I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! Filed for UC two weeks ago after losing my restaurant job and got hit with the "monetarily ineligible" determination. Like you, I'm completely confused because I was working - just not during the specific quarters they're looking at apparently. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful. I had no idea about the alternate base period option! I worked at two different restaurants over the past 8 months making decent money, but it sounds like they're not counting those recent wages in their calculation. @Sean Kelly - have you had any luck getting through on the phone yet? I've been trying for days but keep getting busy signals or getting disconnected after waiting forever. Thinking about trying that Claimyr service someone mentioned if I can't get through by tomorrow. The 15-day deadline for appeals is what's really stressing me out. I don't want to miss that window while I'm still trying to figure out what documents I need to include. Going to follow everyone's advice here and put together that timeline with all my pay stubs. Really hoping this alternate base period thing works out for both of us!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now and this thread has been a lifesaver! Got laid off from my healthcare job last month after working there for 6 months, immediately applied for UC, and boom - "monetarily ineligible." I was so confused because I'd been working full-time and paying into the system. After reading everyone's experiences here, I realize it's because they're looking at that weird base period timeframe instead of my actual recent work history. I had a gap in employment before this job while I was finishing school, so the quarters they're examining probably show little to no income. Already filed my appeal yesterday using the advice from this thread - specifically requested alternate base period consideration and included all my recent pay stubs plus a timeline. The 15-day deadline is no joke, so I didn't want to wait around trying to get someone on the phone first. It's both frustrating and reassuring to see how common this issue is. The PA UC system really needs to be clearer about these base period rules upfront instead of leaving people panicking when they get these confusing determinations. Fingers crossed the appeal process works out - will definitely update here once I hear back!

I'm currently in week 25 and dreading hitting this same situation next week - I can already see I'll have around $650 left in my balance. Reading all these experiences has been really eye-opening, especially Grace's overpayment horror story. It seems like such a design flaw that the system shows available funds you can't actually use, and even lets you file when you're not eligible! I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here - it's saving me from potentially making a costly mistake. Going to start researching those other assistance programs people mentioned (SNAP, LIHEAP) now so I'm prepared when my benefits end. This thread should be pinned somewhere because I bet tons of people run into this exact issue!

This whole thread has been a lifesaver! I'm currently on week 24 and starting to see that I'll probably have leftover money too. It's honestly infuriating that PA designed a system that shows you have "available" funds that you can't actually claim - feels like false advertising. After reading Grace's nightmare with the overpayment and everyone else's experiences, I'm definitely not going to risk filing past 26 weeks no matter what the system lets me do. Really appreciate everyone being so transparent about their situations. Going to start preparing for the benefits cutoff now and look into those other assistance programs mentioned. This is exactly the kind of real-world advice you can't find on the official PA UC website!

Congrats Victoria on finally getting approved! That 5-week wait sounds absolutely brutal. I'm in a similar situation with PNC and have gotten mixed results with weekend deposits. Sometimes my UC payments show up Saturday morning around 5-6 AM, other times I have to wait until Monday. From what I've noticed, it seems to depend on when exactly PA UC releases the payment within that 3-day window. If they release it Thursday night, I usually see it Saturday. If they release it Friday, it's typically Monday. Since you just got approved, I'd recommend checking your online banking or setting up mobile alerts so you know the moment it hits. Also, definitely keep filing your weekly claims on schedule even while waiting for this first payment - that tripped me up early on! Hope you see that deposit this weekend!

Hey Victoria! Congrats on getting approved - I know that wait must have been incredibly stressful! I've been on PA UC for about 6 months now and have PNC as well. In my experience, PNC does process UC deposits on Saturdays pretty regularly, usually between 5-7 AM. I'd say about 70% of the time my payments hit on Saturday if the 3-day window includes the weekend. The other 30% of the time I wait until Monday, but I think that's more about when exactly PA releases the payment rather than PNC holding it up. My advice would be to check your account Saturday morning around 6 AM, and if it's not there by noon, plan for Monday. Also, make sure you have your mobile banking notifications turned on so you'll know immediately when it hits! The good news is once you see the pattern with your first payment, all future ones will follow the same timeline. Fingers crossed you get it this weekend!

I'm going through the EXACT same situation right now! It's honestly both frustrating and oddly reassuring to see so many people experiencing this identical issue. I was also initially denied for the CareerLink registration, had an examiner call saying I qualified once I registered, completed everything they asked for, and now I'm stuck with "disqualifying weeks" showing up after certification. What really gets me is that there's zero transparency about WHY the weeks are disqualified when we've supposedly met all requirements. The disconnect between what the examiner verbally approved and what the system is showing is mind-boggling. I've been banging my head against the wall trying to reach someone on the regular UC phone line for over a week - nothing but busy signals and dropped calls. Based on everyone's experiences shared here, this definitely seems like a widespread system bug where manual examiner decisions aren't syncing properly with the automated claim processing. I'm convinced PA's unemployment system just can't handle these manual interventions correctly. I'm going to try Claimyr first thing tomorrow morning since so many people have had success getting through that way. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to pay a third-party service to reach our own state unemployment office, but honestly I'm at the point where I just need this resolved. Will definitely update everyone on how it goes - we're all in this together trying to figure out this broken system!

I'm experiencing this exact same problem and it's driving me absolutely insane! Got the CareerLink denial initially, examiner called last week saying I qualified after registration, completed everything they requested, and now I'm seeing those same "disqualifying weeks" with zero explanation. What's really frustrating is that the examiner was so confident on the phone that everything would be straightforward once I registered with CareerLink and reopened my claim. But clearly their system doesn't communicate with itself properly when examiners make manual approvals. I've been trying the regular UC phone line for 6 days straight - either busy signals immediately or I sit on hold for 2+ hours just to get disconnected. It's like they've designed the system to make you give up. Reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm convinced this is a widespread bug where PA's computer system can't process manual examiner interventions correctly. The pattern is too consistent across all of us to be individual mistakes. I'm definitely going to try Claimyr tomorrow morning based on all the success stories shared here. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to pay a third-party service to reach our own state unemployment office, but I'm honestly desperate at this point. My bills aren't going to wait for PA to fix their broken system. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - at least now I know I'm not losing my mind and this really is a systemic issue!

Just to add some reassurance - I went through this exact same confusion back in February! The PA UC system is really poorly explained on their website. Like everyone else said, you'll automatically get the Money Network card for your first payment even with direct deposit set up. Mine took exactly 12 days to arrive, so you're right in the normal timeframe. The envelope really does look like junk mail - it's just a plain white envelope with "Money Network" in small print. I almost threw mine away! Once you get it, definitely use the mobile app to transfer the funds rather than trying to use their website. Much smoother experience. Hang in there, it's coming!

I just wanted to jump in here as someone who went through this exact same confusion a few months ago! The PA UC system really needs better communication about this process. You're absolutely right to be confused - it makes no sense that they automatically send a debit card when you've already set up direct deposit. But yes, it's completely normal and automatic. Mine took about 2 weeks to arrive, and like others mentioned, the envelope is very plain - just says "Money Network" in small letters. I was checking my mailbox obsessively every day! Once you get it, the PIN comes separately a couple days later. The good news is all your future payments will go straight to your bank account as expected. Just be patient - the system is slow but it does work eventually.