PA UC board review appeal resulted in vacate & remand order - what happens next?

This is actually GOOD news for you! A vacate and remand order means the UC Board of Review found some kind of error in how your case was handled originally, so they're sending it back to the referee for a new decision. Basically, they're saying 'this wasn't decided correctly, try again.' The original decision is vacated (meaning canceled) and your case gets a fresh review. You'll likely get scheduled for another hearing. Make sure to prepare any evidence showing you were laid off due to restructuring - emails, termination letter, anything official from HR would be helpful.

congrats! i got one of these last summer and ended up getting approved after the new hearing. took about 3 weeks to get the hearing notice in the mail

Yes, this is definitely a positive development. The Board recognized something was wrong with how your case was handled. It could be procedural, like not giving you proper notice of the hearing, or substantive, like the referee misapplied the law regarding business restructuring layoffs vs. voluntary quits. What you need to do now: 1. Wait for a notice scheduling a new hearing (usually 3-4 weeks) 2. Prepare ALL evidence showing you were laid off (not quit) 3. If your employer will be there, be ready to counter their claims 4. Consider bringing a witness who knows about the restructuring The notice will explain exactly what issues will be addressed at the new hearing, so read it carefully when it arrives.

I went thru something sort of similar last year and let me tell u, the wait times are INSANE!!! I got my vacate order in February and didnt get a new hearing until MAY!! And then after the hearing it was another 4 weeks before i got a decision!! The whole unemployment system is ridiculous. Make sure u keep filing your weekly claims even while ur waiting otherwise if u win they wont pay u for weeks u didnt file!!

If you're waiting for a new hearing and struggling to get through to anyone at UC to ask questions, I suggest trying Claimyr. It helped me actually get through to a representative when I had questions about my remanded case. The website is claimyr.com and they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 that shows how it works. I was skeptical but it actually got me connected to PA UC within about 30 minutes instead of spending days redialing.

just wondering what happened at ur initial hearing? did ur employer show up? what evidence did they have that u supposedly quit?

I think its important to understand the difference betweem vacate and remand vs just a remand. Vacate means the previous decision is completely thrown out. Remand means they're sending it back down. So a vacate and remand is the best possible outcome from the Board short of them just reversing and approving your benefits outright. It means you get a clean slate at the next hearing. Make sure you have all your evidence organized chronologically and bring at LEAST 3 copies of everything (one for you, one for the referee, one for employer). And don't be afraid to object if your employer brings up things that aren't relevant to the separation!

Does anyone else think it's RIDICULOUS that we have to jump thru all these hoops just to get benefits we PAID INTO?? Like why do we have to prove anything to these people?? My taxes paid for this!!

Just to update on timing expectations: current PA UC hearing schedules are taking about 4-5 weeks from remand order to hearing date. Once you get your notice, prepare thoroughly. This hearing is completely fresh - the referee won't have seen your previous evidence, so you need to submit everything again. Make sure you read the hearing notice carefully as it will tell you the exact issue being decided (likely whether your separation was due to a voluntary quit or a layoff). If you haven't received the hearing notice within 6 weeks, call UC to check on status. The remand order should have a docket number you can reference.

I'm so glad to see everyone being so helpful here! As someone who went through a similar situation about 18 months ago, I just wanted to add that when you do get your new hearing scheduled, try to submit your evidence to the referee ahead of time if possible. In PA, you can usually fax or email documents to the hearing office a few days before your hearing date - this gives the referee time to review everything beforehand and makes the hearing go much smoother. Also, if you have any witnesses (like coworkers who can testify about the restructuring), make sure they know the hearing date well in advance. Good luck with everything - it sounds like you have a really strong case!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience since I just went through something very similar! I had a vacate and remand order issued on my case about 2 months ago, and I can confirm what others have said - it's definitely good news. In my case, it took exactly 4 weeks to get the new hearing notice, and the hearing was scheduled 3 weeks after that. The key thing I learned is that you really do get a completely fresh start - the new referee hadn't seen any of the previous case details, so I had to present everything from scratch. I made sure to organize all my documentation chronologically and create a simple timeline of events leading up to my separation. It really helped during the hearing. One tip I'd add: if you have any documentation showing company-wide restructuring (like announcements to all employees, organizational charts, etc.), that can be really powerful evidence since it shows your layoff was part of a larger business decision rather than something specific to your performance. Wishing you the best of luck - it sounds like you have solid evidence on your side!

