Confused about PA UC weekly claim questions - 'able and available for work' after identity theft

If you're physically capable of working and are actively seeking employment, then you should answer YES to the "able and available" question. This is one of the basic eligibility requirements for receiving UC benefits in Pennsylvania. The question is asking if you're physically/mentally able to work and if you're available to accept work if offered (not on vacation, not limited by transportation issues, etc). It's not asking about your job prospects or the fraud situation. If you answer NO, your weekly benefit will likely be denied because being able and available is a core requirement for eligibility. Just make sure you're also completing your work search activities each week (applying to jobs, networking, etc).

oMG I went thru the EXACT same thing last yr!!! someone filed using my info and I didnt even know til I got laid off and tried 2 file. such a nightmare!!!! for the able and available thing, YES means ur ready to work. NO means ur sick or away or something and cant work right now. they'll deny ur payment if u say NO

make sure you check with the identity theft unit too!! sometimes they put special notes on accounts that had fraud. and yeah "able and available" is asking if you can work RIGHT NOW if someone offered you a job. so YES is what you want if you're able to work. NO is only if you're sick, in the hospital, on vacation, etc.

When I was filing my weekly claims in PA, I always answered YES to the "able and available" question as long as I was physically able to work and available to accept a job if offered one. This is one of the core eligibility requirements for receiving unemployment benefits in any state. Regarding your identity theft situation - make sure you've completed the Identity Theft Affidavit (Form 14039) with the IRS and filed a police report if you haven't already. Also consider placing a credit freeze with the three major credit bureaus. The PA UC system has been implementing stronger identity verification measures through ID.me to prevent fraud, but it's good to take additional precautions. For your weekly claims, just answer honestly. If you're able to work and available to accept work, say YES. If you were sick or unavailable for any day during the week, say NO and be prepared to explain why.

Has anyone else noticed that the PA unemployment system is COMPLETELY BROKEN when it comes to handling fraud cases?? I had a similar situation in January and it took them THREE MONTHS to fix my claim! The worst part is you can never reach anyone on the phone to explain your situation properly. I spent WEEKS trying to get through, constantly getting busy signals or being disconnected after waiting for hours. For the OP - yes, answer "able and available" as YES if you can work. But good luck getting your claim processed quickly after fraud has been involved. The system is a disaster!

When they ask if your "able and available" they want to know can you work RIGHT NOW if someone called with a job. If you say NO, you wont get paid for that week. Just make sure your answering all the other questions right too!!! The one that asks if you refused any work - thats a NO unless you actually turned down a job offer. And the one about did you look for work - thats YES and keep track of where you applied cause they might audit you later!!! I got so confused when i first started filing my weekly claims to lol

Just to add one important point - if your claim is under review because of the previous fraud, your weekly certifications might show as "pending" for a while even if you answer everything correctly. This is normal while they verify your identity and employment history. Keep filing your weekly claims on time even if you're not receiving payments yet. Once they complete the review, you should receive all back payments for the weeks you properly certified. If your claim stays in review status for more than 3 weeks, I'd recommend trying to speak with someone directly to check on the status.

I went through something similar with PA UC after identity theft - it's such a stressful situation! Just wanted to add that when you're filing your weekly claims during the review period, make sure you're also continuing to meet all the other requirements like registering with PA CareerLink if you haven't already. Also, if you have any documentation from when you reported the fraud (confirmation numbers, emails, etc.), keep those handy. Sometimes the agents need to reference them when they're working on your case. The whole process is frustrating but you're doing everything right by continuing to file weekly. Hang in there!