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I'm going through something very similar right now with a chronic condition that's making my retail job impossible. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about so many of these resources and strategies. One thing I wanted to add that my case worker at the local disability advocacy center told me: when you're documenting your accommodation requests, also include any informal requests you've already made. Even if you just mentioned to your manager that you're having trouble standing all day, write down the date and what was said. They told me that pattern of informal requests followed by formal written requests shows you were trying to work with your employer over time. Also, if anyone is dealing with this in the Philadelphia area, the Liberty Resources disability resource center has been amazing. They have benefits counselors who know all the ins and outs of PA systems specifically, and they're free. They helped me understand exactly how to phrase things in my UC application to emphasize my remaining work capacity rather than my limitations. The whole "able and available" requirement is scary when you have medical restrictions, but apparently it's not as black and white as it sounds if you approach it correctly. Hang in there everyone - this thread gives me hope that we can figure this out!
Thank you for mentioning Liberty Resources - I'm actually in the Philly suburbs so that could be perfect for me! I love your point about documenting informal requests too. I've definitely mentioned my struggles to my manager a few times over the past month, so I'm going to sit down tonight and write down everything I can remember about those conversations with dates. It's so reassuring to hear from someone going through the exact same thing right now. The "able and available" requirement has been keeping me up at night worrying, but you're right that it sounds like there's more flexibility than I initially thought if you frame it properly. I'm going to contact Liberty Resources first thing tomorrow - having someone who actually knows the PA system specifics could make all the difference. Thank you for sharing that resource and for the encouragement. It really helps to know there are others navigating this confusing maze successfully!
I'm a case manager at a disability advocacy organization here in PA, and I want to emphasize something that hasn't been mentioned yet - timing is crucial for your situation. Don't wait until you're completely unable to work to start this process, as that can actually hurt your UC claim. Here's what I recommend for your timeline: 1. Get your medical documentation THIS WEEK - detailed letter from your doctor about restrictions and prognosis 2. Submit written accommodation request to your employer IMMEDIATELY - be specific about what would allow you to continue working (seated position, modified duties, etc.) 3. Give your employer reasonable time to respond (typically 1-2 weeks) 4. If they deny accommodations or fail to respond, then consider your options The key for UC eligibility is showing you made good faith efforts to continue working but were prevented from doing so due to your employer's failure to accommodate. If you just quit without requesting accommodations, UC will likely deny your claim as "voluntary quit without cause." Also, keep working as long as you safely can while this process unfolds - having recent work history strengthens your UC application, and you'll need those earnings for your benefit calculation anyway. One more resource: PA 211 (dial 2-1-1) can connect you with local emergency assistance programs while you navigate the benefits process. They often know about one-time assistance funds that can help with utilities or rent during transitions. Don't lose hope - with proper documentation and strategy, you have viable options here.
This is exactly the professional guidance I needed! Thank you for laying out such a clear timeline - I was panicking about when to start each step, but your 1-2 week framework makes perfect sense. I had no idea that quitting without requesting accommodations first would hurt my UC claim so much. I'm definitely going to follow your advice about continuing to work while this process unfolds. It's been really hard physically, but you're right that having recent work history will strengthen my application. The PA 211 resource is fantastic - I had no idea that existed. It's reassuring to know there might be emergency assistance available while I navigate all of this. One quick question - when you say "reasonable time" for my employer to respond to the accommodation request, should I include a specific deadline in my written request, or just give them the 1-2 weeks and follow up? I want to make sure I handle this part correctly since it sounds so crucial for any future UC claim. Thank you for sharing your professional expertise - having guidance from someone who works in this field every day makes me feel so much more confident about moving forward with a real plan.
