Can I request PA UC backdate for 5 weeks before I filed my initial claim?

same thing happened to me. wait til ur apprved then call them. took me 4ever to get through but they backdated me 6 wks no prob

Yes, you can request backdating for your PA UC claim, but you need to have good cause for not filing immediately. Being unsure about eligibility can qualify as good cause. The official term is "backdating" not "backpay" (though everyone understands what you mean). You don't need to wait until your current claim is approved - you can submit the backdate request now. There's no specific email, but you can: 1. Call the UC service center at 1-888-313-7284 2. Use the messaging system in your dashboard (select "Backdating Request" as the topic) 3. Upload a backdating request form through your dashboard Make sure to clearly explain why you didn't file immediately. They'll review your reason and determine if it meets their criteria for good cause.

I've helped several people with backdating their claims in PA. Here's what you need to know: - PA will backdate claims up to 52 weeks for good cause - Being misinformed about eligibility is considered good cause - Your benefit year begins with the Sunday of the week you initially file - Each week you're requesting to backdate needs to meet eligibility requirements Important: Start the backdate request process ASAP, even while your current claim is under review. The two processes can happen simultaneously. When you call, specifically ask for a "backdate request form" and be very clear about your reason for delayed filing. Also, while your claim is "under review," make sure you're still filing your weekly certifications for current weeks. Many people miss this step and lose benefits.

OMG the PA UC phone system is THE WORST!!! I spent THREE WEEKS trying to get through to someone about my backdating request. Busy signals, disconnects, or waiting on hold for HOURS only to get hung up on! This system is DESIGNED to make people give up!!! When I finally got through, they told me my backdate request was "pending review" and could take another 2-3 weeks! Meanwhile bills are piling up and they act like we can just wait forever. The whole thing is BROKEN.

sorry but ur probly not gonna get that money. my cousin waited 2 months and they only gave him benefits from when he applied not when he lost his job. something about "timely filing" they always looking for reasons not to pay ppl

Update: I finally was able to get through to someone at PA UC this morning after trying for days! The representative confirmed I can submit a backdating request even while my claim is still under review. I submitted it through the portal messaging system and selected "Backdating Request" as the topic. She said my original claim should be decided within the next week (finally!) and the backdating request will take an additional 1-2 weeks to process. I have to keep filing my weekly certifications in the meantime. Thanks everyone for the advice - will update when I hear back about both requests!

Great news! One more tip - make sure to follow up on your backdating request in 10 business days if you don't hear anything. Sometimes these requests can fall through the cracks if they're busy. Also, be sure you can document your job loss date (last pay stub, termination letter, etc.) as they'll want verification to approve backdating. Good luck!

Just wanted to add that I went through a similar situation last year. I was able to get my PA UC claim backdated for 7 weeks after I initially delayed filing because I thought I might not qualify (my employer told me the same thing). The key things that helped me: - I kept detailed notes of when I lost my job and why I didn't file immediately - I submitted the backdating request through the messaging system like others mentioned - I was persistent but polite when following up It took about 3 weeks total to get approved for backdating once I submitted the request. Don't let anyone tell you it's impossible - PA does approve these requests when you have good cause. Your situation sounds very similar to mine and I got approved, so stay hopeful! Make sure you keep filing those weekly certifications even while everything is under review. That was crucial for me.

I'm in almost the exact same situation right now! Lost my job 8 weeks ago but didn't file until 3 weeks ago because I was convinced I wouldn't qualify (my manager made some comments that made me think I was fired for cause). My claim has been under review this whole time too and it's so stressful. Reading through all these responses is giving me hope that I can get those first 5 weeks backdated. I'm definitely going to try the messaging system approach since calling seems like such a nightmare. Quick question for anyone who's been through this - do they ask for any specific documentation when you submit the backdating request, or do you just explain your situation in the message? I want to make sure I include everything they need the first time. Thanks for posting this question - it's exactly what I needed to see today!

I'm new to this community but going through a similar situation right now. Lost my job 6 weeks ago and just filed my claim last week after spending way too long thinking I wouldn't qualify (got laid off during a "restructuring" but wasn't sure if that counted). Reading through everyone's experiences here is really helpful - especially learning that you can submit a backdating request while your main claim is still under review. I had no idea that was possible! I was planning to wait until my claim got approved first. One thing I'm curious about - for those who successfully got backdated, did PA UC ask you to prove that you were actively looking for work during those weeks before you filed? Or do they just focus on whether you had good cause for not filing immediately? I've been job searching the whole time but wasn't keeping detailed records since I hadn't filed yet. Thanks for creating this thread - it's exactly the kind of real-world advice that's impossible to find on the official PA UC website!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my recent experience with PA UC backdating since it might help others in similar situations. I was able to get my claim backdated for 4 weeks after initially delaying my filing due to confusion about eligibility. A few tips that worked for me: 1. **Use the messaging system first** - I tried calling for days with no luck, but the messaging system got me a response within 48 hours. Select "Backdating Request" as your topic and be very specific about your timeline and reasons. 2. **Document everything** - Keep notes of your job loss date, when you filed, and exactly why you delayed. I wrote out a clear timeline in my backdating request message. 3. **Be patient but persistent** - My backdating took about 2.5 weeks to get approved after I submitted the request. I followed up once after 10 business days like others suggested. 4. **Continue weekly certifications** - This is crucial! Even while both my main claim and backdating request were under review, I kept filing weekly. The whole process was stressful but definitely doable. Don't let anyone tell you PA doesn't approve these requests - they do when you have legitimate good cause. Being unsure about eligibility absolutely counts as good cause in their system. Good luck to everyone going through this process!

