That's awesome news! Getting assigned to an adjudicator is definitely progress. I've been following your thread since you posted yesterday and it sounds like your state rep's office is actually getting things done. Once you get that interview call, be ready with all your documentation and answer everything clearly and concisely. Most people who make it to the interview stage get approved pretty quickly after that. Rooting for you - keep us updated!

This is really encouraging to see! I'm in a similar situation - been waiting 5 weeks with a "monetary determination" issue and just contacted my state rep yesterday. Reading through all these experiences gives me hope that there might actually be light at the end of the tunnel. For those who had success with state reps, did you follow up with the rep's office regularly or just wait to hear back? I'm trying to find that balance between being persistent and not being annoying. Also dealing with the stress of bills piling up while waiting - this system really puts people in impossible situations.

Just wanted to add another resource that might help - you can also check the PA Department of Revenue website directly for confirmation about unemployment tax exemptions. They have a specific section about what income is excluded from PA taxes, and unemployment compensation is clearly listed there. It's always good to have multiple official sources when dealing with tax questions. Also, if you end up owing any local taxes on your UC benefits, many townships will work with you on payment plans if needed - don't panic if you get hit with an unexpected bill.

Just to add my experience - I'm in Bucks County and found out my township does charge EIT on unemployment benefits at 1%. What caught me off guard was that they didn't automatically withhold it, so I had to pay quarterly estimated taxes to avoid penalties. If your local municipality does tax UC benefits, ask them about their payment options upfront. Some let you pay quarterly, others expect you to handle it all at tax time. The PA unemployment office obviously can't help with local tax questions, so you really do need to contact your township/borough directly.

I'm new to this community but going through almost the exact same situation! Lost my job 7 weeks ago but only filed my PA UC claim 10 days ago because my supervisor told me I was being "terminated for attendance issues" and made it sound like I definitely wouldn't qualify for benefits. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm really encouraged that so many people have successfully gotten their claims backdated when they had good cause like being misinformed by employers. It's frustrating how many companies seem to give misleading information that causes people to delay filing when they're actually eligible. I'm definitely going to submit my backdating request through the messaging system this week based on all the success stories shared here. The step-by-step advice about including a clear timeline with specific dates and selecting "Backdating Request" as the topic is exactly what I needed to know. One quick question - for those who got approved, did you mention in your initial request that you had been job searching during the weeks before you filed, or did you just focus on explaining why you delayed filing? I've been actively looking for work the whole time but wasn't keeping detailed records since I hadn't filed yet. Thanks to everyone for sharing such helpful experiences and advice! This thread has been way more useful than anything on the official PA UC website.

I'm new to this community but currently going through a nearly identical situation to yours, Malik. I lost my job 6 weeks ago but didn't file my PA UC claim until last week because my manager told me during my termination that I was being let go for "performance issues" and wouldn't be eligible for unemployment benefits. Reading through all these incredibly detailed responses has been so eye-opening - I had no idea you could request backdating while your main claim is still under review! The success stories from people like Isaac, Elin, and others who got approved for backdating are really giving me hope that this is actually possible. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm planning to submit my backdating request through the messaging system tomorrow. The step-by-step guidance about selecting "Backdating Request" as the topic, including a clear timeline with specific dates, and having documentation ready has been invaluable. It's incredibly frustrating how many employers seem to give misleading information that causes people to delay filing when they're actually eligible. But seeing so many people here successfully navigate this process and get approved for backdating when they had legitimate good cause is really encouraging. Thanks for posting this question - this entire thread has been more helpful than anything I could find on the official PA UC website! I'll definitely update with my results to help others in similar situations.

Just to add some clarification: The regular UC payment schedule is: 1. File your weekly claim on Sunday 2. PA UC processes claims on Monday (normal business day) 3. Payments hit accounts on Tuesday With Presidents Day: 1. File your weekly claim on Sunday 2. Monday is a holiday, so processing moves to Tuesday 3. Payments hit accounts on Wednesday The one-day delay is consistent across all benefit programs including regular UC, PEUC (when it was active), and TRA benefits. The processing schedule returns to normal the following week.

I'm dealing with the same exact situation! Just got laid off last month and still figuring out all the timing with UC payments. This thread is super helpful because I had no idea holidays could affect the schedule. Does this happen with all federal holidays throughout the year or just certain ones? I want to make sure I plan ahead for the rest of 2025 so I don't get caught off guard again. My bank account is already looking pretty sad and I can't afford any surprises with rent and bills coming up.

this is my first time on unemployment do i need to do anything special for the new card or does it just come automatically?

I'm in the same boat - was really worried about this! Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like we should still get our Thursday checks as normal since they're the last paper checks before the switch. I called UC yesterday and they confirmed that any payments processed before the 24th will still come as paper checks. The card system doesn't kick in until next week's payment cycle. So fingers crossed we'll both get our checks on time! Just make sure you have your Money Network card ready to activate for next week's payment.