Your calculation is definitely correct! $9,450 ÷ $350 = 27 weeks exactly. I filed my PA UC claim about 6 months ago and had the exact same confusion - it's honestly shocking how poorly the portal displays this basic information. A few things that helped me figure it all out: 1. Yes, once your balance hits $0, regular benefits are done (no extensions currently available) 2. The reason you got 27 weeks instead of the standard 26 is likely because of your specific earnings during the base period - that's actually a good thing! 3. Keep track of your benefit year end date from your determination letter - your claim expires exactly one year from when you filed, even if you still have money left I ended up creating a simple note in my phone where I tracked my balance after each weekly certification. It's ridiculous that we have to create our own tracking systems because PA can't be bothered to show "weeks remaining" anywhere obvious. One more tip: if you end up working part-time while claiming, they'll reduce that week's benefit but the unused portion stays in your balance, which can extend your claim beyond 27 weeks. Just something to keep in mind as you job search. The whole system feels deliberately confusing - you're definitely not missing anything obvious, it's just poorly designed!
This is such helpful and detailed advice! I really appreciate you breaking everything down so clearly. The phone note tracking system sounds perfect - much simpler than a spreadsheet but still gives me the visibility I need. It's reassuring to hear that 27 weeks instead of 26 is actually a good thing based on my earnings history. I had no idea about the part-time work potentially extending the claim either - that's really useful to know as I'm job searching. You're absolutely right that the system feels deliberately confusing. Thanks for taking the time to share all these insights from your experience!
Your calculation is absolutely correct - $9,450 ÷ $350 = 27 weeks. I had this exact same confusion when I first filed my PA UC claim last year! The portal is incredibly frustrating because it doesn't show a simple "weeks remaining" counter anywhere, which is such basic information that everyone needs. A few key points to remember: - Once your balance hits $0, regular benefits end (no federal extensions currently active) - Your 27 weeks instead of the standard 26 likely reflects higher earnings in your base period, which is actually good - Check your determination letter for your benefit year end date - this is crucial because your claim expires exactly one year from filing, even with money left I ended up keeping a simple running tally in my phone notes after each weekly certification. It's absurd that we have to create our own tracking systems, but it really helps with budgeting and planning. The PA UC system seems designed to make everything as unclear as possible! Also, if you end up doing any part-time work while claiming, they'll reduce that week's benefit but the unused portion stays in your balance, potentially extending your claim beyond 27 weeks. Good luck with your job search - hopefully you'll find something before you need all 27 weeks!
This is exactly what I needed to hear! Thank you for confirming my math and explaining everything so clearly. I'm definitely going to start keeping track in my phone notes like you suggested - it's crazy that we all have to create our own systems just to get basic information that should be right there on the dashboard. The tip about part-time work potentially extending the claim is really valuable too, especially since I'm open to taking temporary or part-time work while I search for something full-time. I checked my determination letter and found my benefit year end date, so I'll make sure to keep that in mind. Really appreciate you taking the time to share all these insights - it makes me feel a lot more confident about navigating this confusing system!
I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago! Definitely keep filing your weekly claims and report your earnings from those 2 days. One thing that really helped me was calling the PA UC customer service line early Monday morning (like 8:05 AM) - I actually got through pretty quickly compared to other times of the week. They confirmed that as long as you're working less than full-time, you should continue filing and let the system calculate your partial benefits. Also, don't stress too much about the "recalled by employer" checkbox - if you're unsure, you can always add a note in the additional information section explaining your situation (that you were called back for reduced hours). The key is just being completely honest about your earnings and hours worked. Good luck with your return to work!
That's really encouraging to hear from someone who went through the exact same thing! I'm definitely going to try calling Monday morning early like you suggested - I've been dreading trying to get through to them but 8:05 AM sounds like it might actually work. And thanks for the tip about adding a note in the additional information section if I'm unsure about anything. I feel so much more confident about filing this Sunday now after reading everyone's advice here. It's such a relief to know that other people have navigated this successfully!
