Laid off again - Do I need to reopen my PA UC claim or just resume weekly certifications?

If you're still within the same benefit year AND you have remaining balance on your claim, you DO need to reopen your claim before filing weekly certifications. It's not the full application process again, just a shorter version. Log into your PA UC account, select "Reopen an Existing Claim" and follow the prompts. Once that's processed (usually 2-3 days), you can start filing your weekly certifications. Just make sure your job search activities are recorded each week going forward!

yupp need to reopen. did mine last month after a 2 month break. took like 10 mins. got paid the next week no probs

I MADE THIS EXACT MISTAKE in October!!! Just tried to file weekly without reopening first and they REJECTED all my weeks!!! Had to call PA UC like 47 times to get it fixed!!!! THE SYSTEM IS RIDICULOUS!!!!

You absolutely must reopen your claim first. This is a standard procedure when you have a break in filing weekly claims, even if you're within the same benefit year. The reopening process verifies that your separation reason hasn't changed and updates your employment status. After reopening, you might see a message saying your claim is under review - don't panic, this is normal. Most reopened claims are processed within 2-3 business days as long as your employer doesn't contest anything. Once processed, you'll receive an email notification that you can begin filing weekly certifications again. Remember that in PA you must complete and document at least 6 work search activities each week (applying for jobs, attending workshops, etc.).

You'll need to wait until the reopening is processed before you can file weekly claims. However, don't worry about missing your regular filing day - once your claim is reopened, you'll be able to file for any weeks you're eligible for, even if they're slightly delayed. The system will show you which weeks are available to claim after reopening is complete.

When I got laid off again last year I spent THREE DAYS trying to reach someone at the unemployment office because the website kept crashing during my reopening attempt. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a real person - they got me connected to a PA UC agent in about 25 minutes instead of endless busy signals. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 The agent fixed my reopened claim immediately and I was able to file my weekly claims that same day. Saved me so much stress!

im confused on something similar... if you get a job but then quit after 2 weeks becuase the job was different than what they said in the interview, can you just restart ur old claim or do u have to reapply completely new?

UPDATE: I reopened my claim last night and just got an email that it was processed! The reopening questions were pretty simple - just had to confirm my employer info and reason for separation (still layoff due to lack of work). Now I can see the option to file my weekly certification again. Thanks everyone for your help!

Great news! Just remember to keep up with your work search activities - 6 per week, and make sure to document them. PA has been conducting more work search compliance reviews lately. Best of luck!

Glad to hear everything worked out smoothly for you! For anyone else reading this thread - Emma's experience is a perfect example of why it's so important to reopen your claim first before trying to file weekly certifications. I've seen too many people get their payments delayed or rejected because they skipped this step. The PA UC system is pretty strict about following the proper sequence, but when you do it right, it usually processes quickly like Emma's did.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm bookmarking this for future reference. I work in seasonal landscaping and get laid off every winter, so I go through this same process annually. One thing I'd add - if you're in a seasonal industry like construction or landscaping, it's worth keeping a folder with all your employer info, separation dates, and work search records organized. Makes the reopening process even smoother when you have everything ready. Emma, glad you got it sorted out so quickly!

As someone who's been through the PA UC system multiple times, I can confirm everything everyone has said here - you absolutely MUST reopen your claim first. I learned this the hard way my first time and ended up with weeks of delayed payments. One additional tip I didn't see mentioned: after you reopen and start filing weekly certifications again, keep screenshots of your confirmation pages for each week you file. I've had the system glitch before where it looked like my certification went through but it actually didn't process. Having those screenshots saved me when I had to prove to UC that I had filed on time. Also, if you're in construction and this is a regular seasonal thing for you, consider setting up direct deposit if you haven't already - it's way faster than waiting for the debit card to reload or checks to arrive. Glad you got everything sorted out quickly Emma!

