UPDATE: Just finished my hearing and I think it went well! The referee was actually pretty nice and seemed to understand my situation. It only took about 25 minutes. I explained my work search activities in detail and she seemed satisfied with my evidence. She said I should receive a decision in 7-10 days. Fingers crossed! Thank you all for the advice - it really helped calm my nerves.

Glad to hear your hearing went well! That's such a relief after all the stress you've been through. The fact that the referee seemed satisfied with your evidence is definitely a positive sign. I went through something similar last year and when the referee was engaged and asking detailed questions about my job search (rather than seeming dismissive), I knew it was going in the right direction. The 7-10 day wait is tough but try to stay optimistic. Make sure to keep filing your weekly claims like others mentioned - that's crucial even while waiting for the appeal decision. Also, if by chance you don't hear anything after 10 business days, don't panic. Sometimes it takes a bit longer but that doesn't mean it's bad news. Really hoping you get that favorable decision and backpay soon. You've been through enough stress these past 14 weeks. Keep us posted when you hear back!

One additional point to consider: if you file a new claim after this one ends, make absolutely sure during the application process that you clearly indicate you no longer have any self-employment income. The PA UC system sometimes carries over information from previous claims, and you don't want this $74/week assumption to continue into your next benefit year. When you get to the income reporting section, explicitly state that the business ended and provide an approximate end date.

I had something similar happen but with a different twist - PA UC kept assuming I was still getting income from a freelance writing gig that had dried up months earlier. The frustrating part is they never actually asked me to verify if I was still earning that money, they just kept it in the system. In my case, I did end up filing the appeal (Request for Reconsideration) because I was worried it might mess up my tax documents or cause issues later. It took about 6 weeks to resolve, but they did eventually remove the phantom income from my records. The process wasn't too bad - I just had to write a letter explaining when the work ended and why I was no longer earning that income. Since you're so close to the end of your benefit year, you could honestly go either way. But if you have the energy for it, getting your records cleaned up might give you peace of mind for the future.

When I was on UC last year I had Wells Fargo too. For me it was: - First payment: Showed as 'payment issued' on Wed, hit my account Monday morning (so 3 business days) - All other payments: Usually 2 business days Don't stress too much, the first one is always slower but then it gets pretty consistent. If you biweekly claim date is always the same, you'll get in a rhythm of knowing exactly when money will hit your account.

I've been through this exact situation with Wells Fargo and PA UC! Here's what helped me manage the waiting period for my first payment: Set up account alerts so you'll get notified the moment the deposit hits, and consider calling Wells Fargo to ask about their specific ACH processing schedule (they usually process overnight between 2-4 AM). Also, if you're really tight on funds while waiting, some local food banks and churches have emergency assistance programs that can help bridge the gap until your UC payment arrives. The waiting is stressful but you're not alone - most of us have been in this exact spot!

Final bit of advice: after you submit the new application, print or save a copy of your confirmation page. I've seen cases where applications seemed to disappear from the system, and having that confirmation number saved my claim from being delayed further. Also, check your dashboard daily - sometimes they post messages requesting additional information but don't notify you by email or text.

Just wanted to add my experience since I went through this exact situation 3 months ago. Filed my new application the day after my benefit year ended and it took exactly 17 days to get my first payment. During that waiting period, I kept filing my weekly certifications even though I wasn't getting paid - this is CRUCIAL because once your claim is approved, they'll pay you retroactively for all those weeks you filed. Also, make sure you have your Social Security earnings statement handy when you apply - they use that to verify your wages if employers don't respond quickly to their requests. The whole process is stressful but stick with it and keep filing every week!

One more important tip: if they say they can't backdate your claim during the appointment, ask them to document in their notes that you requested backdating and provide you with information about the appeal process. Sometimes the frontline staff can't approve certain things, but you can appeal the decision and often win. Also, many people don't realize that PA UC has a "Request for Backdating" form (UC-496) that you can fill out. While it's better to handle this in person at your appointment, having this form with you as backup isn't a bad idea. You can download it from the PA UC website under Forms.

Best of luck with your appointment! You're definitely going in well-prepared. One thing that helped me was arriving about 15 minutes early and using that time to organize all my documents in the order I planned to present them. Also, if you run into any issues after your appointment or need to follow up, don't hesitate to reach out here - this community has been super helpful for navigating the PA UC maze. Fingers crossed they get your backdating sorted out quickly!