Approved for PA UC from Oct 2023 - will I still get backpay in 2025?
Just got the strangest situation and need advice from folks who've dealt with backpay. I was laid off for about 5 weeks in October 2023 when our factory had that equipment breakdown. Filed for unemployment right away, but my claim sat in limbo forever. Fast forward to LAST FRIDAY (yeah, April 2025!) when I randomly got a determination letter saying I was APPROVED for those 5 weeks from back then! Here's what I'm confused about - will PA UC actually send me money for those weeks from nearly 2 years ago? And if they do, how long until I get the Money Network card? I've never had UC benefits before so I don't know how the backpay system works. I'm not desperate for it anymore since I've been steadily employed since November 2023, but that extra $2150 would definitely help with my car repairs! Anyone dealt with super delayed approvals like this?
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Lydia Bailey
yea ull get it but PA is sloooow af with the card. my sister waited like 3 weeks for hers to come last yr
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Marcus Patterson
•Thanks! That's good to know. Did they tell her it was coming or did it just show up one day? I'm checking my mail like crazy now.
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Mateo Warren
Yes, you will receive the backpay for those 5 weeks from October 2023. When the determination is approved, they're required to pay all eligible weeks regardless of how long ago they were. The Money Network card typically takes 7-10 business days to arrive after the funds are processed. Since your claim is from 2023, there's an extra verification step that might add another 3-5 business days to the process. You can check your claim status online to see when the payment is actually issued - that's the date to start counting from. Make sure your address is current in the system, especially if you've moved since filing the original claim!
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Marcus Patterson
•This is super helpful, thank you! I'll double check my address right now. Do you know if they'll show the payment in my UC portal before they mail the card? I've been checking but it still just shows the determination letter.
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Sofia Price
Wait, I'm confused... don't you have to be doing the weekly claims every week to get paid? How can you get money for weeks that are almost 2 years old??? Did you keep filing weekly claims this whole time?????
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Mateo Warren
•Good question. In cases where there was a long delay in the initial determination, PA UC can retroactively approve weeks without weekly claims if the original application covered those specific weeks. The system flags these as "predetermined eligible weeks" since the delay wasn't the claimant's fault. The weekly certification requirement is waived in these specific situations.
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Alice Coleman
congrats on getting approved! i had a similar thing happen but waited 9 months not 2 yrs lol. ur lucky they even looked at it
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Marcus Patterson
•Thanks! Did you get your money pretty quickly once they approved it? I'm trying to figure out if I should count on this money for my car repair next month or not.
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Owen Jenkins
The PA unemployment system is completely BROKEN. Two YEARS to make a decision?!? That's ridiculous! I bet they'll make you wait another 6 months for the money too. I had to fight for EVERY PENNY when I was on UC in 2024. They lost my documents THREE TIMES and I had to keep resubmitting them. Don't get your hopes up about that card coming anytime soon!!!
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Marcus Patterson
•Ugh, I was worried about that. This whole process has been so frustrating. Did you ever actually get all your money or did they find some reason to deny you in the end?
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Lilah Brooks
I spent WEEKS trying to get through to PA UC about my delayed payments last year. Constant busy signals, disconnections, and my emails went unanswered for months. Finally used Claimyr.com to get through to a live agent in under 2 hours instead of days of redialing. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 The agent I spoke with was able to check my account and find exactly what was holding up my payments. Might be worth it to check on your backpay status instead of just waiting and wondering.
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Marcus Patterson
•Thanks for the suggestion. I've been trying to call but keep getting the busy signal. I'll check out that site if I don't see anything update in my portal by next week.
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Jackson Carter
my cousin got back pay from like 8 months before and they sent it all at once, you'll probably get it all. they should tell you on ur dashboard when the payment is issued
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Marcus Patterson
•That's reassuring! I've been checking my dashboard but nothing's updated yet. Hopefully soon.
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Mateo Warren
One thing to note - if you've never had a Money Network card before, it will come in a plain white envelope that looks like junk mail. Many people accidentally throw it away. The card itself will arrive separately from any determination paperwork. Watch your mail carefully!
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Marcus Patterson
•Oh wow, thanks for the heads-up! I definitely would have missed that. I'll be super careful checking my mail now.
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Alice Coleman
have you checked ur payment history in the UC portal? sometimes it shows the money is sent even b4 u get a card or letter
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Marcus Patterson
•Just checked again and still nothing there! I'm going to give it till Monday and then try calling again. Really appreciate everyone's help here.
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Owen Jenkins
Don't forget that they'll take TAXES out of that $2150 unless you elected to have taxes withheld when you first applied! A lot of people get surprised by that. And they might take even MORE if you have any kind of outstanding debts to the state like old taxes or traffic tickets. The UC system is RIGGED to take as much back as possible!
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Mateo Warren
•This is partially correct. PA UC will withhold federal taxes (10%) if you elected for that when filing. They don't automatically deduct for state/local taxes - you'll need to account for those when filing your 2025 taxes. As for garnishments, they only apply to specific legally mandated deductions like child support or fraud repayments, not general debts like traffic tickets.
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