I'm new to this community but wanted to add my recent experience with PA UC backdating since I see so many people going through similar situations. I lost my job 9 weeks ago but didn't file until 4 weeks ago because my former supervisor told me I was being let go "for performance issues" and wouldn't qualify for benefits. After researching more, I realized this wasn't accurate and filed my claim. Like many others here, I was intimidated by the phone system horror stories, so I went straight to the messaging system approach. I submitted my backdating request about 2 weeks ago through the dashboard (selected "Backdating Request" topic) and included a detailed timeline of events plus my specific reason for delaying. They responded within 3 business days asking for my termination paperwork, which I uploaded immediately. Just got approved yesterday for backdating 5 weeks! The whole process took exactly 2 weeks from initial request to approval. A couple things that might have helped my case: - I kept my request message concise but included specific dates and clear explanation - I had all my documentation ready (termination letter, final pay stub) - I've been consistently filing weekly certifications throughout the entire process For anyone on the fence about requesting backdating - definitely worth trying if you have good cause. The messaging system really does work much better than calling. Stay persistent but patient!

I'm new to this community but currently going through a similar backdating situation and wanted to share what I've learned so far from my experience and reading everyone's advice here. I lost my job 8 weeks ago but only filed my PA UC claim 3 weeks ago because my manager made comments that led me to believe I was fired "for cause" and wouldn't be eligible. After doing more research and talking to others, I realized I should have filed immediately. Based on all the great advice in this thread, I submitted my backdating request through the messaging system 5 days ago (selected "Backdating Request" topic) and included a clear timeline with specific dates and explanation of why I delayed filing. I made sure to mention that I have documentation available if needed. A few things I've learned from everyone's experiences: - The messaging system is definitely the way to go vs. trying to call - Continue filing weekly certifications even while everything is under review - Having your termination letter and final pay stub ready speeds things up - Being told you might not qualify absolutely counts as "good cause" for delayed filing Still waiting to hear back on my request, but reading all these success stories gives me hope that PA UC does approve backdating when you have legitimate reasons. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this thread has been incredibly helpful for navigating this confusing process!

I'm new to this community but wanted to jump in since I'm currently dealing with a very similar backdating situation. I lost my job 6 weeks ago but didn't file my PA UC claim until 2 weeks ago because my HR department told me during my exit interview that I "might want to think carefully about whether I really qualified" for benefits due to some attendance issues I'd had. This made me second-guess myself for weeks until I finally did more research and realized I should have filed immediately regardless. My claim is still under review, but after reading through all these incredibly helpful responses, I'm going to submit my backdating request through the messaging system today. It's so reassuring to see that PA UC does actually approve these requests when you have good cause - and being told you might not qualify definitely seems to count based on everyone's experiences. The step-by-step advice about using the messaging system, keeping detailed timeline notes, and continuing weekly certifications is exactly what I needed to know. Thank you all for sharing your stories and advice! This thread has been a lifesaver for understanding this confusing process. I'll make sure to update with my results to help others in similar situations.

I'm new to this community but dealing with a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I lost my job 7 weeks ago but didn't file my PA UC claim until 10 days ago because my supervisor made it sound like I was being terminated for cause and wouldn't qualify for benefits. After reading everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely going to submit a backdating request through the messaging system. It's so encouraging to see that PA actually does approve these requests when you have legitimate good cause - being misinformed about eligibility clearly counts based on all the success stories shared here. A couple questions for those who've been through this process: 1. Should I wait to hear back about my main claim first, or submit the backdating request now while it's still under review? 2. When you wrote your backdating request message, did you include any specific wording or phrases that might have helped your case? Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences and advice. The messaging system approach sounds much more promising than trying to deal with the phone system nightmare. I'll make sure to keep filing my weekly certifications throughout the process!

I'm new to this community but currently going through the exact same situation! Lost my job 9 weeks ago but only filed my PA UC claim 3 weeks ago because my former manager told me during my termination meeting that I was being let go for "not meeting expectations" and strongly implied I wouldn't qualify for benefits. After weeks of struggling financially and doing my own research, I realized I should have filed immediately regardless of what she said. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea you could request backdating while your main claim is still under review! I'm definitely going to submit my backdating request through the messaging system today based on everyone's success stories here. It's so frustrating how many employers seem to give misleading information that causes people to delay filing when they're actually eligible. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and timelines - this thread is providing way more useful information than the official PA UC website ever has! I'll make sure to update with my results to help others in similar situations.

I'm new to this community but currently dealing with a backdating situation that's very similar to what you described, Malik. Lost my job 8 weeks ago but didn't file until 2 weeks ago because my employer made it sound like I was terminated for cause and wouldn't be eligible. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea you could submit a backdating request while your main claim is still under review! The messaging system approach seems like the way to go based on everyone's success stories here, especially compared to all the phone system horror stories. It's really encouraging to see how many people have successfully gotten their PA UC claims backdated when they had good cause like being misinformed about eligibility. Your situation of being told you might not qualify definitely sounds like legitimate good cause based on what others have shared. I'm planning to submit my backdating request through the messaging system this week. Thanks for posting this question - this thread has been a lifesaver for understanding this confusing process! Hope you get good news on both your main claim and backdating request soon.