PA UC appeal character limit error when trying to appeal disqualification - help!

I had this exact same issue last month! The online appeal form is practically useless with that character limit. What I did was submit the basic appeal online with just enough info to start the process, then immediately mailed a detailed written statement to the UC Appeals office with my appeal confirmation number at the top. Make sure to include your claim number, SSN (last 4 digits is fine), and contact info on every page. I got my hearing notice about 3 weeks later and won my appeal. The referee even mentioned he had my written statement in his file.

the character limit is SO STUPID! i tried to file my appeal 3 times and kept getting errors. ended up just writing "SEE ATTACHED LETTER" and mailed everything in. got my hearing scheduled after like a month.

when i got disqualified they didnt even tell me why!!! had to wait 2 hours on hold just to find out they said i didnt report some income which i 100% did report. the whole system is rigged against us!!!

The official appeal form online does have a character limit that cannot be bypassed. This is intentional (though frustrating) as the appeals division prefers to have documentation in a standardized format. Here's what you should do: 1. Use the online system to submit a basic appeal with a brief statement like: "I disagree with this disqualification because [one sentence reason]. Detailed explanation and documentation to follow by mail." 2. Mail a detailed letter to the UC Appeals office with your appeal confirmation number AND your claim number clearly marked. 3. Include any supporting documentation with your mailed packet. 4. Keep copies of EVERYTHING you send. 5. Follow up by phone approximately 10 days after mailing to confirm they've received your documentation. The appeals process typically takes 4-6 weeks currently before you get a hearing scheduled, and another 1-2 weeks for the referee's decision after the hearing.

If you're having trouble getting through to PA UC by phone to follow up on your appeal (which you absolutely should do), I recommend using Claimyr. It basically automates the calling process and gets you through to an actual agent without sitting on hold all day. After trying for 3 days to get through about my appeal, I used it and got connected in about 20 minutes. They have a demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 and the website is claimyr.com. So much better than spending all day hitting redial!

I HATE THE PA UC SYSTEM!!! First they make us wait MONTHS for a decision, then when they mess up and disqualify us, they make it nearly IMPOSSIBLE to appeal properly!!! I went through this exact thing in January. The character limit is BY DESIGN to make it harder for us to win appeals. They don't want us to provide all the details. It's just another way to deny benefits to people who deserve them. I had to mail in THREE separate packets before they acknowledged receiving my documentation. KEEP RECORDS OF EVERYTHING.

@Original Poster Regarding your question about employers attending hearings - in my experience about 60% of the time they do attend. You'll definitely want to prepare as if they will be there. The referee will tell you ahead of time who is expected to participate. For your appeal letter, structure it like this: 1. Introduction paragraph with claim info and why you're appealing 2. Timeline of events in chronological order (very important) 3. Specific reasons why the disqualification was incorrect 4. Any supporting facts or documentation you can reference 5. Conclusion restating why you should be eligible Keep it factual and unemotional, even though I know how frustrating this whole situation is!

did u try using a different browser? the unemployment website is total garbage on chrome but sometimes works better on firefox. might help with the error code thing

My friend just went through the appeal process last month and she said to make sure you call and confirm they received your mailed documents at least once a week. They kept saying they didn't have her stuff but suddenly "found it" after she called for the third time. She ended up winning her appeal and got backpay for all 6 weeks.

One additional thing to note about PA UC appeals: if you win your appeal, be prepared for a delay of 2-3 weeks before any back payments are processed. It's a separate department that handles payment after appeals, and they're still working through backlogs. You may need to proactively contact them after receiving your favorable decision. Also, be sure to continue certifying for benefits every week during the entire appeal process, even though you won't receive payment until after a decision is made.