Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I feel much better about the situation now. I'll definitely keep filing my weekly claims and report my earnings for the summer program weeks. It's such a relief knowing I won't have to go through the hassle of reopening my claim for those last few weeks of summer before school starts again. This community is amazing!

Just wanted to add my experience as another bus driver in PA! I've been doing this seasonal UC thing for 3 years now and the key is definitely consistency - keep filing every single week even when you're working. One thing I learned the hard way is to save screenshots of your weekly filings when you report earnings, especially during those summer work weeks. I had a weird glitch once where the system didn't save my wage report properly and it looked like I didn't report income, which triggered an overpayment investigation. Having those screenshots saved me months of headaches! Also pro tip: if your summer program pays you in one lump sum at the end, you'll need to divide it by the number of weeks worked when reporting. Good luck with everything!

Just wanted to add one more important point - if you do decide to quit, make sure you submit your resignation in writing (email is fine) and keep a copy. In the resignation, be specific about how the job differs from what was described during the hiring process. Something like "The position was described as [X] during the interview, but the actual duties are [Y]" or "The schedule was stated as [X] but has been changed to [Y] without prior agreement." This written record can be crucial evidence if UC questions your decision. Also, don't wait too long to quit if you're going to do it - the longer you stay, the harder it becomes to argue the conditions were unacceptable. Good luck!

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that PA UC will sometimes do what's called a "fact-finding interview" over the phone before making their initial decision. Don't be surprised if they call you within a week or two of reporting that you quit - they'll ask detailed questions about exactly what happened and why you left. Be honest and stick to the facts about how the job differed from what was promised. Also, if your employer tries to claim you were fired instead of quit (to avoid paying into the UC system), make sure you have evidence that you resigned voluntarily. I've seen cases where employers lie about the circumstances to avoid liability. Keep records of any texts, emails, or conversations about your resignation!

Your math is spot on - $9,450 ÷ $350 = 27 weeks exactly! I filed my PA UC claim about 8 months ago and went through this exact same confusion. The portal is genuinely terrible at displaying basic information that people actually need to plan their finances. Here's what I learned that might help: 1. Yes, once your balance hits $0, regular UC benefits are exhausted (no extensions currently available in PA) 2. The reason you have 27 weeks instead of the standard 26 is likely due to your earnings history during the base period - that's actually a positive thing! 3. Make sure to check your benefit year end date on your determination letter. Your claim expires exactly 365 days from when you first filed, even if you still have money remaining in your balance. I ended up creating a simple tracker in my phone where I logged my remaining balance after each weekly certification. It sounds basic, but it really helped me stay on top of things since the PA portal gives you zero helpful countdown indicators. One more thing - if you end up taking any part-time work while claiming, they'll reduce that week's benefit amount but the unused portion stays in your balance, which can actually extend your claim duration beyond the initial 27 weeks. The whole system feels intentionally confusing, but you're definitely calculating it correctly. Hope your job search goes well and you don't need all 27 weeks!

Your calculation is exactly right! $9,450 ÷ $350 = 27 weeks. I just went through this same frustrating experience when I first filed my PA UC claim a few months ago. The portal is absolutely terrible at showing this basic information clearly. What really helped me was keeping a simple running list on my phone after each weekly certification - just tracking my remaining balance and weeks left. It's ridiculous that we have to create our own tracking systems because PA can't be bothered to display something as basic as "weeks remaining" on the dashboard. Also make sure you check your determination letter for your benefit year end date. That's super important because your claim expires exactly one year from when you filed, even if you still have money left in your balance. Don't make the mistake of thinking you can "save" weeks for later - if your benefit year ends, you lose whatever's left. The fact that you got 27 weeks instead of the standard 26 probably means you had good earnings during your base period, which is actually a positive thing! Once your balance hits $0, that's it for regular benefits (there aren't any extension programs active right now). Hope you find something soon and don't need all 27 weeks. The job search process is stressful enough without having to decode their confusing portal on top of everything else!

Just went through this exact situation last week! Got the "return to work" flag out of nowhere and freaked out just like you did. Turns out my old employer had reported that they offered me my position back (which they did via text), but they coded it wrong in their system as me actually returning to work. The good news is I was able to resolve it pretty quickly - took about 8 days total. Here's what worked for me: I filled out the questionnaire immediately with tons of detail about exactly what happened, including screenshots of the text conversation with my employer. I also kept trying to call and finally got through using the early morning strategy (called right at 8am when they opened). The phone rep was actually super understanding once I explained the situation. She could see in their system that I never actually reported returning to work in my weekly certifications. Having that phone conversation documented in my file definitely helped speed up the review process. Keep filing your weekly claims while waiting - this is crucial! Mine were just held temporarily and then released all at once when they resolved the issue. You've got this! It's stressful but totally fixable.

I'm dealing with this exact same nightmare right now! Woke up yesterday to the "return to work" flag on my account and almost had a panic attack. I definitely never reported returning to work - I've been super careful with my weekly certifications. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. It sounds like this is way more common than I thought, and most people do get it resolved eventually. The fact that employers can submit incorrect information that automatically flags our accounts is so frustrating, but at least now I understand what's probably happening. Planning to fill out the questionnaire today with every detail I can think of. I did have a former employer call me a few weeks ago about a potential position, but it was part-time with no benefits and would have been a huge pay cut. I told them I wasn't interested. Now I'm wondering if they reported something incorrectly to UC about that conversation. Going to try the early morning calling strategy and also look into that Claimyr service people mentioned. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and tips - it makes this whole mess feel less overwhelming knowing there's a path through it!

This is such helpful information! I'm bookmarking this thread because I have a feeling I might need it someday. The fact that there are two separate portals for different types of overpayments is something they really should make clearer on the main website. It's crazy how many hoops people have to jump through just to pay money back to the state. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's clear the system is confusing but at least there are ways to handle it online instead of risking lost mail.

Just wanted to add another tip for anyone dealing with this - if you're having trouble finding your PUA claim number that you need for the separate portal, check your old emails from 2020-2021. I found mine in the original PUA approval email. It's formatted differently than the regular UC claim number (starts with different letters). Also, if you can't find it anywhere in your emails, you can call the PUA-specific hotline at 855-284-8545 - it's separate from the regular UC line and usually has shorter wait times. They can look up your PUA claim number with just your SSN and DOB.