I'm new here but wanted to chime in with some encouragement! I went through a vacate and remand situation about 8 months ago after initially being denied for "misconduct" when I was actually terminated due to position elimination. Like others have said, it's definitely a positive sign that the Board found issues with how your case was handled the first time. One thing I wish I had done better at my rehearing was being more direct about countering my employer's narrative. They tried to focus on irrelevant details about my work performance, but what really mattered was the actual reason for separation. Don't let them derail the conversation - stick to the facts about the restructuring and layoff. Also, if you have any severance paperwork or COBRA continuation letters, those can be really helpful since companies typically don't offer severance to people who quit voluntarily. The hearing officer in my case specifically asked about severance, and it helped establish that my separation was involuntary. You've got this! The fact that you have documentation showing restructuring puts you in a much stronger position than many people. Just stay organized and confident in presenting your case.

Welcome to the community! I'm relatively new here too but have been following PA UC cases closely. Your vacate and remand is definitely encouraging news - it means the Board identified significant issues with how your original hearing was conducted. One thing I'd suggest while you're waiting for your new hearing notice is to request your complete case file from UC if you haven't already. Sometimes there are internal notes or documents in there that can help you understand exactly why the Board remanded your case, which can be valuable for preparing your strategy. Also, since you mentioned being without income for 3+ months, make sure you're aware that if you win at the rehearing, you should receive back pay for all the weeks you've been filing (assuming you've continued to file weekly). The system will automatically calculate what you're owed once benefits are approved. Given that multiple people here have shared positive outcomes from similar situations, and you have actual documentation of the restructuring, I'd say you're in a really good position. Just make sure to present everything clearly and chronologically like others have suggested. Best of luck!

Welcome to the community! I'm new here as well but wanted to share some encouragement after reading about your vacate and remand order. I actually just went through a very similar situation last year - initially denied because my employer claimed I abandoned my job, when in reality I was laid off due to company downsizing. The vacate and remand is definitely positive news! In my case, it took about 5 weeks to get the new hearing notice, and the actual hearing was scheduled for 2.5 weeks after that. What really helped me was creating a detailed written statement that walked through the timeline of events leading to my separation, with references to specific evidence (emails, termination letter, etc.). I submitted this to the referee a few days before the hearing along with all my supporting documents. Since you have evidence of the business restructuring, you're already in a strong position. One thing I learned is that the new referee will treat this as a completely fresh case, so don't assume they know anything from your previous hearing. Present your evidence as if they've never seen it before. Also, if your company offered any kind of transition assistance, job placement services, or extended health benefits after your layoff, that documentation can be really helpful since those aren't typically offered to people who quit voluntarily. Hang in there - I know the financial stress is overwhelming, but it sounds like you have solid evidence on your side!

Hey there! I'm new to this community but wanted to jump in with some encouragement since I went through almost the exact same situation about 6 months ago. Got a vacate and remand order after my employer falsely claimed I resigned when I was actually part of a reduction in force. Just wanted to echo what everyone else is saying - this IS good news! The Board doesn't issue these lightly, so they clearly saw problems with how your case was handled initially. In my experience, the timeline was about 4 weeks to get the hearing notice, then another 3 weeks until the actual hearing. One thing that really helped me was organizing my evidence into clear categories: 1) Documentation of the business restructuring/layoffs, 2) My actual termination paperwork, 3) Any communications that contradict the employer's "voluntary quit" claim, and 4) Evidence of benefits typically given to laid-off employees (severance, COBRA, etc.). Since you mentioned having emails about the restructuring that you didn't submit before, definitely include those this time! Also, if you received any kind of layoff package or severance (even small), bring that documentation - companies don't give severance to people who quit. Stay strong - I know the financial pressure is intense, but based on what you've described, you have a really solid case. The fact that you have actual evidence of restructuring puts you way ahead of where many people are. You've got this!

Welcome to the community! I'm new here too but wanted to share some hope since I just went through a vacate and remand situation about 4 months ago. Like others have said, this is definitely good news - it means the Board found significant issues with your original hearing. My timeline was similar to what others reported: got the new hearing notice after about 4.5 weeks, then the hearing was scheduled 3 weeks later. The most important thing I learned is to treat this as a completely fresh case. Bring everything - even documents you think they might already have. Since you mentioned having emails about restructuring that you didn't submit before, definitely include those! Also, if you have any documentation showing other employees were also affected by the restructuring (like company announcements, org charts, or coworker termination dates), that can really strengthen your case that this was a business decision, not performance-related. One tip that helped me: practice explaining the situation clearly and concisely. Stay focused on the facts of your separation and don't get sidetracked if your employer brings up irrelevant details about your work history. You've got solid evidence and the Board already identified problems with how your case was handled. Hang in there - I know the financial stress is overwhelming, but you're in a much better position now than you were before the remand. Keep filing those weekly claims so you get full back pay when you win!

