PA UC appeal hearing - can I upload documents to portal or need to bring them in person?

I went through a phone appeal last month. You can absolutely upload your documents through the portal! Look for the 'Appeal Information' section and there should be an option to upload evidence documents. Make sure you do it at least 3 days before your hearing so the referee and your employer have time to review them. Also number your pages and prepare a brief explanation of what each document proves - the referee will appreciate the organization.

i did my appeal by fone last year and uploaded everything to the portal its really easy. just scan everything and save as PDF then find the upload button. the system is actually not terrible for this part lol

EVERYONE BE CAREFUL ABOUT THIS. I uploaded my documents to the portal for my hearing last November and the referee claimed she never got them!!! I could SEE them in the portal but they said there was a "system issue" and my evidence wasn't considered. I LOST MY APPEAL because of their broken system. If you upload to the portal, CALL THEM to confirm they received it. Don't trust the system!!!!!

Hi there, I'm an unemployment advocate who helps people with appeals. Yes, you can upload documents through your dashboard in the PA UC portal. However, I recommend three things: 1. Upload at least 5 business days before the hearing (not the minimum 3) 2. After uploading, take screenshots showing your documents were successfully uploaded 3. Email the appeal office directly with those screenshots as backup The email address for the appeals office that's handling your case should be on your hearing notice. If you're having trouble reaching someone, Claimyr (claimyr.com) can help you get through to a UC representative to confirm receipt. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 showing how it works. I've had clients use this service when they absolutely needed to reach someone before their hearing.

Just went through this 2 weeks ago! I was worried about the same thing. I uploaded my docs to the portal AND faxed copies to the referee office. Probably overkill but didn't want to take chances!

My daughter had a phone appeal last month for her PA unemployment claim. We were confused about this exact thing! We ended up uploading her documents to the portal AND physically taking them to the UC service center just to be safe. The UC office actually took copies and assured us they would get to the referee. During the hearing, the referee mentioned having both sets, so either method works, but doing both is the safest approach if you have time.

One more tip for your hearing - have all your documents printed out and in front of you during the call. The referee will often say "looking at document #3, can you explain..." and you need to be able to quickly reference what they're talking about. Also, speak clearly and don't interrupt. The hearings are recorded and transcribed, so talking over someone can make the transcript confusing. Good luck with your case!

when i had my appeal last year it was all so confusing! i uploaded my stuff to portal but then got nervous so i faxed it too and then the referee was like why did you send everything twice lol. but i won my case so whatever works right?

I just went through a PA UC phone appeal last week and wanted to share my experience! I uploaded my documents through the portal about 4 days before my hearing. What I did was upload everything, then immediately took screenshots of the confirmation page showing my files were uploaded successfully. I also printed out everything and had it organized in front of me during the call. The referee had clearly reviewed all my documents beforehand and referenced them by number during the hearing. My advice: upload to the portal (it really does work), take those screenshots for your peace of mind, and have physical copies ready during your call. The whole process was less scary than I expected. You've got this!

I'm going through my first PA UC appeal too and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Based on everyone's advice, I think I'll upload my documents to the portal AND take screenshots as backup proof. @Drew Hathaway - regarding your question about timing, my hearing notice said to expect 30-60 minutes, but I've heard it really depends on how complicated your case is and whether your employer shows up with a lot of counter-evidence. I'm planning to block out 2 hours just to be safe. Has anyone here had experience with cases where the employer claimed misconduct but it was really a layoff? I'm curious how those situations typically go during the hearing.

I'm scheduled for my PA UC phone appeal next week and this entire thread has been a lifesaver! Based on everyone's experiences, I'm planning to upload my documents to the portal at least 5 days early, take screenshots of the confirmation, AND email the appeals office as backup. @Marilyn Dixon thank you for those specific steps - having an advocate's perspective really helps. One question for those who've been through this: did any of you have issues with the phone connection during your hearing? I'm worried about technical problems cutting me off mid-explanation. Should I have a backup phone number ready or use a landline instead of my cell?