Just wanted to add something that might be helpful - when you start your part-time job, make sure to keep track of any work-related expenses like transportation costs, uniforms, etc. While you can't deduct these from your UC reporting (you still need to report gross earnings), you can potentially claim them as deductions on your tax return next year. Also, since you're working part-time in retail, be aware that your schedule might vary during busy seasons like holidays - this means your UC benefits will fluctuate accordingly. During weeks when you get more hours, your UC will be lower, and during slower weeks with fewer hours, you'll get more UC. The system handles this automatically as long as you report accurately each week. One last tip - if your retail job offers any benefits like employee discounts or the opportunity to pick up shifts at other store locations, take advantage of these! It can help stretch your combined income further while you're transitioning back to full-time employment. Good luck with the new job!

One more thing to keep in mind - if you're working in retail, you might occasionally get asked to work overtime or extra shifts during busy periods. Just remember that if you ever work more than 32 hours in a week, you won't be eligible for ANY UC benefits that week, even if your total earnings are still less than what you'd normally get from unemployment. So if they offer you a lot of extra hours in one week, do the math first - sometimes it's better financially to stay under 32 hours and keep your partial UC benefits rather than work 35+ hours and lose all UC for that week. Also, make sure you understand your store's policy on shift swapping or picking up shifts - you want to make sure any hours you work are properly documented on your official timesheet so you can report them accurately to UC. The flexibility of partial benefits is great, but you need to stay aware of these thresholds to maximize your total income!

Isaac, congratulations on winning your appeal! That's such a huge weight off your shoulders after 3 months of fighting. Your 11-day timeline gives me hope - I'm currently day 8 after my own favorable appeal decision for a similar misconduct vs layoff situation. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful. The advice about checking the Money Network card separately from bank accounts, setting up text alerts, and documenting everything really stands out. I had no idea about the potential for fraud alerts on large deposits either - definitely calling my bank tomorrow! One thing I'm curious about - did you get any kind of confirmation or tracking number when your first batch processed, or did the money just show up? I'm obsessively checking both my bank account and the UC portal multiple times a day but haven't seen anything yet. Thanks for taking the time to update everyone with your timeline. Posts like this are a lifeline for those of us still waiting and stressing about rent/bills. Really hope your second batch comes through quickly!

Isaac, this is such amazing news! Congratulations on both winning your appeal and getting that first batch of payments. Your timeline is incredibly helpful - 11 business days seems to be right in that sweet spot that others have mentioned. I'm actually going through a similar situation right now (day 6 after my favorable decision) and this thread has been a goldmine of practical advice. The tip about setting up Money Network text alerts and checking the portal at 6am are things I never would have thought of on my own. It's so frustrating that employers try to claim misconduct when they're really just doing layoffs to avoid paying into the UC system. But it's encouraging to see that the referees do side with workers when we have our documentation together. Quick question - when your first batch came through, did it show up on your Money Network card or direct deposit? I'm trying to figure out where to focus my obsessive checking! Thanks for taking the time to update everyone. These real experiences make such a difference when you're in the middle of this stressful process. Fingers crossed your remaining payments come through in the next few days!

btw if ur really worried about timing u can switch to the Money Network card instead of direct deposit. payments usually hit that 1 day earlier than bank accounts

I can relate to this anxiety! I've been on UC for about 4 months now and have noticed the timing can be really inconsistent. Some weeks it hits my account at 9am, other weeks not until late afternoon or even the next morning. What I've learned is that as long as your payment status shows "paid" in the UC portal, you're good - it's just a matter of when your specific bank processes it. I actually started keeping a little buffer in my checking account specifically because of these timing variations. The stress of waiting for bills to clear when you're already dealing with unemployment is real!

This entire thread has been so helpful to read through! As someone who's currently waiting on a different type of UC issue (separation pay), seeing the real experiences and timelines gives me hope that persistence really does pay off. The healthcare staffing crisis angle is particularly eye-opening - it makes total sense that performance issues in that industry are often systemic rather than individual failures. @Charlee Coleman congratulations on getting your approval! Your willingness to keep updating this thread with your progress has created such a valuable resource for others. The fact that your claim was actually approved a week before the system showed it really highlights how unreliable the online portal can be. For anyone else reading this who's dealing with performance-related issues, the documentation tips and early morning calling strategy seem to be the key takeaways. It's also reassuring to see that PA UC does recognize when workplace conditions contribute to performance problems. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community support makes such a stressful process feel more manageable!

Wow, this thread has been such a rollercoaster to read through! @Charlee Coleman I'm so relieved you finally got approved - what a nightmare that you were actually approved a week earlier but the system glitch kept you in the dark! That's absolutely maddening but I'm glad your persistence paid off. I'm dealing with my first ever UC claim right now (got laid off from my job at a medical supply company two weeks ago) and honestly this whole thread has been more educational than anything I've found on the official PA UC website. The real-world timelines, the calling strategies, the documentation tips - it's all gold. The healthcare worker stories really hit me hard too. It's infuriating that people are getting flagged for performance issues when they're dealing with impossible working conditions that are completely systemic problems, not individual failures. Really glad to see that PA UC is starting to recognize these situations for what they really are. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and especially to those who came back with updates. This is exactly the kind of community support that makes navigating these stressful bureaucratic processes feel less overwhelming!

If you do file for that waiver, make sure you clearly demonstrate financial hardship. Include your monthly expenses, income, and any special circumstances (medical bills, dependents, etc.). The more specific evidence you provide, the better your chances. Also, definitely emphasize that the reporting error was your employer's mistake and not yours. If you have any documentation from your employer acknowledging the error, include that too.

Hey there! I went through something really similar about 8 months ago. The good news is that yes, you can still get relief even though you're past the initial appeal window. I was in almost the exact same boat - employer reported wrong info, got hit with a "fault" overpayment classification, and they were taking like 38% of my benefits. Here's what worked for me: I filed both the late appeal (citing that I didn't understand the process initially) AND the overpayment waiver at the same time. The waiver got approved first after about 5 weeks, and they actually refunded me about $800 that they had already deducted! The key was really documenting everything - I included my employer's written acknowledgment of their error, bank statements showing financial hardship, and a detailed timeline of what happened. Don't give up! The system is frustrating but there are definitely ways to fight this, especially when it wasn't your fault to begin with.