When I was on unemployment last year my payments would show up as "paid" on Tuesdays but I couldn't actually use the money until Thursday morning. My bank (M&T) told me there was nothing they could do to speed it up because it's how the ACH system works or something. Just sharing my experience!

I went through this same situation a few months ago with PA UC! Here's what I learned from experience: when it shows "paid" in the portal, that means PA has released the funds, but your bank still needs to process it. I have Wells Fargo and my first payment took 4 business days to actually be available for withdrawal even though it showed up in my account after 2 days (they put a hold on it). After that first payment though, all my weekly payments were available the next business day after showing "paid" in the system. Definitely call your bank ahead of time to ask about holds - some will waive them if you explain your situation and that you need the funds for bills. Also keep in mind that if your payment shows "paid" on a Friday, you're looking at potentially waiting until Tuesday due to weekends. Hope this helps and congrats on getting approved!

Hey there! I'm in a similar boat - just got my payment dates showing up yesterday after waiting since mid-January. It's such a relief to finally see some movement! Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like we should expect the card within 7-10 business days. I'm trying not to stress about it too much since the hardest part (getting approved) seems to be behind us. Fingers crossed both our cards arrive soon! Thanks for posting this - it's really helpful to see I'm not the only one going through this timeline.

I went through this exact same situation last month! Saw my payment dates appear on a Wednesday and was anxiously checking the mail every day. The Money Network card arrived exactly 8 business days later in a very plain white envelope - honestly looked like junk mail at first glance. Once I activated it online, all my pending payments were available immediately. The whole process was nerve-wracking but worked out fine. Just keep filing your weekly claims while you wait and don't panic if it takes the full 10 days - seems like mail delivery varies by area. You're so close to the finish line now!

Something else to consider - once you receive your card, you can transfer the funds to your personal bank account through the Money Network mobile app or website. You don't have to use the physical card for purchases if you don't want to. Many people don't realize this option exists.

Just wanted to add that if anyone else runs into this issue, you can also check the status of your Money Network card by calling their automated system at 888-233-5916 and selecting the option to check card status without speaking to a rep. It'll tell you when it was mailed and the tracking info. Also, make sure your address is correct in your PA UC dashboard under "Personal Information" - I've seen people have issues because they moved and forgot to update it there. The card gets sent to whatever address is on file in the system, not necessarily your mailing address elsewhere.

I actually just went through this exact situation a few months ago! Got a job offer but had to wait for both background check and security clearance to go through. I kept filing my weekly claims the entire time (which ended up being 6 weeks total) and documented everything carefully. The UC office confirmed I was doing the right thing when I called to ask. The important thing is you're not actually employed until you start working and earning wages - a conditional offer doesn't count as employment. Just make sure when you do start, you report that first day of work immediately on your next weekly certification. Also keep all your paperwork from the job offer process in case you ever need to show the timeline. You're making the right call by continuing to file!

I'm in a similar boat right now - got a job offer two weeks ago but still waiting on the background check to clear! Reading through all these responses has been super helpful. It sounds like the consensus is to keep filing until you actually start working, which makes sense since a contingent offer isn't guaranteed employment yet. I've been noting the pending offer in the additional information section each week like some of you suggested. My biggest worry was accidentally committing fraud, but it seems like being transparent and accurate with dates is the key. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's really reassuring to know others have navigated this successfully!

Just wanted to add that you should also keep copies of any communication from your employer about the return date (emails, texts, etc.) even though they didn't file official paperwork with the state. If UC ever questions your situation, having documentation that shows your employer's intentions could be helpful. I've seen cases where people had issues later because they couldn't prove their employer had given them a specific return date. Better to have the documentation and not need it than the other way around.

I was in almost the exact same situation a few months ago! My employer gave us a return date but didn't file the official paperwork with PA UC. What I learned is that even though it feels pointless, you really do need to follow through with the work search requirements. I ended up doing a mix of online applications and attending a couple virtual job fairs - it actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The key is just documenting everything properly like others mentioned. And honestly, having that backup plan of knowing what jobs were out there gave me some peace of mind, even though I was confident about returning to my original job. Better to be safe and keep your benefits flowing smoothly!