PA UC Appeals Process: Do benefits continue during appeal waiting period?

You should absolutely continue filing your weekly claims during the appeal process. This is critical because if you win your appeal, you'll only get paid for weeks that you properly certified for. However, whether you receive payments during the appeal process depends on the specific issue type. For voluntary quit disqualifications, PA UC typically stops payments until the appeal is resolved. If you win, you'll get all back payments for weeks you certified. Appeals are currently taking around 6-8 weeks to be scheduled in Pennsylvania, sometimes longer.

i got the same thing last year and kept filing every week. didnt get paid during appeal but got big backpay when i won. took like 2 months tho

They ALWAYS claim voluntary quit when its not!!! The system is RIGGED against us! I waited 11 WEEKS for my appeal hearing last summer and had to borrow money from family to survive. Keep filing but dont expect a penny until the hearing. AND make sure you have PROOF it was a layoff - emails, termination letter, ANYTHING!! They will try to trick you at the hearing by twisting your words!!

This is a common issue with PA unemployment. The correct answer is: 1. YES - continue filing your weekly certifications without fail 2. NO - you typically won't receive benefits during appeal for separation issues 3. Appeal timeline is currently averaging 7-9 weeks Make sure you gather all documentation showing you were laid off: separation notice, emails discussing the layoff, witness statements from coworkers, anything showing it wasn't voluntary. For the hearing, be prepared to clearly explain the circumstances of your separation. Also document any attempts you made to resolve this with your employer before leaving.

I went through this exact situation in February. I was misclassified as voluntary quit when I was actually laid off during a company restructuring. I submitted my appeal online and attached all my documentation right away. I also tried calling the UC service center every day to explain but kept getting busy signals or disconnected. I finally found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a UC rep within 20 minutes. It let me explain my situation to a live person who put notes on my account. While they couldn't overturn the decision without a hearing, having those notes helped. Check out their demo video to see how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 I still had to wait for my hearing (took 7 weeks), but speaking to someone gave me peace of mind. And yes, definitely keep filing weekly claims during your appeal!

make sure u answer the mail from them to schedule ur hearing dont miss that or ull have to start over

To address your question about documentation - definitely submit copies (not originals) with your appeal initially. This helps establish your case from the start. Then bring the original documents to your hearing as well. The more prepared you are with documentation up front, the better. One more important tip: If you're facing financial hardship during the appeal period, contact PA 211 (just dial 211) for information about emergency rental assistance, utility payment help, and food banks in your area. They can connect you with resources to help bridge the gap while you're waiting for your appeal.

my sister had this happen and the hearing was over the phone. she was so nervous she confused some dates and almost lost because of it. write down all your important dates and facts so you don't mix things up during the hearing. and yeah you def dont get paid while waiting for voluntary quit appeals. good luck!!

I'm kinda going through the same thing but mine is because they say I didn't report some income from a side gig. What's weird is that sometimes people DO get paid during appeals and sometimes they don't. I think it depends on what type of issue they've flagged on your account. My cousin had an appeal for availability issues (they said he wasn't available for work) and he still got paid during the whole appeal process. But separation issues like voluntary quit usually mean no payments until resolved. Such a confusing system!

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice. I'm going to file my appeal today and make sure I include all my documentation showing it was a layoff. I'll definitely keep filing my weekly claims, and I'll look into the 211 resources to help me get through this period without payments. It's really unfair that they can just decide you quit when you didn't, and then you have to wait months to fix it, but at least I know what to expect now. I'll update once I hear about my hearing date.