UPDATE: I finally got through! I followed the advice to try after midnight and it worked perfectly at 12:30am. For anyone else having this issue, definitely try during off-hours. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!

Same thing happened to me last week! The PA UC system seems to have these random outages pretty regularly. I've found that if you're getting the spinning/timeout issue, sometimes refreshing the page and starting over works better than trying to hit submit again. Also, make sure you're not using any browser extensions that might interfere with the submission process - I had to disable my ad blocker to get mine to go through. The late night trick definitely works too, but I know it's frustrating when you just want to get it done during normal hours!

Hey there! I know this thread is pretty comprehensive already, but I wanted to share my perspective as someone who just went through this exact situation a few months ago. Got laid off from my electrical work in November and had the same 401k worries. Everyone here is absolutely right - your untouched 401k won't affect your PA UC benefits at all. I actually brought all my paperwork to a free tax prep clinic at the library and they confirmed the same thing. The 401k contributions on your W-2 are just showing what was deducted from your paychecks while you were working, not new income. What really helped me was keeping a simple rule in mind: if money didn't actually hit your bank account or come to you as cash/check during a claim week, you don't report it on your biweekly filing. Your 401k balance going up or down with the market isn't money in your pocket. Hope you get back to work soon - the construction and trades are picking up again with the warmer weather coming! In the meantime, at least you can cross this worry off your list.

Just wanted to jump in here as someone who works in HR and deals with unemployment questions pretty regularly. Everyone's absolutely right that your untouched 401k won't affect your PA UC benefits - I've helped several employees through this same concern when they've been laid off. The key distinction is between "assets" (like your 401k balance) and "income" (money you actually receive). PA unemployment only cares about reportable income during your claim weeks, not the value of retirement accounts or other investments you're not touching. Since you mentioned being confused by the tax forms - when you see your 401k info on your W-2, that's showing pre-tax contributions that were already deducted from your wages during the base period they used to calculate your UC benefit rate. It's not additional income to worry about now. You're smart to leave it alone until April and then roll it over. Cashing out would create taxable income AND trigger early withdrawal penalties if you're under 59½. Plus any withdrawal while on UC would need to be reported and could reduce your weekly benefits. Hope this helps ease your stress - unemployment is tough enough without worrying about things that aren't actually problems!

This is exactly what happened to me last month! I was so stressed thinking I was doing something wrong. For anyone still confused about this - here's what I learned: when CareerLink sends you to external sites like Indeed or company career pages, those applications don't automatically sync back. You HAVE to go into your JobGateway account and manually add each one under "Job Search Activities." I now do this immediately after each application while I still remember the details. Also pro tip - take screenshots of your application confirmations because some sites delete that info after a few weeks, and you might need proof later if UC audits your work search. The whole system is unnecessarily confusing but at least once you know the process it's manageable.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Applied to 8 jobs this week through external sites after clicking from CareerLink and was absolutely panicking when my dashboard showed zero applications. This thread is a lifesaver - I had no clue about manually adding activities in JobGateway. Just spent the last hour going back and logging everything. It's honestly infuriating that PA UC doesn't make this process clear anywhere - like why wouldn't there be a big warning when you get redirected saying "Remember to manually log this application when you return"? I was genuinely worried I'd lose my benefits even though I've been job hunting constantly. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and tips about keeping records - definitely going to start taking screenshots of every confirmation page now. This community is more helpful than any official UC documentation I've found!

I'm in almost the exact same situation as you! Just got fired yesterday from my distribution center job for hitting 9 attendance points when their limit was 7. Most of my absences were legitimate too - had COVID twice (with positive tests), my daughter was in the hospital for a week, and my car transmission died. I've been reading through all these responses and it's giving me so much hope that we might actually qualify for UC benefits despite being fired for attendance. It sounds like PA really does look at whether you had "good cause" for your absences rather than just the policy violation. I'm going to start gathering all my documentation today - COVID test results, hospital records, repair estimates, and all my text messages to my supervisor showing I followed proper call-off procedures. Thanks for posting this question because I was too scared to ask myself! Reading everyone's success stories has convinced me to apply this week. We've got this!

I went through almost the exact same thing about a year ago - got fired from my warehouse job for attendance points (had 9, company limit was 7) but most of my absences were for legitimate reasons like car trouble, family emergencies, and illness. I was terrified to apply for UC because I thought being fired for policy violation meant automatic denial, but I ended up getting approved! The key is that PA UC looks at whether you had "good cause" for your absences, not just whether you technically broke company policy. What really helped my case was having documentation for everything - repair receipts, doctor's notes, text screenshots showing I properly notified my supervisor each time. Even though I had received warnings, the UC examiner said that didn't matter since my absences were due to circumstances beyond my control. Your situation sounds very strong with documented reasons and proper call-off procedures. Definitely apply ASAP and include all your documentation with the initial claim. If you get denied initially (which happens to lots of people), don't panic - appeal it immediately. The system can be frustrating but it does work when you have legitimate reasons like yours. You've got this!

As a newcomer to both this community and the PA UC system, I want to thank everyone for sharing such detailed and helpful experiences! This thread has been incredibly valuable for understanding not just the official rules, but how things actually work in practice. I'm in a very similar situation - recently laid off and worried about navigating the salary threshold requirements while trying to find suitable employment. The 80% rule during the first 13 weeks gives me some reassurance, but all the documentation and tracking advice from @NeonNinja, @Sebastian Scott, @Sofia Perez, and @Amy Fleming is what really helps me feel prepared. I'm particularly grateful for the practical tips like creating budget breakdowns to show genuine hardship, tracking total compensation packages (not just base salary), and the reminder that negotiation attempts are viewed favorably by UC. The spreadsheet tracking system seems essential - I'm setting one up today. One question I have is about timing - if I'm still waiting for my initial claim to be approved, should I be documenting job search activities and potential offers now, or only after my claim is officially active? I want to make sure I'm not missing any important steps while my application is under review. Thanks again to everyone who has shared their experiences. It's communities like this that make navigating these challenging systems so much more manageable!

As someone who just went through this exact situation a few months ago, I want to reassure you that the 80% rule is real and enforceable when properly documented. I declined two offers that were 72% and 76% of my previous salary during my first 8 weeks of unemployment, and UC accepted both decisions without any issues. The key is being proactive about documentation from day one. I kept a detailed log that included not just the salary percentage, but also commute costs, benefits comparison, and any significant differences in job responsibilities. When UC did follow up on one declined offer (about 4 weeks after I reported it), I was able to provide comprehensive documentation that clearly showed why the position wasn't suitable. One thing I learned is that UC appreciates when you show you're being strategic rather than just dismissive. For example, I always attempted to negotiate first before declining - even when I knew the salary was too low. This demonstrated good faith effort to make unsuitable work suitable, which UC views favorably. Also, don't let the stories about people having benefits cut discourage you too much. Those situations usually involve people who either didn't document properly, declined offers above the threshold, or weren't honest on their certifications. If you follow the guidelines and keep thorough records, you should be fine. The job market is tough right now, but having UC benefits gives you the breathing room to find something truly suitable rather than jumping at the first lowball offer. Use that time strategically and document everything!