 888-255-4728 number is honestly a lifesaver that should be plastered everywhere on their website. Your payment will process normally since you filed within the deadline - I've used phone filing several times and never had delays. A few tips for avoiding this stress in the future: - File on Tuesday or Wednesday mornings when servers are stable - Keep that phone number saved in your contacts AND written down somewhere - Take screenshots of your confirmation screens - Consider setting a phone reminder for mid-week filing The anxiety of potentially missing a payment when you're already dealing with unemployment is just crushing. But you handled this crisis perfectly and found a solution under pressure! This thread is going to help so many people who find themselves in the same situation.

Just wanted to add for anyone finding this thread later - if you can't access your PA UC dashboard for any reason (locked account, forgot login info, etc.), you can also request a duplicate 1099-G by calling their customer service line or sometimes through their online contact form. But definitely try the dashboard first since it's way faster! Also make sure to download it as soon as you find it because like others mentioned, they don't keep them available forever online.

This is such helpful info! I'm bookmarking this thread for future reference. One thing I'd add is that if you're doing your taxes through software like TurboTax or H&R Block, you'll need to enter the 1099-G information in the "Other Income" section, not the W-2/wages section. The software will usually ask if you received unemployment benefits and guide you through it. Also, depending on when you received the benefits and your total income, you might owe taxes on the unemployment since they don't always withhold enough (or any) federal taxes from the payments.