PA UC approved after workplace fire - ReliaCard not working with unemployment anymore?

Pennsylvania switched from ReliaCard to Money Network in mid-2024. All UC benefits are now issued through the Money Network debit card unless you sign up for direct deposit. When you filed your initial claim, there should have been an option to choose direct deposit or the debit card. If you didn't select direct deposit, they'll automatically mail you a Money Network card to the address on your claim. It usually takes 7-10 business days to arrive after your first payment is processed.

so sorry bout ur workplace! that really sux. i got approved like super fast too when i lost my job last month but then had an 'open issue' pop up that took 4evr to fix. just warning u that even tho ur approved it might still get hung up. the money network card is ok but direct deposit is way better imo

The SAME EXACT THING happened to a friend of mine!! His workplace had a major flood though, not a fire. He got approved right away but then waited FOREVER to actually get paid. The system is designed to frustrate you!!

You can change to direct deposit at any time by logging into your PA UC account and going to the "View/Maintain Payment Information" section. You'll need your bank routing and account numbers ready. The change usually takes effect within 1-2 payment cycles. Also, since your workplace had a fire, make sure you check the "Yes" box for "Did you return to work?" when filing weekly claims, but then indicate you had no earnings due to the disaster. This will prevent your claim from being incorrectly flagged as abandoning work. Your employer should have filed a mass layoff notice due to the fire.

When my factory shut down in January they told us we'd be back in a month. That was 7 months ago and still nothing. Make sure you start looking for other work right away because PA unemployment requires you to do at least 3 work search activities each week and record them. Don't skip this step or they'll disqualify you! My buddy lost 3 weeks of benefits because he thought being on temporary layoff meant he didn't have to do work search.

I spent THREE WEEKS trying to get through to PA UC about my Money Network card never arriving. Busy signals, disconnects, website errors - complete nightmare! Finally tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an actual UC agent in about 15 minutes who fixed everything. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 Saved me so much frustration and my new card arrived 5 days later. Might be worth keeping in your back pocket if you run into issues with your claim or payments.

Sorry about your job! When you get your Money Network card make sure you activate it immediately and set up the mobile app. I missed my first payment because I didn't realize I needed to activate the card before they would load funds on it. Also don't throw away the envelope it comes in - there's an activation code you need inside.

One more important thing - since your unemployment is due to a disaster (the fire), make sure you upload any documentation your employer provides about the incident. This helps prevent delays with your claim. If your employer filed a "Notice of Disaster" with PA UC, your weekly requirements might be different than standard claims. And don't forget that PA UC benefits are taxable. You can elect to have 10% federal tax withheld from each payment by selecting that option in your payment preferences.