Hey there! I'm new to this community but wanted to jump in with some encouragement since I went through a very similar vacate and remand situation about a year ago. Like everyone else has said, this is definitely positive news - the Board clearly identified issues with how your original case was handled. My experience was almost identical to yours - employer claimed I quit voluntarily when I was actually laid off due to company restructuring. The vacate and remand took about 4 weeks to get the hearing notice, then another 3 weeks until the actual hearing date. One thing I wish someone had told me: when you get your hearing notice, it will specify exactly what issues the referee will be deciding. Read that section carefully because it helps you focus your evidence and testimony on what really matters. In my case, the issue was clearly stated as "whether the claimant's separation was due to a voluntary quit or involuntary termination." Since you have those restructuring emails you didn't submit before, definitely include them this time! Also, any documentation showing the business impact (like budget cuts, department eliminations, or other employee layoffs) can really help establish that your separation was part of a larger business decision. The financial stress is brutal - I totally get it. But based on what you've shared, you have strong evidence and the Board has already indicated problems with the original decision. Stay organized, stay focused on the facts, and keep filing those weekly claims. You've got this!

Hey there! I'm new to this community but wanted to share some encouragement as someone who just went through a vacate and remand situation about 3 months ago. Everyone here is absolutely right - this is great news for you! The Board doesn't issue these orders unless they found real problems with how your original case was handled. My timeline was very similar to what others have shared: took about 4 weeks to get the new hearing notice, then the hearing was scheduled 3 weeks after that. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple one-page summary of key facts with dates, then organizing all my supporting documents to match that timeline. It made the hearing go much smoother. Since you mentioned having restructuring emails you didn't submit before, definitely include those this time! Also, if you have any documentation of severance, final paystub showing vacation payout, or COBRA election materials - bring all of it. These kinds of documents really help show that your separation was involuntary. I know the financial stress is overwhelming (I was in the same boat for almost 4 months), but based on your description, you have solid evidence and the Board has already signaled there were problems with the original decision. Keep filing those weekly claims and stay focused on preparing your case. You're in a much better position now than you were before! Good luck!

Welcome to the community! I'm new here but wanted to share some encouragement since I went through a vacate and remand situation about 5 months ago. Like everyone else has mentioned, this is definitely good news - it means the Board found significant issues with your original hearing process. My timeline was very similar: about 4 weeks to receive the new hearing notice, then another 3 weeks until the actual hearing date. One thing that really helped me was keeping a detailed log of all my preparation activities and deadlines, so I didn't miss anything important during the waiting period. Since you mentioned having restructuring emails that weren't submitted before, those could be crucial evidence! Also, if your company provided any kind of outplacement services or job search assistance as part of the layoff package, documentation of that can really help establish that this was an involuntary separation. The financial stress during this waiting period is incredibly difficult - I completely understand what you're going through. But based on everything you've described (the restructuring documentation, the Board's decision to vacate and remand, and all the encouraging success stories shared here), you seem to be in a really strong position. Make sure to keep filing your weekly claims, stay organized with your evidence, and remember that you'll be getting a completely fresh hearing with a new referee who hasn't seen any of the previous case details. You've got this!

I'm new to this community but wanted to add my voice to the chorus of encouragement! I went through a very similar vacate and remand situation about 7 months ago after my employer falsely claimed I had abandoned my position when I was actually laid off due to company downsizing. Everyone here is absolutely right - this is excellent news for you! The Board doesn't issue vacate and remand orders lightly, so they clearly identified significant problems with how your original case was handled. In my experience, the timeline was about 4.5 weeks to receive the new hearing notice, then another 3 weeks until the hearing date. One piece of advice I haven't seen mentioned yet: if you have any performance reviews or commendations from before the restructuring, bring those too. In my case, my employer tried to claim at the rehearing that my separation was really performance-related, but having recent positive reviews helped counter that narrative and reinforced that the layoff was purely due to business restructuring. Also, since you mentioned expressing concerns about the company direction during a team meeting, be prepared to explain that context clearly. Frame it as you being a concerned, engaged employee rather than someone who was dissatisfied and wanted to quit. The distinction is important for the hearing officer. I know the financial stress is overwhelming after 3+ months without income, but based on your description of having restructuring documentation and the Board's decision to remand, you're in a really strong position. Keep filing those weekly claims and stay confident - you've got this!