Has anyone successfully won a PA UC appeal against a referee's decision?
I just got my referee decision in the mail yesterday and I'm completely shocked. They denied my PA UC benefits saying I didn't have 'good cause' for leaving my job, but my employer literally cut my hours from 40 to 15 per week! I couldn't pay my bills on that! The referee claimed this wasn't a 'substantial' change in working conditions. I have 15 days to file an appeal to the UC Board of Review but I'm wondering if it's even worth it? Has anyone here actually succeeded in overturning a referee's decision on appeal? What kind of evidence helped your case? I'm so stressed about this - I've got about $8,400 riding on this decision and don't know what to do next.
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Luca Bianchi
Yes, I won my appeal against a referee's decision last year! Don't give up. The Board of Review actually overturns quite a few referee decisions. In my case, I had documentation showing the referee misinterpreted PA UC law regarding suitable work. Make sure you clearly state the legal reasons why the referee's decision was wrong - not just that you disagree. Focus on any facts they got wrong or laws they misapplied. For reduced hours, you need to show it was a substantial change - typically more than 30% reduction is considered substantial. Submit your previous pay stubs showing 40 hours compared to the new 15 hour schedule. Also include any documentation about bill payments you couldn't make. Be super specific in your appeal!
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Zara Shah
•Thank you so much for this! Did you write the appeal yourself or get legal help? Also, how long did the Board of Review take to make a decision after you submitted your appeal? I'm getting so anxious about bills piling up while I wait.
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GalacticGuardian
i lost mine but my frend won his so it can go ether way. the thing is u gotta have PROOF. like actual paperwork not just ur word. if u have emails or sumthing from ur boss about the hours changing thats good. also tell them exactly what bills u cant pay with the lower hours. they like numbers and stuff
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Zara Shah
•I have the original job offer letter showing 40 hours and then text messages from my manager about the reduced schedule. I also kept all my bills showing what I need to pay each month compared to what I'd make with reduced hours. Hope that's enough!
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Nia Harris
I won my appeal to the Board after losing with the referee. It took about 8 weeks for them to decide, and they completely reversed the referee's determination. The key things that helped me win: 1. I clearly identified the specific error in the referee's decision (they misapplied the law about voluntary quit) 2. I cited the specific PA UC regulations that supported my position 3. I submitted NEW evidence that I didn't have at the referee hearing 4. I was very organized and factual in my appeal letter Your case sounds winnable. A reduction from 40 to 15 hours is a 62.5% reduction which absolutely meets the standard for substantial change in working conditions. Make sure to emphasize that percentage in your appeal. Also, if you haven't already, check out the PA UC appeal template on the legal aid website - it's extremely helpful. Good luck!
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Mateo Gonzalez
•This is so helpful!! I'm in a similar situation but my hours were cut from 35 to 22. That's only about 37% reduction. Would that be considered substantial enough?
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Aisha Ali
DONT GET YOUR HOPES UP!! The system is RIGGED against workers!!! I had SOLID proof my employer lied at my hearing and the referee still sided with them. Then I appealed to the Board and WAITED THREE MONTHS just to get DENIED AGAIN!!! They protect employers because they pay into the system. Your best bet is to find another job ASAP and forget about UC entirely. Sorry to be negative but they just waste your time with these appeals!!!
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Nia Harris
•While I understand your frustration, this isn't accurate advice. The UC system isn't rigged - it just strictly follows specific legal criteria. Each case is different. For a hours reduction case like OP's (62.5% cut), there's strong legal precedent supporting eligibility. The Board of Review overturns about 30% of referee decisions that are appealed, so it's definitely worth pursuing.
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Ethan Moore
I was trying to reach someone at PA UC about my appeal for WEEKS with no luck - busy signals, disconnects, and no callback. Then I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual PA UC rep in under an hour! They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 The rep was able to give me specific advice on what to include in my appeal and even told me what parts of the UC law to reference. Totally worth it for me since I was getting nowhere trying to call myself. If you're filing that appeal, it might help to talk to someone directly first.
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GalacticGuardian
•does that actually work? i tried calling uc like 30 times today and kept getting busy signal
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Ethan Moore
•Yes, it worked for me! I was skeptical too, but I was desperate after trying for days. They got me connected to a UC rep who actually knew about appeals and could answer my specific questions. Way better than just guessing what to write in my appeal.
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Yuki Nakamura
My cousin just went through this whole appeal thing. She said the most important part was showing up to all the hearings and having her documentation organized. Also she said to make sure you request a transcript of the referee hearing to include with your Board appeal so they can see exactly what was said. Good luck!
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Zara Shah
Thanks everyone for the advice! I'm definitely going to file the appeal. I'll make sure to emphasize that my hours were cut by 62.5% and include all my documentation showing the change. I'll also try to talk to a UC rep directly to get more guidance before submitting. Really appreciate all the help - I was feeling pretty hopeless yesterday.
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Luca Bianchi
•Great plan! One more tip: If you do win your appeal, be prepared for a bit of a wait before you get your back payments. It can take 2-3 weeks after a favorable decision for the money to hit your account. Also, make sure to keep filing your weekly claims during the entire appeal process, even though they'll show as 'disqualified' until (hopefully) your appeal is granted.
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Mateo Gonzalez
I'm confused about something - I thought you couldn't get unemployment if your hours were just reduced? Don't you have to be completely laid off? Or is PA different from other states?
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Nia Harris
•In Pennsylvania (and most states), you can qualify for partial UC benefits if your hours are substantially reduced. The key factors are: 1. The reduction must be substantial (typically 30%+ of your hours) 2. The reduction must be permanent or indefinite (not just temporary) 3. You didn't cause the reduction If your weekly earnings drop below your weekly benefit rate, you can receive the difference as partial benefits. OP's case (40 hours cut to 15) would typically qualify as a substantial reduction under PA UC regulations.
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Luca Bianchi
One more important thing - if you haven't already, request a copy of the "Record of Testimony" from your referee hearing ASAP. You'll need to review it to identify any factual errors or misstatements in your appeal. You can request it by calling the UC Service Center or the referee's office directly. If the referee misunderstood any facts or your employer said something inaccurate, this is your chance to point it out to the Board of Review.
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Zara Shah
•Thank you! I'll call tomorrow to request that transcript. The referee definitely got some facts wrong about my specific situation - like saying I "agreed" to the reduced hours when I actually told my manager I couldn't survive on them but had no choice in the short term.
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