Missing PA UC payment after bank deposit switch to Money Network card - will I lose a week?
I'm freaking out a little here! I was receiving my PA unemployment benefits via direct deposit to my checking account for the past 5 weeks (got approved at the beginning of February). Everything was fine until today - my weekly payment that ALWAYS shows up on Monday morning isn't there. When I check my UC dashboard, it shows everything is normal and that the payment was processed, but no money in my account! I just remembered PA switched from ReliaCard to Money Network cards in March 2025, but I haven't received my card yet! Does anyone know if they automatically switched my payments from direct deposit to the Money Network card system? Will my money be on that card when it finally arrives, or did I just lose this week's payment? I seriously can't afford to miss even one week right now. Has anyone else had this problem with the payment method switch?
12 comments
Join the conversation
Carmen Reyes
same thing happend to me last week!! my payment wasnt in my bank account and I panicked. turns out they switch everyone to those stupid Money Network cards at the beginning of march. when i finally got my card in the mail (took like 9 days!) all my money was on there. you didnt lose anything but its super annoying they didnt warn us better
0 coins
StarSurfer
•OMG thank you!! That's a relief. Did you have to activate the card before seeing your balance? And did they send any notification that it was coming or did it just show up?
0 coins
Andre Moreau
The PA UC system automatically transferred all claimants from direct deposit to Money Network cards as of March 1st, 2025. This is the new payment delivery system replacing ReliaCard. According to the PA UC website, they mailed out cards 7-10 business days before the switch, but many people report delays in receiving them. Your payment is safe and will be on your card when it arrives. You can verify this by logging into your dashboard and checking the "Payment History" section - it should show the payment was processed and indicate "Money Network" as the payment method instead of direct deposit. Once you receive the card, you'll need to activate it immediately by calling the number on the sticker or going to the Money Network website. You can also set up direct transfer from the card to your bank account through their app if you prefer not to use the card itself.
0 coins
StarSurfer
•THANK YOU for explaining this so clearly! I just checked my payment history and you're right - it shows "Money Network" next to this week's payment. I guess I never got the notification about the switch. I'll keep an eye out for the card in the mail. This makes me feel a lot better.
0 coins
Zoe Christodoulou
they never tell us anything important!!! i got my card yesterday but the stupid thing has fees for everything. why cant they just keep using direct deposit if thats what we already had set up??? typical government making everything complicated for no reason
0 coins
Andre Moreau
•You can actually transfer the funds from your Money Network card to your bank account for free using their app. There are no fees for that service. The card does have some fees for certain ATM withdrawals and repeated balance inquiries, but basic usage shouldn't cost you anything.
0 coins
Jamal Thompson
I got my Money Network card last week too. Had the same panic moment when my direct deposit didn't show up! If you want to check if your payment is on the card before it arrives, try calling the PA UC benefit payment information line at 888-255-4728 and follow the prompts. They can sometimes tell you if the payment was sent to the card system even if you don't have the physical card yet.
0 coins
Mei Chen
•I've been trying to call that number for two days straight and can't get through! Always busy signal or the automated system just hangs up after saying "high call volume." If anyone's struggling to get through to PA UC like me, I found a service called Claimyr that helped me reach an actual agent today. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 The agent confirmed my payment was sent to my Money Network card (which I still haven't received). Said I should get it by the end of this week.
0 coins
CosmicCadet
Don't panic - this is a system-wide change affecting all PA UC claimants. The Department of Labor & Industry sent notices in February about the switch from direct deposit to Money Network cards, but many people missed them or they got filtered as spam. Here's what you need to know: 1. All payments processed after March 1, 2025 are going to Money Network cards 2. Your money is not lost - it's being held in the Money Network system 3. Cards are being mailed but there's a significant backlog due to the volume 4. Once you receive your card, all pending payments will be available 5. You can re-establish direct deposit through the Money Network portal after activating your card In the meantime, if you need immediate help, contact your local PA CareerLink office. They sometimes have more direct communication channels with the treasury department that handles the payment systems.
0 coins
Liam O'Connor
•wait so you're saying we will eventually be able to go back to direct deposit? The papers that came with my card didn't mention anything about that! I hate having to use this card...
0 coins
StarSurfer
UPDATE: My Money Network card finally came in the mail today! All three of my missing payments were on there, so I didn't lose anything. The activation process was pretty simple - just called the number on the sticker and followed the prompts. Thanks everyone for your help! If anyone else is dealing with this, don't worry - your money is safe, just delayed because of this system change.
0 coins
Jamal Thompson
•Glad you got it sorted! Make sure you set a PIN you'll remember and keep the card activation confirmation number somewhere safe. I learned the hard way that if you have issues later, they'll ask for that confirmation number.
0 coins