Fired after reporting racial slurs - PA UC claims employer misconduct but no proof - 8 weeks waiting with no decision

Unfortunately this is super common with PA UC right now. When an employer contests a claim by saying "misconduct" but doesn't provide details, the UC examiner has to investigate, which means contacting both sides and waiting for responses. What you should do immediately is write down your own detailed account of what happened with dates, times, witnesses, etc. and mail or fax it to the UC office. Include that you reported racial harassment and were terminated in retaliation. This can speed up the process instead of waiting for them to contact you. And no, they shouldn't make you wait 12 weeks - that's the maximum time but most decisions happen before that. The fact that you haven't received a determination letter yet is actually good news - it means they haven't denied you.

THEY ALWAYS DO THIS!!! happened to me last yr, employer lied said i was fired for being late but NEVER gave any dates/times & had NO WRITE UPS! took 11 weeks to get approved & then they owed me like $5700 in backpay. UC ALWAYS sides with employers 1st till u fight back. sooooo frustrating!!!!!

I spent 2 months trying to get through to someone at PA UC about my misconduct case last year. Was on hold for literally hours every day until I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in under 20 minutes. Worth every penny when you're dealing with something this important. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 or just go to claimyr.com - once I actually talked to someone, they expedited my claim and I got an answer within a week.

I work as an employment attorney in PA, and I want to point out something important here: Being fired after reporting discrimination could potentially qualify as retaliation, which is illegal. You should continue pursuing your UC benefits, but you might also have grounds for a wrongful termination claim. For your UC claim specifically: 1. Continue filing weekly claims without fail 2. Document all communication attempts with UC office 3. If/when you receive a determination, read it carefully - you only have 15 days to appeal if denied 4. The burden of proof for willful misconduct is on the employer If the employer is claiming misconduct but providing no evidence, they may fail to meet this burden during the UC process. Also, for discrimination/retaliation issues, consider filing with the PA Human Relations Commission - they have a 180-day deadline from the date of termination.

u need to kno what ur rights r with PA unemployment. when an employer says misconduct, they gotta PROVE it. no proof = no misconduct. i was in same boat last yr & had to wait 9 weeks b4 getting approved. make sure ur doing ur 6 work search activities EVERY week or theyll deny u for that even if u win the misconduct thing.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but my sister's boyfriend's claim took 14 weeks to process when his employer said he was fired for misconduct. And then they denied him so he had to appeal and wait ANOTHER 6 weeks for a hearing date. The whole process is designed to wear you down so you'll give up. So frustrating!!!

Here's what I'd recommend based on my experience as a former PA UC claims examiner (I left in 2024, so my info is current): 1. Your case is likely marked as a "quit/discharge" issue, which requires investigation from both sides 2. If your employer isn't responding to UC's requests for information, the examiner is supposed to make a decision with available information after a reasonable time 3. Call the UC service center and specifically ask: "What is the status of the fact-finding on my separation issue? Has my employer responded to requests for information?" 4. Use these exact words: "I'm experiencing financial hardship due to this delay. Is my claim eligible for a partial payment while the investigation continues?" Sometimes claims get stuck in the system. A polite but direct call asking these specific questions can get things moving. And yes, in some cases they can issue partial payments while investigating complex issues.

any chance u can get anything in writing from coworkers who heard the racial slurs? that would help ur case big time. also check ur work email if u still have access - any evidence that u reported the issue before being fired would be super helpful to counter the misconduct claim.

Quick update for those following - I've seen several similar cases recently get resolved within 9-10 weeks (still too long, but better than 12+). Make sure you're responding immediately to any mail or messages from UC. If you receive a questionnaire about your separation, return it within 24 hours if possible. This is also a good time to gather any documentation about the racial harassment - text messages, emails, names of witnesses, dates of incidents, and especially any proof you reported it before being terminated. One last tip: if you do need to appeal (hopefully you won't), request a hearing by telephone rather than in-person. The telephone hearings are typically scheduled 3-4 weeks sooner.