PA UC benefits after 26 weeks - can I claim remaining balance for one more week?

Unfortunately, PA UC benefits are limited to 26 weeks maximum in a benefit year, regardless of any remaining balance in your account. The system sometimes allows filing that extra week, but you'll likely get a denial. That remaining balance typically can't be accessed unless you qualify for an extension program (which aren't currently available in 2025). The leftover money essentially disappears when your benefit year ends.

I HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUE last month!!! The stupid system let me file for week 27 and I actually got PAID for it, then two weeks later they hit me with an OVERPAYMENT NOTICE for the full amount plus interest!!! Now I'm stuck in appeal hell trying to explain that THEIR system shouldn't have let me file if I wasn't eligible! The whole PA UC system is designed to trip people up I swear.

When I finished my 26 weeks back in February, I had about $780 left. I was told by the lady at CareerLink that the money stays in the system until your benefit year officially ends, but you can't touch it unless the state activates some kind of extension program due to high unemployment rates. Right now PA's unemployment rate isn't high enough to trigger those extensions. Have you started looking at PA RESEA or similar reemployment programs?

Just want to share what worked for me when I needed to contact someone at PA UC about a similar situation. I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a UC representative in about 20 minutes after spending days getting busy signals on my own. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. The agent I spoke with confirmed that the remaining balance essentially expires when you hit your maximum weeks, but at least I got a definitive answer instead of guessing.

this happened to my cousin last month his account showed like $400 left but he couldnt get it. he applied for snap benefits to help make up the difference until he found new work

To clarify for everyone - there's a difference between your weekly benefit amount, maximum benefit entitlement, and financial determination. PA UC has a maximum of 26 weeks, period. The financial determination might show a total benefit amount that doesn't divide evenly by your weekly amount, which creates that leftover balance. It's unfortunately just how the math works out sometimes, and you can't claim that remainder.

i had a diffrent problem but kinda similar where my benfit amount was calculated wrong and i had to wait 6 weeks to get the right amount. dont forget to check out pa career link they helped me find a new job when my uc was running out

I'm in a similar situation right now with about $320 left in my balance after hitting 26 weeks. Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like I should just accept that money is gone and move on. Really frustrating that the system calculates benefits in a way that leaves money on the table, but I definitely don't want to risk an overpayment situation like Grace experienced. Thanks for all the helpful info everyone - going to focus on job applications instead of trying to squeeze out that last bit of benefits.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago and can confirm what others are saying - you absolutely cannot claim that remaining balance after 26 weeks, even though it's frustrating to see it just sitting there. I had about $440 left over and kept getting conflicting information online, so I ended up calling the UC office multiple times. The rep finally explained that PA's system calculates your total benefit amount based on your wages, but the 26-week limit is hard-coded regardless of whether you've used up every penny. She said it's a common issue because the math rarely works out perfectly. My advice is to definitely NOT file that extra week - I almost did but decided against it after reading horror stories about overpayment notices. Instead, I applied for other assistance programs and focused on networking through CareerLink. It sucks losing that money, but it's better than dealing with the headache of having to pay it back later with penalties!

I'm dealing with this exact situation right now! Just hit my 26th week and have about $475 left in my account. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - especially hearing from Grace about the overpayment nightmare and Bethany's explanation from the UC rep. It's so frustrating that the system shows this money as available when you can't actually access it, but I definitely don't want to risk the overpayment issues. Going to follow everyone's advice and stop filing now, even though it stings to leave that money on the table. Has anyone had luck with other state assistance programs to help bridge the gap while job hunting? I've got a few promising leads but nothing solid yet.

I'm currently in week 25 and dreading hitting this same situation next week - I can already see I'll have around $650 left in my balance. Reading all these experiences has been really eye-opening, especially Grace's overpayment horror story. It seems like such a design flaw that the system shows available funds you can't actually use, and even lets you file when you're not eligible! I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here - it's saving me from potentially making a costly mistake. Going to start researching those other assistance programs people mentioned (SNAP, LIHEAP) now so I'm prepared when my benefits end. This thread should be pinned somewhere because I bet tons of people run into this exact issue!

This whole thread has been a lifesaver! I'm currently on week 24 and starting to see that I'll probably have leftover money too. It's honestly infuriating that PA designed a system that shows you have "available" funds that you can't actually claim - feels like false advertising. After reading Grace's nightmare with the overpayment and everyone else's experiences, I'm definitely not going to risk filing past 26 weeks no matter what the system lets me do. Really appreciate everyone being so transparent about their situations. Going to start preparing for the benefits cutoff now and look into those other assistance programs mentioned. This is exactly the kind of real-world advice you can't find on the official PA UC website!