PA UC benefits while pregnant - will 401k withdrawal affect my claim? 6 weeks in review

Taking money from your retirement plan shouldn't affect your UC eligibility as long as you reported it correctly. The key factors for PA unemployment are: 1) you were terminated through no fault of your own, 2) you have sufficient qualifying wages in your base year, and 3) you're able and available for suitable work. The 401k withdrawal is considered retirement income, not wages, so it doesn't impact those criteria. For your claim being in review, 6 weeks is unfortunately becoming more common. Have you checked your PA UC dashboard to see if there are any open issues listed? Sometimes there are verification steps they need that aren't communicated well.

u might need 2 call them directly. my claim was stuck 4 like 2 months b4 i finally got thru. they didnt tell me what the prob was either just said open issue. turned out they needed 2 verify my identity but never sent me the notice somehow

I was in a similar situation last year (not pregnant but had a similar 401k withdrawal after job loss). The 401k withdrawal didn't affect my eligibility at all. However, I was stuck in 'review' status for nearly 8 weeks before approval. The problem right now is reaching someone at PA UC to find out what the specific 'open issue' is. Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to an agent? I was skeptical but it worked for me when I couldn't get through for weeks. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 and their site is claimyr.com. They connected me to an agent within about 30 minutes when I'd been trying unsuccessfully for weeks. And yes, if approved, you will receive backpay for all weeks you've been eligible and filing your weekly claims!

Are you submitting your work search activities each week even though you haven't been approved yet? This is super important! PA requires you to report at least 2 work search activities each week. If you don't do this, when they finally review your claim, they might deny those weeks even if you were otherwise eligible.

THE SYSTEM IS TOTALLY RIGGED AGAINST PREGNANT WOMEN!!!! I went through this EXACT thing in 2021!! They kept my claim "under review" until after I gave birth and then tried to say I wasn't "able and available" for work during that time!!! FIGHT THEM ON THIS!! Pregnancy is NOT a disqualifying condition! Document EVERYTHING - all job applications, all interviews, all calls to UC. They'll try to wait you out hoping you'll give up!!!

Went thru something similar last year. My claim was stuck in review for 7 weeks because they needed additional info from my employer. The 401k withdrawal won't affect your claim AS LONG AS it wasn't part of a retirement package/incentive from your employer. If it was just you accessing your own retirement funds after being laid off, that's different and shouldn't count against you. Also, try contacting your state representative's office! I was surprised - their constituent services actually helped push my claim through when I couldn't get anywhere with UC directly.

my cousin was pregnant when she got laid off and uc gave her the runaround for months too. idk why they do this to pregnant women. its not like pregnancy makes u unable to work a desk job or something!! good luck

To directly answer your backpay question - yes, as long as you've been filing your weekly claims (biweekly in PA), you'll receive payment for all eligible weeks once your claim is approved. The filing date for each week establishes your claim for that period, even if the actual payment comes much later. As for the WIC and SNAP denial, you should appeal that decision with proof of your unemployment. They shouldn't be calculating benefits based on income you no longer have. Take documentation of your termination date and unemployment application to your county assistance office and request a reassessment.

if u cant get thru to PA UC try calling right at 8am when they open. thats how i finally got someone. or try at like 2:57pm when most people probably given up for the day

As a follow-up on your situation - pregnancy is protected under PA's unemployment rules. You are still considered "able and available" for work unless there's a specific medical restriction. If your claim is being held up because of your pregnancy (which would be discrimination), you should contact the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission as well as the UC appeals office. In terms of immediate financial assistance while waiting, have you contacted local community action agencies? Many have emergency rental/utility assistance programs that don't use the same income calculations as state programs and can help bridge the gap while your UC claim is processing.