Can I get PA UC backpay for 18 weeks after starting a new job? Appeal hearing coming up

yes u can get backpay!!! i was in this exact situation last year. as long as u filed for those weeks when u were eligible and unemployed, the money should come to you if u win ur appeal. doesnt matter that ur working now. the backpay is for when u WEREN'T working! good luck w/ the hearing

I think the other poster is wrong actually. When I had my appeal last year, they told me I had to keep filing EVERY WEEK even after I got a job, otherwise I'd forfeit those weeks. You should call UC right away to check!!

Let me clear this up. You are entitled to backdated payments for any eligible weeks you properly filed for while unemployed. If you win your appeal, you should receive payments for all weeks you certified during your period of unemployment. The fact that you're now employed doesn't affect your eligibility for those previous weeks. However, PA UC regulations state you must have filed your bi-weekly claims for each week you're claiming, even while waiting for an appeal decision. As long as you did this correctly for those 18 weeks, you should be fine. Your current employment only affects future claims, not backdated ones for periods you were unemployed and properly filed.

when i had my appeal i had to wait like 7 MONTHS!!!! so ur lucky with only 5 months lol. but seriously good luck, make sure u have all ur documents ready for the hearing. my friend lost his appeal because he wasnt prepared with the right stuff.

I went through this exact scenario in February. Won my appeal after starting a new job and got paid for all 22 weeks I had filed. Make sure you have documentation ready for your hearing. They'll want proof of your job search activities for each week you're claiming. And bring any communication from your former employer about your separation. Also - very important - did you receive a hearing notice with instructions? It should tell you exactly what documents they want you to present based on the specific reason for your disqualification.

THE PA UC SYSTEM IS SUCH A JOKE!!!! They make us wait MONTHS for appeals while we struggle to pay bills, then they wonder why people give up and don't follow through. I waited 6 months for my appeal and then they claimed I missed some stupid deadline I never even knew about!!! ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!

To answer your question about legal representation - I represented myself. The referee was actually quite fair and let me fully explain my side. Just be organized, stick to the facts, and answer questions directly. Don't ramble or get emotional (even though it's stressful). If your employer claimed misconduct but it was actually a position elimination, bring any documentation that proves this - emails about restructuring, your termination letter that mentions elimination (not conduct), or anything similar. If other positions were eliminated at the same time, that helps your case too.

If you're still having trouble getting through to someone at unemployment before your hearing, you might want to try Claimyr. I was in a similar situation and couldn't get answers about my appeal process. Claimyr connected me to an actual PA UC agent in about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. Their website is claimyr.com - seriously saved me so much frustration before my hearing.

btw i forgot to mention, when i won my appeal they sent all the backpay at once to my Money Network card. it was like $8,400 for my 12 weeks! but be prepared that it might take another 2-3 weeks AFTER u win before the payments actually hit ur account. at least thats what happened to me

One more important point: make sure to thoroughly review the referee handbook before your hearing. You can find it on the PA UC website. It explains the hearing process and your rights. Since your case involves misconduct vs. position elimination, the burden of proof is on your employer to prove misconduct. If they don't appear at the hearing or don't provide sufficient evidence, that significantly strengthens your case. Also, if you win, don't be alarmed if you see "overpayment" notices in your account before the backpay arrives. This is a common system quirk that happens when they're processing large backdated payments and generally resolves itself.