PA UC claim disqualified after reporting part-time hours - now facing another waiting week?

This is actually correct based on PA UC rules. When you earn over a certain threshold amount (usually about 30% more than your weekly benefit rate), you get disqualified for that week. And yes, when you get disqualified, the system automatically closes your claim. You do need to reopen, but the good news is that you shouldn't have to serve another waiting week if it's within the same benefit year. The system might say that initially, but the waiting week is only served once per benefit year. Just make sure when reopening you select "still unemployed from original job" as your reason.

i had kinda the same thing happen but worse lol. worked 2 shifts at my brothers restaurant and got disqualified for like 3 weeks because i didnt know i had to reopen. the system is sooooo confusing

Hey there, to clarify a bit more - PA UC has specific rules about this. If your part-time earnings exceed 140% of your weekly benefit rate (WBR), you're considered fully employed for that week. That triggers the system to close your claim automatically. When reopening, here's what you need to know: 1. You don't serve another waiting week within the same benefit year (even if the system initially says you do) 2. When you reopen, make sure to indicate you're still unemployed from your full-time job 3. For future weeks, try to keep your part-time hours below the threshold if possible 4. You can calculate your threshold by multiplying your WBR by 1.4 For example, if your WBR is $400, you can earn up to $560 before being disqualified. It's always good to know this number so you can plan your part-time hours accordingly.

last year i had this exact problem and spent 3 WEEKS trying to get someone on the phone at PA UC with nothing but busy signals and disconnects. drove me absolutely insane. finally someone told me about claimyr.com and it actually got me through to a real person in like 20 minutes. they have this thing where they call UC for you and then call you when they get someone. worked way better than anything else i tried. they have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2

Not to make things more confusing, but I think everyone is missing a key point - if you're TEMPORARILY laid off and expect to return to your full-time job soon, you should be on STANDBY status, not regular UC. With standby status, working part-time at another job works differently. You should call and specifically ask about this because temporary layoffs with a return date have special rules. My husband went through this exact situation in January.

Whenever you get disqualified for ANY reason, you ALWAYS have to reopen. It's one of the MANY TERRIBLE design flaws in PA's system. I literally had to reopen my claim THREE TIMES last year because of similar situations. As for the waiting week - the system SAYS you'll serve another one, but you actually WON'T. It's just poor programming. You'll still get paid for that week if you qualify. The whole system is a mess!!

Just to follow up on what others have said - make sure you reopen your claim promptly. There's a time limit (usually 14 days) to reopen without complications. If you wait too long, you might lose benefits for those weeks. Also, when you reopen, be very careful about answering the question about why you're unemployed - select the option that indicates you're still in the temporary layoff from your original employer. If you select something else by mistake, it can create new issues with your claim.

when this happened to me i just lied about my hours the next time so my claim wouldn't close again... probably not the best advice but it worked lol

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now, except I work part-time as a substitute teacher. My hours change every week depending on who needs coverage. It's such a headache having to potentially reopen my claim every other week! What I've started doing is calculating exactly how many hours I can work before hitting that 140% threshold, and then I try not to exceed it. Might be helpful for you too if your retail job will work with you on scheduling.