Can I do my PA UC appeal hearing by phone instead of in-person? Need urgent advice

Yes, you can absolutely request a phone hearing for your PA UC appeal! I went through this last year. You need to contact the UC Service Center ASAP and specifically request a telephone hearing due to transportation hardship. They have a form they'll send you to complete. Make sure you submit the request at least 7 days before your scheduled hearing date. The referee will usually approve these requests if you have a legitimate reason.

yea u can do phone but make sure u call like NOW bc they take forever to process stuff. i waited til the last minute and almost got denied cuz of it

I tried getting a phone hearing and they STILL marked me as a no-show!! The system is designed to make you fail. I ended up losing my appeal because of their mistake and then had to file ANOTHER appeal just to get the first one heard properly. The whole PA UC system is broken on purpose to discourage people from getting benefits they deserve.

I've been trying to contact PA UC for weeks about my appeal hearing and can't get through to anyone. Always busy signals or disconnects. Anyone know the best time to call or a different number to try? I'm desperate at this point.

Make sure u have all ur documents ready for the phone hearing! They will ask u questions just like in person and u need to be prepared to talk about dates and amounts and stuff. I did my appeal by phone last month and I wrote down all my answers ahead of time which really helped.

To answer your follow-up question - after you submit the form requesting a telephone hearing, you'll receive a new hearing notice with updated instructions. They don't just call at the original time. The new notice will confirm it's a phone hearing and include the exact time they'll call you. Make sure your phone can receive calls from unknown/blocked numbers that day, as the referee often calls from a blocked number. Have all your documents organized and ready, and be in a quiet place where you can speak freely about your case.

my sister had her phone hearing last week!!! she said it was way less stressful than going in person but make sure u are somewhere with good phone reception bc she got disconnected once and panicked!!

One important thing to know about phone hearings for PA UC appeals - you still need to submit any evidence or documents you want considered BEFORE the hearing date. The deadline is typically stated on your hearing notice (usually 5 business days prior). You can email these documents to the appeal office using the address on your notice, but I recommend also faxing them if possible and keeping proof of submission. Many appeals are lost simply because people didn't submit their evidence properly or on time.

For my phone hearing they asked about my last employer, why I left, what I was doing to find work, whether I reported all my earnings correctly... basic stuff but they really want specific dates and details so have all that ready!!! It wasn't super intimidating but the referee was pretty serious and formal.

I finally got my phone hearing after using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier. For anyone wondering if it works, it definitely does. They connected me to UC in about 15 minutes when I had been trying for days. My hearing is set for next week and they're sending the confirmation notice by email and mail.

Since your appeal is about work search activities, make sure you have documentation for EVERY job application, resume submission, networking event, etc. that you completed during the periods in question. The hearing referee will want to see dates, company names, positions applied for, and how you applied (online, in person, etc.). Without this documentation, it can be very difficult to win this type of appeal. Prepare a concise statement explaining why you believe you met the requirements and have your evidence organized chronologically.

That spreadsheet with screenshots sounds perfect! I had a similar work search appeal and that's exactly the type of documentation that helped me win. The referee was impressed that I had everything organized with dates and confirmation emails. One tip - also include any rejection emails or responses you got from employers, as those show you were actively following up. It proves you weren't just blindly submitting applications. Good luck with your phone hearing!

Just wanted to add that when you call to request the phone hearing, ask them to send you a confirmation email with the details in addition to the mailed notice. I learned this the hard way when my mail was delayed and I almost missed important deadline info. Also, test your phone reception in the room where you plan to take the call beforehand - I had to switch rooms last minute during my hearing because I kept cutting out. The whole process is stressful enough without technical issues!

Just went through this exact situation a few months ago! Yes, you can definitely request a phone hearing for transportation hardship. Call the UC Service Center immediately - don't wait. When you call, specifically mention "transportation hardship" and ask for the telephone hearing request form. They'll email or mail it to you, but make sure you submit it at least 7 days before your scheduled date. I was nervous about the phone format too, but it was actually less intimidating than I expected. The referee was professional and the whole thing took about 45 minutes. Just make sure you're in a quiet room with good cell reception and have all your documents organized beforehand. You've got this!

I just wanted to jump in and say don't panic about the process! I know it seems overwhelming but everyone here has given you solid advice. The key things are: 1) Call ASAP to request the phone hearing (mention transportation hardship), 2) Submit the form at least 7 days early, 3) Get your documentation super organized with dates/details, and 4) Test your phone setup beforehand. I've seen people stress themselves out so much about the hearing that they forget the basics. You clearly have good records if you're keeping a spreadsheet, so you're already ahead of a lot of people. The referees deal with these cases all day - they're not out to get you, they just need to see that you followed the rules. Take a deep breath and tackle it one step at a time!

I went through a similar situation with my PA UC appeal hearing last year. You absolutely CAN request a phone hearing - I had the same transportation issue since the office was over 2 hours away. Here's exactly what you need to do: Call the UC Service Center RIGHT NOW and ask for a "telephone hearing due to transportation hardship." They'll send you a form to fill out, but make sure you submit it at least 7 days before your hearing date. Don't wait on this! I made the mistake of calling just 5 days before and it was cutting it close. The phone hearing itself was actually much less stressful than I anticipated. Just make sure you're somewhere quiet with good reception and have all your documents organized. The referee will ask similar questions to what they would in person, so be ready with dates, details, and any evidence you have. You've got this - the transportation hardship is a totally valid reason and they approve these requests regularly!