I just want to echo what everyone has said here - this is exactly the kind of helpful discussion that makes this community so valuable! I've been dealing with seasonal unemployment for three years now (work in roofing) and I wish I had found a thread like this when I was starting out. Made so many mistakes in the beginning that could have been avoided. For anyone else reading this who might be new to the PA UC system: the key takeaway is that even though it might seem like extra paperwork, following the proper reopening process will save you SO much time and stress in the long run. I used to try to take shortcuts and it always backfired. Now I just follow the steps exactly as outlined and everything goes smoothly. Emma, really glad you got it resolved quickly! And thanks to everyone who contributed their experiences - especially the tips about keeping organized records and taking screenshots. This thread is going to help a lot of people.

Reading through this whole thread has been so reassuring! I'm in a similar boat - work in HVAC and get laid off every winter when business slows down. This is my third time going through the PA UC process and I still second-guess myself every time. Emma, you did exactly the right thing by asking here first instead of just winging it like I did my first time around. One thing I'd add that I learned from experience: if you're working with the same employer seasonally (like many of us in construction trades), it's worth having a quick conversation with your boss or HR about how they handle the separation paperwork. Some employers are really good about submitting the separation info to UC right away, while others drag their feet. Having that conversation upfront can help you anticipate if there might be any delays in processing. Also totally agree with everyone about keeping good records. I now have a simple Excel sheet where I track my work search activities throughout the year - makes it so much easier when I have to document everything for weekly certifications. Great thread everyone!

This whole discussion is exactly what I needed to see! I'm about to go through this same situation - work at a small plumbing company and we always get slow in January/February. I've been dreading having to deal with PA UC again because last time was such a nightmare, but reading through everyone's experiences here makes me feel so much more prepared. The tip about talking to your employer ahead of time is gold - I'm definitely going to have that conversation with my boss next week before things slow down. And I love the idea of keeping everything organized in a spreadsheet throughout the year instead of scrambling to remember everything when you need to file. Emma, thanks for asking this question even though it probably felt obvious to you - threads like this are what make this community so valuable for people dealing with PA's confusing unemployment system. You probably helped way more people than just yourself!

This thread is incredibly valuable! As someone who's been through seasonal layoffs in the trades multiple times, I can't stress enough how important it is to follow the proper reopening process first. I made the mistake once of trying to file weekly certs without reopening and it created such a mess - took forever to straighten out. One thing I'd add that helped me: if you're dealing with the same seasonal employer repeatedly, keep their federal employer identification number (FEIN) saved somewhere accessible. You'll need it for the reopening process and it's not always easy to track down quickly. Also, if you have any doubt about whether your benefit year is still active, you can check that info in your PA UC dashboard before starting the reopening process. Emma, glad you got everything sorted out so smoothly! This whole discussion is going to help so many people avoid the common pitfalls with PA UC.

This has been such an incredibly helpful thread to read through! I'm in a similar situation - work in concrete and always get laid off during the slow winter months. I've been putting off dealing with my UC claim because I was dreading the whole process, but after reading everyone's experiences here, I feel so much more confident about what I need to do. The consensus is crystal clear: reopen first, then file weekly certifications. I love all the practical tips everyone shared - especially keeping the FEIN number saved, taking screenshots of confirmations, and having that conversation with your employer ahead of time about the separation paperwork. Emma, thank you for asking this question! You probably helped dozens of people who were in the same boat but didn't know where to turn. This is exactly the kind of community support that makes dealing with these government systems so much less stressful. I'm bookmarking this whole discussion for future reference!

Just wanted to add my voice to this fantastic thread! I'm in seasonal roofing and have been through the PA UC reopening process several times over the past few years. Emma, you absolutely did the right thing by asking here first - I wish I had known about this community when I was figuring things out on my own. One additional tip I haven't seen mentioned: if you're on mobile when doing the reopening process, I'd recommend switching to a desktop or laptop if possible. I've had the mobile site glitch out on me before during important steps, and having to start over was frustrating. The desktop version seems much more stable. Also, for anyone reading this who might be new to seasonal unemployment - don't feel embarrassed about being laid off regularly if you work in weather-dependent trades. It's just part of how these industries work, and the UC system is designed to handle exactly these situations. This thread proves there's a whole community of us going through the same cycle! Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here. This kind of peer-to-peer knowledge sharing is invaluable when dealing with complex government systems.