PA UC board appeal success after hearing denial - is it possible?

yes ive been there got denied at hearing but won on board appeal. dont give up!!!

The system IS rigged! I went through THREE levels of appeals and still got denied even with PROOF my employer was lying. It's all about who has the fancy lawyer and who knows who. Don't get your hopes up, that's all I'm saying.

I've helped several clients with UC Board appeals, and yes, they do overturn referee decisions when warranted. The key is understanding that the Board is looking at whether the referee correctly applied the law - not just rehashing the same arguments. Here's what can help your case: 1. The Board primarily reviews the existing record, so make sure your appeal letter clearly points out where you believe the referee made legal or procedural errors. 2. If your doctor's notes clearly show your absences were medically necessary, emphasize that this falls under the "good cause" exception to attendance policies under PA UC law. 3. Be patient - Board appeals currently take about 3-4 months to process in Pennsylvania. 4. Continue filing your weekly claims during the appeal process! If you win, you'll get all those weeks paid retroactively. About 30-40% of Board appeals result in reversal or remand (sending back for a new hearing), so you absolutely have a chance.

my cousin had the same thing happen and she won her appeal to the board! but it took like 5 months so hope u have some savings. good luck!!

I spent WEEKS trying to reach someone at PA UC to ask questions about my appeal! Nothing but busy signals and disconnections. Finally found this service called Claimyr that got me through to a UC rep in under an hour. The rep actually gave me some good insights about what the Board looks for in appeals. Saved me from making some mistakes in my filing. Check out their video to see how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 - their website is claimyr.com. Totally worth it when you're dealing with something as important as an appeal!

One important thing to understand about PA UC Board appeals: they don't typically hold new hearings or accept new evidence unless there was a procedural problem with the original hearing. The Board reviews the transcript and exhibits from your referee hearing and determines if the law was correctly applied. In cases involving attendance policies and medical issues, these are the factors that often lead to successful appeals: 1. Evidence that the employer was aware of the medical condition 2. Evidence that you provided proper notification for absences 3. Whether the employer's attendance policy makes exceptions for medical issues 4. Whether you received prior warnings about attendance The Board tends to be more thorough than referees in examining whether termination for attendance violations was truly "willful misconduct" when medical issues are involved. If your doctor's documentation shows your absences were genuinely medically necessary, you have a reasonable chance.

my hearing was in november and board appeal finished in march so like 4 months waiting ya

Based on what you've shared, you absolutely have grounds for appeal. Missing the notification window due to an emergency room visit would generally not constitute willful misconduct, especially if you have documentation of the ER visit. That's exactly the kind of legal misinterpretation the Board often corrects. Make sure to specifically point out in your appeal that the referee failed to properly consider that: 1. Emergency medical situations prevented timely notification 2. You provided medical documentation 3. Your actions don't meet the standard of "willful misconduct" as defined in PA UC law Also, be aware that some employers don't bother responding to Board appeals after winning at the referee level, which can work in your favor.

quick question can u still get benefits while waiting for board appeal?? or do they only pay if u win??

just wondering is your employer going to fight the board appeal too? sometimes they give up after the referee hearing if they already won

THE WHOLE THING IS A JOKE! Even if you win they'll probably hit you with an overpayment later. That's what they did to me! Won my case then 6 months later they said I was overpaid by $4,500 for some obscure reason!!!

If your employer sent three representatives to the referee hearing, they might continue to contest at the Board level. However, this could actually help your case in a way - sometimes having multiple testimony versions creates inconsistencies that the Board identifies. One more tip: When you continue filing weekly claims during your appeal, be very careful to answer all questions accurately, especially about job searches. The 2025 PA requirements are to complete at least two work search activities each week (applying for jobs, attending job fairs, etc.) and report them when you file. Many claimants lose out on back payments because they stop doing their work search activities during appeals.

I just went through this exact process and won my Board appeal after losing at the referee level! It took about 4.5 months but it was absolutely worth it. My situation was similar - employer claimed misconduct but I had legitimate reasons. The Board really does look at whether the law was applied correctly, not just the facts. A few things that helped me: I kept detailed records of everything, continued filing weekly claims (even though it felt pointless), and focused my appeal letter on the legal errors rather than rehashing my story. The wait is brutal financially but don't give up! The statistics show people do win these appeals regularly. Also, definitely keep doing your work searches during the appeal - I almost messed that up and would have lost weeks of back pay. You've got this!

I'm in a similar boat - just got denied at my referee hearing last month and filed my Board appeal two weeks ago. Reading through all these responses is really encouraging, especially hearing from people who actually won their appeals after losing at the referee level. My case also involves attendance issues due to medical problems (chronic migraines), and like you, I had documentation but the referee seemed to focus more on the company's policy than the medical necessity of my absences. The whole hearing felt like the referee had already made up their mind before I even spoke. I'm definitely going to take the advice here about focusing on legal errors in my appeal rather than just repeating my story. It sounds like the Board really does look at whether the law was properly applied, which gives me hope since I feel like the referee completely ignored the medical exemptions in PA law. Thanks for posting this question - it's exactly what I needed to read today. We've got to stick together and not let this broken system defeat us!