Fact finding letter after returning to work - Do I need to respond to PA UC?
I just got a fact finding letter in my PA UC dashboard even though I returned to work full-time almost a month ago! I'm confused because I haven't been claiming or receiving any benefits for weeks now. The letter is asking about my employment status, but I already stopped filing. The only UC payment I received was during my first week back when I had one day of paid training (4 hours) which I honestly reported on my claim. They still paid me the partial benefit that week. Do I actually need to respond to this fact finding letter since I'm not collecting anymore? Will something bad happen if I ignore it? I don't want to end up with an overpayment issue later.
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Madeline Blaze
Yes, you absolutely need to respond to the fact finding letter even if you're no longer claiming benefits. These letters are part of PA UC's eligibility verification process, and failing to respond could result in an overpayment determination, which could affect you if you ever need to file for benefits in the future. Since you already reported the training day correctly, just explain exactly what happened - that you reported your 4 hours of training, subsequently returned to full-time work, and stopped filing. Include the date you returned to full-time employment. Be sure to respond before the deadline on the letter!
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Tyler Lefleur
•Thank you! The deadline is next week so I have time. I was just hoping I could ignore it since I'm working again. Will they try to take back the partial payment from that training week?
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Max Knight
Same thing happened to my cousin last month!! He ignored it and got hit with a $875 overpayment notice even tho he was honest on his claims. UC system is designed to trick people i swear
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Tyler Lefleur
•Oh no! That's exactly what I'm worried about. Did he have to pay it back?
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Max Knight
•Yeah he's making payments. They threatened to garnish his wages if he didnt set up a payment plan. Total bs
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Emma Swift
I work in HR and deal with these situations regularly. The fact finding questionnaire is likely related to what we call a "Return to Work" audit. PA UC routinely checks employer quarterly wage reports against benefit payments to verify everything was reported correctly. Since you honestly reported your training day, you should be fine, but you MUST respond. They're probably just verifying the exact date you returned to full employment to ensure there was no overlap with benefit payments. Take screenshots of your submission for your records in case there are any questions later.
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Isabella Tucker
•this is whats wrong with the system. why should someone have to respond when theyre already back at work and not collecting??? just a waste of peoples time
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Emma Swift
•I understand the frustration, but it's to prevent fraud and ensure accurate benefit payments. The system isn't perfect, but these verification processes help maintain the integrity of the unemployment program for everyone who needs it.
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Jayden Hill
If you're having trouble getting through to someone at PA UC to discuss this (and you probably will), I'd recommend trying Claimyr. I was in a similar situation with a fact finding questionnaire after returning to work and couldn't get through on the phone for days. Claimyr got me connected to a UC agent in about 20 minutes. The rep confirmed I needed to respond even though I was working again. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 or go to claimyr.com. Totally worth it for peace of mind!
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Tyler Lefleur
•I've been trying to call but you're right - impossible to get through! I'll check out that service if I can't reach someone by tomorrow. Did you end up having to repay anything for your situation?
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Jayden Hill
•No repayment in my case! The agent just noted on my account that I had responded to the fact finding and everything matched their records. It was basically just them double-checking before closing my claim completely.
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LordCommander
ALWAYS RESPOND TO ANYTHING FROM UC!!!!!!! I ignored a letter last year thinking it wasn't important since I was back at work and ended up with a 6 month disqualification period that's STILL on my record. If I lose my job tomorrow I'd be DENIED benefits for months because of this. Don't make my mistake!!!!
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Lucy Lam
•this seems excessive for just not responding to a letter... are you sure there wasn't something else going on with your claim?
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LordCommander
•The issue was they decided I had "failed to provide requested information" which counted as non-compliance. Because I didn't respond, they determined I had received benefits I wasn't eligible for during my last week. It triggered both an overpayment AND a penalty period. Trust me, just answer the letter!
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Aidan Hudson
anyone else notice how UC always seems to find "issues" with claims right as people start working again? my brother-in-law got the same letter and when he called they said it was just routine. wasted 3 hours of his day off for nothing 🙄
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Emma Swift
•It's not targeted at people returning to work specifically. The system automatically generates these reviews when wage reports come in from employers or when claims are inactive for a certain period. It's actually designed to close out claims properly rather than create problems.
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Tyler Lefleur
Update: I called and finally got through to someone at UC! The rep said I definitely need to complete the questionnaire even though I'm working again. Apparently, they're just verifying my last day of unemployment before they fully close my benefit year. She said since I accurately reported my training day, there shouldn't be any issues or overpayments. Thanks everyone for the advice - I'll be filling it out today!
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Madeline Blaze
•Great news! Glad you got through and got it sorted out. This is exactly why it's important to respond to these notices, even after returning to work. It helps ensure your claim is closed properly and prevents problems down the road.
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Tyler Lefleur
•Yes! Such a relief. She also mentioned I should keep a copy of my response just in case there are any questions later. I'm taking screenshots of everything now!
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