Just wanted to jump in here as someone who's been following PA unemployment law for a while. One thing I don't see mentioned much is that Amazon's attendance policy has actually been challenged successfully in other states because of how rigid it is. Pennsylvania tends to be more worker-friendly than some states when it comes to "good cause" determinations. A few additional tips based on what I've seen work: - If you had any documented conversations with supervisors about your attendance issues before termination, include those in your appeal - Amazon's own employee handbook mentions accommodations for certain situations - if any of your absences could have qualified but weren't offered, bring that up - The ERC confirmation numbers are GOLD - they prove you followed procedure exactly as required Also, don't let the initial denial discourage you. I've seen statistics showing that over 60% of attendance-related misconduct denials get overturned on appeal in PA when the claimant shows up prepared with documentation. Amazon relies on people giving up after the first denial. Stay strong everyone - the system is definitely stacked against workers initially, but persistence and good documentation really do pay off!

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now - got terminated from Amazon fulfillment center in Mechanicsburg last Friday for attendance issues and I'm absolutely terrified about the UC process. Reading through everyone's stories here is both comforting and nerve-wracking at the same time! My situation is pretty similar - 4 tardies and 3 absences over about 5 months. Two absences were for my daughter's appointments (one sick visit, one routine checkup), and one was when my transmission went out. The tardies were a mix of traffic, one childcare issue, and honestly one was just my alarm not going off. But I ALWAYS called the ERC and have all the confirmation numbers saved. What really gets me is how they made it sound so final when HR said "willful misconduct" during termination - but seeing that multiple people here have heard the exact same phrase and still won their appeals is giving me some hope! I'm definitely filing today and putting together that chronological chart everyone keeps mentioning. For those who won their appeals - did you include character references or just stick to the factual documentation? I have a few coworkers who would vouch that I was a good employee otherwise, but not sure if that matters for attendance issues. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is a lifesaver when you're feeling completely overwhelmed by the system!

Congratulations on landing the new job! I just went through this exact situation about 2 weeks ago and had all the same worries. Everyone here is giving you perfect advice - you absolutely don't need to formally "close" your claim. Just stop filing your weekly certifications once you start working full-time, and that's it! The system automatically handles everything else. Since you're starting Monday, definitely file for this current week (since you haven't earned anything yet), and then you're all done with the weekly routine. Your claim stays open for the full benefit year as a backup, which is actually really nice to know it's there just in case. I took a screenshot of my last certification and wrote down my final filing date and job start date in my phone - probably not necessary but it gave me peace of mind. The hardest part was honestly remembering NOT to file the next week after it had become such an automatic habit! Best of luck with your new position - it feels amazing to be done with those weekly filings and back to regular work life! 🎉

Congratulations on your new job! I'm actually in a very similar situation - just received an offer this week and was stressing about the exact same thing. After reading through all these helpful responses, it's clear that I was way overthinking the process too. The consensus is so consistent: just stop filing weekly certifications once you start working full-time, and the system handles the rest automatically. Your claim stays open as a safety net for the full benefit year, but goes inactive when you stop certifying. Since you're starting Monday, filing for this current week and then stopping makes perfect sense. It's such a relief to see so many people who've successfully navigated this transition! Thanks for asking this question - you've helped more than just yourself. Here's to both of us moving forward with confidence! 🎉

I've been following this thread for the past few days and just wanted to say how incredible it's been to see everyone come together to solve these CareerLink issues! As someone who's been dealing with UC for about 8 months now, I can confirm that these authentication problems are unfortunately very common. What's amazing is how this community has basically created the most comprehensive CareerLink troubleshooting guide I've ever seen - from incognito browsing to DNS settings to VPN conflicts. @Isabella Russo your browser extension diagnosis has helped so many people here! I also wanted to add one more potential solution that worked for me last winter: sometimes clearing your browser's stored passwords specifically for the CareerLink site helps. Even if you're not using a password manager, browsers can sometimes store conflicting login data. Go to your browser settings, find saved passwords, and delete any entries for pacareerlink.pa.gov, then try logging in fresh. The documentation advice everyone's giving is absolutely crucial too - I use both a Google Doc AND screenshots of my CareerLink activity just to be extra safe. It's frustrating that we have to jump through all these hoops, but this thread proves that there's almost always a solution if you know where to look. Thanks to everyone for making this stressful process more manageable!

