How to change reason for filing PA UC claim after initial application?
My boyfriend works construction and needs to file for PA unemployment over the winter slowdown. Problem is, he filed a new claim online but selected the wrong reason for separation from work. Does anyone know how to change this info after you've already submitted? Is there a way to edit it online or does he have to call? We're worried this could delay his benefits when he really needs them. Thanks in advance!
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Mateo Rodriguez
same thing happened to me last year. u cant change it online u gotta call them
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Nia Thompson
•Ugh that's what I was afraid of. Does anyone know how long the wait time is these days to get through to someone?
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GalaxyGuardian
This is actually a common issue with seasonal construction workers filing for UC. The reason for separation is critical because it determines eligibility and potential issues. He needs to call the UC Service Center ASAP to correct this before they make a determination. The system doesn't allow edits to this field online after submission. Make sure he explains it's for seasonal construction work (regular temporary layoff) if that's his situation. They'll need to update it manually in their system.
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Aisha Abdullah
•Exactly right. And just to add - for construction workers on winter layoff, the correct reason should typically be "LACK OF WORK" not "LAID OFF" which seems similar but can trigger different questions in the system. It's important to get this fixed because the wrong separation reason could trigger unnecessary employer inquiries that delay benefits.
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Ethan Wilson
I was in your BF's exact situation 2 months ago! I put "quit" instead of "laid off" by accident. Tried for THREE WEEKS to get through to the phone lines with no luck. Every time it was busy signals or disconnects. Finally found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in less than an hour. Their website is claimyr.com and there's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 The agent was able to change my separation reason and fix my claim right away. Worth checking out if you're stuck trying to reach someone!
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Yuki Tanaka
•I don't trust these services. They probly just use bots to spam the phone lines making it HARDER for everyone else to get through!! Just keep calling yourself instead of paying some company!!
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Ethan Wilson
•That's not how it works at all. They don't use bots - they use a callback system that holds your place in line. It actually helped me get through when I couldn't for weeks on my own. But everyone has to decide what works for them.
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Carmen Diaz
tell him to send a message through his dashboard too. sometimes they respond to that faster than phone. my husbands in roofing and has to do seasonal UC every year. its such a pain
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Nia Thompson
•Thanks for the suggestion! I'll have him try that too. He's getting really stressed about this since we're counting on those checks to get through until March.
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Andre Laurent
If he's in a union they might be able to help too. My brother-in-law's union rep helped him fix something similar with his UC claim last winter. Worth asking if that's his situation.
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GalaxyGuardian
One more important thing - while he's working on getting this fixed, make sure he continues to file his weekly claims on time even if payments haven't started yet. Once the separation reason is corrected, they'll process those weeks that have been filed. If he misses filing weeks while trying to fix the original issue, those weeks could be lost completely.
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Nia Thompson
•Oh that's really good to know! I'll make sure he keeps filing every week. Thanks so much for your help!
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Mateo Rodriguez
when he does get thru make sure he asks them to backdate any weeks he shoulda been paid. they wont do it automatically sometimes
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Carmen Diaz
So did this ever get fixed? My husband might have to file soon and I want to know if we should be extra careful with the reason selection...!
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Nia Thompson
•Yes! We finally got it resolved. He ended up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned and got through to an agent who fixed it right away. They backdated everything and he got paid for all weeks. Definitely double-check the reason you select - it was such a headache to fix!
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Max Knight
Just want to add for anyone else reading this - when selecting the separation reason, construction workers should look for "Temporary layoff" or "Lack of work" rather than "Laid off" or "Quit." The system treats these differently and it can really affect your claim processing time. Also, if you're union, definitely reach out to your rep - they deal with seasonal UC claims all the time and know exactly what to select. Better to get it right the first time than deal with the phone system later!
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Nora Bennett
•This is super helpful info! I wish PA had clearer guidance on their website about which separation reason to pick for different situations. It seems like such a small thing but can cause weeks of delays. Thanks for breaking down the difference between "temporary layoff" and "laid off" - I never would have known those were treated differently by the system.
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Mateo Hernandez
I work for a PA workforce development agency and see this issue constantly with construction workers. A few additional tips: 1) If you're filing in winter, PA actually has specific guidance for seasonal construction workers - look for "seasonal unemployment" on their website. 2) When you do get through to fix it, ask the agent to add a note to your file explaining it was seasonal construction work, this can prevent future delays if you need to file again next winter. 3) The wait times are typically worst Monday mornings and after holidays, try calling Tuesday-Thursday mid-morning for better luck. Hope this helps future filers avoid the same headache!
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