I work in HR and deal with partial unemployment situations regularly. Everyone here has given you solid advice! Just to reinforce the key points: definitely file this Sunday, report your gross wages for Thursday/Friday, and yes your claim stays active for the full benefit year. One small tip I'd add - when you're entering your work hours, be as precise as possible. If you worked 8 hours Thursday and 7 hours Friday, enter exactly that rather than rounding. The PA system uses these details for their calculations and accuracy helps avoid any future issues. Also, since your boss said they're hoping to bring you back full-time "soon," keep filing weekly until that actually happens - don't stop based on promises of future full-time work. You're doing the right thing by being cautious about not messing anything up!
Just wanted to update everyone - I was able to get through around 3:30pm and successfully filed my weekly claim! For anyone still having issues, try clearing your browser cache or using a different browser. I was stuck on Chrome but it worked immediately when I switched to Firefox. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it really helped calm my nerves knowing this was a system-wide issue and not something wrong with my account!
Same thing happened to me around 8am this morning! I was panicking because I've never had to deal with a system outage on my filing day before. Really glad to see from the comments that the system is back up and running now. Just successfully filed my claim after reading everyone's advice about trying different browsers. The Firefox tip from Ava really worked for me too - Chrome kept timing out but Firefox went right through. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and keeping each other updated throughout the day!
This whole situation really shows how much we all rely on each other in this community! I'm new to filing UC claims and was completely lost when I hit that maintenance page this morning. Reading through everyone's experiences and tips has been so helpful - especially learning about the automatic deadline extensions and the browser switching trick. It's reassuring to know that system outages happen regularly and there are protections in place. Thanks to everyone for being so supportive and sharing real solutions!
Kiara Fisherman
This is absolutely ridiculous and unfortunately way too common. I'm going through something similar right now - my employer has rescheduled twice claiming they need "additional documentation" but I suspect they're just buying time hoping I'll find another job or give up. What's really frustrating is that they had months to gather their so-called documentation before the initial hearing was even scheduled! From what I've researched, PA referees are supposed to be stricter about granting postponements after the first one, but it seems like enforcement is inconsistent. Definitely follow the advice about calling the Board of Review directly - I'm planning to do the same thing this week. Stay strong and don't let them wear you down, which is exactly what they're counting on!
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Lucas Adams
•You're so right about them having months to gather documentation! That's exactly what's happening in my case too - they're claiming they need more time to collect documents when they've known about this hearing since the original filing. It really does feel like they're just hoping we'll give up or find other jobs. I'm definitely going to call that Board of Review number tomorrow and also look into filing a complaint with the Office of UC Tax Services like Zainab suggested. We shouldn't have to deal with these delay tactics when we're already struggling financially. Keep me posted on how your call goes - maybe we can share strategies!
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Jamal Thompson
I'm dealing with this exact same nightmare right now! My former employer has postponed my appeal hearing FOUR times - first for a "scheduling conflict," then claiming their legal rep was unavailable, then saying they needed more documentation, and now they're claiming a "family emergency" for their HR director. It's been over 3 months and I'm starting to think this is their strategy to make me give up. The financial stress is overwhelming and I feel like the system is completely broken. Reading through all these responses gives me hope though - I had no idea there were specific phone numbers to call or that I could file complaints about delay tactics. I'm definitely calling that Board of Review number tomorrow morning and documenting everything. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and advice - it helps to know I'm not alone in this frustrating situation!
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Keisha Williams
•Four postponements is absolutely outrageous! At this point they're clearly abusing the system and hoping you'll give up. When you call the Board of Review tomorrow, definitely emphasize that this is the FOURTH delay and mention the pattern of increasingly questionable excuses (especially that "family emergency" - very convenient timing). You might also want to ask the Board about filing a motion to proceed with the hearing in the employer's absence if they request yet another postponement. Some referees will grant this after multiple delays. Document every single excuse they've given with dates - this pattern will actually help your case when you finally get to the hearing. Don't let them break you down - you've got this!
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