To answer your follow-up question - you don't need to submit your work search details every week. The system will just ask "Did you complete your work search activities?" and you select Yes. However, they do occasionally select people for verification where you'll need to provide the details of your activities for certain weeks. This is why keeping good records is important. Some people never get selected for verification, others might get checked multiple times. And as for your question about just doing resume uploads - while that technically counts, I wouldn't recommend doing ONLY that type of activity every week. Mix in some actual job applications too. The point of the requirement is to help you find work, after all.

Just wanted to add that PA CareerLink (www.pacareerlink.pa.gov) is a really valuable resource that many people overlook! Not only can you search and apply for jobs there (which counts as work search activities), but they also offer free workshops, career counseling, and job placement services. I attended their resume writing workshop last month and it was actually really helpful. Plus, attending any of their workshops or meetings counts as a work search activity, so it's a great way to get genuine help while meeting your requirements. They have both in-person and virtual options available.

I've been doing gig work (mainly DoorDash with some Grubhub) while on UC for about 2 months and this thread is SO helpful! I was getting really frustrated because every rep I talked to seemed completely lost when I mentioned delivery apps. Here's what I've learned from my experience plus all these great tips: I started using the Everlance app to track miles automatically (similar to Stride/MileIQ that others mentioned), and I keep a simple weekly log of gross earnings minus mileage deduction to get my net income. When filing, I always put "Self-Employed - Independent Contractor" and my home address. The biggest revelation from reading these comments is asking specifically for reps who handle "independent contractor" or "self-employment" cases - I had no idea that was even an option! I've been stuck trying to educate regular reps about what gig work is, which is clearly a waste of time. One question for everyone - I sometimes do both DoorDash and Grubhub in the same week. Do you report them as separate employers or combine the totals? I've been combining everything under "Self-Employed - Food Delivery" but wondering if that's the right approach. Thanks to everyone sharing their systems - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this confusion!

I've been doing a mix of DoorDash and UberEats while on UC for about 8 weeks now and finally have a system that works! Reading through all these responses is so validating - I thought I was the only one dealing with reps who act like they've never heard of food delivery apps before. My approach: I use Stride to auto-track miles (just turn it on when I start my first delivery and off when I'm done for the day), keep a simple Google Sheet with weekly totals, and always report NET income after the standard mileage deduction. For the UC system, I put "Self-Employed - Food Delivery Services" as employer with my home address. The absolute game-changer was learning to ask immediately for someone who handles "self-employment" cases when I call UC. Regular reps clearly aren't trained on this stuff, but the specialized ones understand it perfectly. No more 20-minute conversations trying to explain what DoorDash is! I typically aim to keep my net earnings around $240-250 per week so I stay comfortably under that $260 threshold while still getting decent partial benefits. The flexibility has been perfect for job hunting since I can easily schedule interviews without worrying about missing shifts. One tip I haven't seen mentioned - I always file my weekly certification at the exact same time each week (Sunday evenings) using the exact same format/wording. The UC system seems to really like consistency, and I haven't had any issues or audit requests in 2 months of doing this. Hang in there - once you get your system down, it's actually pretty manageable!

Hey Justin, I'm really sorry you're dealing with this nightmare - I went through almost the identical situation about 9 months ago as an electrician with a 2-year-old. That "unknown" active issue is definitely your employer contesting your claim, probably saying you were fired for misconduct to keep their UI rates from going up. The good news is you actually have a really strong case. Pennsylvania requires proof of "willful or wanton disregard" for misconduct - being 4 minutes late ONCE with zero written warnings doesn't even come close to that legal standard. The fact that you never signed any disciplinary paperwork is huge in your favor. Here's what finally got me through after weeks of trying: Call PA UC at exactly 7:59am and hit redial constantly until someone picks up. I know it sounds brutal but it took about an hour of non-stop calling before I got through. You can also try spamming the live chat feature right when it opens at 8am. Most crucial thing - keep filing those weekly claims even though they show "in progress"! If you stop filing, you lose those weeks forever. When this gets resolved in your favor (which it likely will based on your situation), all that backpay hits your account at once. For surviving while you wait - definitely call 2-1-1 for emergency assistance, hit up local food banks, and post in Facebook contractor groups for side electrical work. I made enough doing small residential jobs to keep us going. The waiting is absolute hell with a little one depending on you, but cases like yours almost always get approved once they actually review the facts. Hang in there!

I just wanted to reach out and say I'm really sorry you're going through this - as a newcomer to this community, I've been reading through all the responses and your situation really hits home. I'm not an electrician myself, but I went through a similar PA UC nightmare last year with an "unknown" active issue that lasted almost 6 weeks. What struck me most reading your story is how strong your case seems to be. Being 4 minutes late ONE time with absolutely no prior written warnings or signed disciplinary action is nowhere near the "willful misconduct" standard PA requires. Your employer is probably just fishing, hoping you'll give up rather than fight it. I know everyone's already given you great advice about the early morning calling strategy and keeping up with weekly claims, but I wanted to add one thing that helped me mentally get through the waiting period - I started keeping a daily journal of my job search activities and any progress on the UC front. It sounds silly, but having something concrete to look at each day made me feel less helpless during those weeks of radio silence. Also, if you haven't already, document absolutely everything about that day you were terminated - not just the big details, but everything. What time exactly did you arrive? Who else was around? What was the weather like? Sometimes those small details become important if you end up in a fact-finding interview. You're clearly doing everything right by staying on top of weekly claims and looking for side work. This community seems incredibly supportive and knowledgeable - you're not alone in this fight. Hang in there!

This helps a ton! I updated my LinkedIn and looked at a couple job boards the day after being laid off, so I'll document those. Thanks for all the great advice - feeling much more confident about filing now.

Just went through this exact same situation a few months ago! The key thing to remember is that PA UC is actually pretty straightforward once you understand the weekly structure. Since you were laid off Wednesday, you'll report that as your last day worked and include your Mon-Wed earnings for that benefit week. The login delays are unfortunately super common - I had the same issue and it didn't affect my claim at all. The system automatically calculates your partial week benefits based on what you earned versus what you would have earned for the full week. Don't stress too much about the timing of when you filed - as long as it's within a reasonable timeframe (which yours definitely is), you'll be fine. The most important thing is being accurate about your last work day and earnings.

Thanks everyone for the info! At least now I understand what's happening. Still annoyed I have to wait so long for that first week payment, but at least I know I'll get it eventually. I'll keep claiming my weeks and hope the second week payment comes through soon.

I went through the same thing when I first started claiming! That "Not Applicable" status is definitely confusing - I thought there was an error with my claim too. Just to add to what others have said, make sure you keep track of when your benefit year started because that waiting week payment will come exactly one year later (or when you exhaust benefits if that happens first). I set a reminder in my phone so I wouldn't forget about it. Also, your second week should process normally and you should see that payment within a few days if there are no other issues with your claim.