This thread is absolutely incredible and has been such a lifesaver! I just went through the exact same CareerLink authentication nightmare about two weeks ago and was starting to panic about my UC benefits. After reading through all these solutions, I tried the incognito browser method that @Isabella Russo suggested and it worked immediately - turns out my privacy badger extension was blocking the authentication scripts. What really amazes me is how this community has basically crowdsourced the most complete CareerLink troubleshooting guide that exists anywhere. Between browser extensions, DNS issues, VPNs, password managers, stored login conflicts, and even server overload timing - you've all covered every possible technical cause. I also wanted to add that if you're still having issues after trying all these fixes, sometimes the problem is actually on CareerLink's server side. I noticed during my two weeks of problems that certain times of day worked better than others. Early morning (before 8 AM) and late evening (after 7 PM) seemed to have fewer authentication errors, probably because fewer people are using the system. The documentation advice everyone's giving is so crucial too - I now keep a detailed spreadsheet with dates, company names, positions applied for, and screenshots of my CareerLink submissions. It's extra work but gives me peace of mind knowing I have backup proof of compliance. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions. This community support makes dealing with PA's broken systems so much less stressful!

I'm really sorry you're going through this - the 8 week wait is absolutely brutal and the stress of facing eviction while waiting for UC is just overwhelming. Reading through all these responses has given me some hope though, especially seeing how many people have eventually gotten through this nightmare. I wanted to add one more resource that helped me when I was in a similar situation last year - try contacting your local United Way chapter (dial 211 or search online). They have a database of emergency assistance programs in your area and can sometimes connect you directly with organizations that provide immediate rent help. In my case, they connected me with a local church that had an emergency fund specifically for people waiting on government benefits. Also, if you do get through to UC and find out your employer is disputing the claim, ask the rep specifically what reason your employer gave. Sometimes they dispute it as "quit" vs "laid off" or claim "misconduct" when it was really restructuring. Knowing exactly what they're claiming can help you prepare better evidence for your interview. The early morning calling strategy really does work - I got through at 8:18am after starting at 8:00am and just kept redialing. Have your SSN and all your info ready because once you get someone, they can usually tell you immediately what's holding up your claim. Hang in there - you're going to get through this and you will get all that backpay. This system is completely broken but most people do eventually get approved, especially for layoffs/restructuring situations.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare - 8 weeks is absolutely unacceptable and the stress of facing eviction while waiting must be overwhelming. I went through something very similar earlier this year and want to share what finally worked for me. The early morning calling strategy that others mentioned really does work - I had success calling at exactly 8:00am and hitting redial continuously until I got through around 8:22am. When I finally reached someone, they told me my employer had disputed my separation, claiming "voluntary quit" when I was actually laid off due to company downsizing. While you're fighting to get through to UC, definitely pursue the emergency assistance resources people have mentioned. In my area, the Salvation Army had an emergency rent program that could cover up to 2 months of back rent for people waiting on unemployment determinations. They processed my application in just 5 days and paid my landlord directly. Also, when you do get that UC interview scheduled (and you will eventually), make sure you have documentation ready - emails about restructuring, your termination paperwork, witness contact info if other people were laid off with you. The more evidence you have that it was a legitimate layoff vs. misconduct, the stronger your case will be. The system is completely broken and it's infuriating that we have to jump through all these hoops just to get benefits we're entitled to. But hang in there - once your claim gets approved, you'll receive every penny of backpay for all those weeks you've been waiting. Most layoff disputes do get resolved in the claimant's favor eventually. Keep filing your weekly claims no matter what, and don't give up on getting through to a human at UC. You're going to get through this!

Back to the tax question - make sure you also see if you qualify for the Tax Forgiveness program in PA. If your total income is below certain thresholds (which vary based on number of dependents), you might not owe any state tax on your UC benefits. This is especially important if unemployment was your main source of income last year. You'll need to fill out Schedule SP with your PA return to claim this benefit. The income limits are fairly generous.

Great to see you got it figured out! Just wanted to add one more tip for anyone else dealing with this - if you're using TurboTax and can't find the "Less Common Income" section, you can also search for "1099-G" in the search bar at the top and it should take you right to the unemployment income entry page. Also, definitely check that Tax Forgiveness program - I was surprised how many people qualify but don't know about it. The income thresholds are updated each year so even if you didn't qualify before, you might this time around!