PA UC claim reopened after recent job separation - Will benefits continue or face new scrutiny?
Just got laid off for the second time this year (manufacturing industry is struggling). I reopened my PA UC claim yesterday since I still had 14 weeks left in my benefit year. The online system let me file without any issues, but now I'm worried about whether they'll actually pay me. Last time everything went smoothly, but I've heard horror stories about reopened claims getting extra scrutiny. Does anyone know if PA UC treats reopened claims differently than new ones? Will they automatically assume I'm not trying hard enough to keep a job since this is my second claim this year? My separation was due to company downsizing both times, but I'm worried they'll think I'm gaming the system somehow. Any experiences with reopened claims actually getting paid?
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Hugh Intensity
I reopened my claim twice last year (construction industry). As long as your job separations were qualifying reasons (like layoff due to lack of work), PA UC generally treats reopened claims the same as initial claims. They might review your new separation reason, but they don't automatically assume anything negative. Just make sure you're doing your weekly work search activities (2 per week) and documenting them correctly. I'd recommend uploading any separation documentation (layoff letter, etc.) to your dashboard to speed things up if they do review it.
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Sunny Wang
•Thanks for the info! I have my layoff notice that specifically mentions downsizing. Should I wait for them to ask for it or just upload it now? Also, how long did your reopened claim take to process compared to your first one?
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Effie Alexander
they defintely look at reopened claims more carefully! my brother got denied when he tried to reopen his claim last month and they said he didnt look hard enuff for work between his jobs. make sure u can prove u were actively looking!!!
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Melissa Lin
•This isn't necessarily true. Your brother's situation was likely different. The law doesn't say reopened claims automatically get more scrutiny - each claim is evaluated on its own merits. If you were laid off due to lack of work and have documentation, you should be fine. Stop scaring people with anecdotal evidence that might not apply to their situation.
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Lydia Santiago
My reopened claim got STUCK in "pending" status for THREE WEEKS!!! No explanation, no way to contact anyone, and the automated system just kept saying "benefits in process"!!! The PA UC system is COMPLETELY BROKEN and they DO NOT CARE about people who need help! I finally got benefits but only after filing an appeal (which I shouldn't have had to do). THEY ASSUME YOU'RE LYING until proven otherwise!!!
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Romeo Quest
•While I understand your frustration, pending status for a few weeks is actually normal for many claims, especially reopened ones. It doesn't mean they assume you're lying - it means they're verifying information with your former employer, which is required by law. The employer has time to respond to the separation information. This happens with all claims, not just reopened ones.
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Val Rossi
i had a reopened claim back in january after my second layoff. got my first payment after 2 weeks which wasnt too bad. just make sure u do the weekly certifications even if its still pending
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Sunny Wang
I just tried to call to ask about my claim status since it's been 5 days with no update and I'm getting worried. Hit the busy signal 23 times in a row! Is there seriously no way to talk to a human at PA UC?
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Eve Freeman
•I was in the same situation last month - couldn't get through for days. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. They helped resolve my reopened claim issue immediately. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 - was so much better than spending days hitting redial. The agent told me my claim had a simple flag that needed manual review because it was reopened, but it wasn't anything concerning.
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Romeo Quest
To directly answer your question: PA UC doesn't automatically assume anything negative about reopened claims. However, there are a few differences in processing: 1. Your new separation reason will be reviewed (but this happens with every claim) 2. They'll verify you earned sufficient wages since your last claim (if applicable) 3. Any unresolved issues from your previous claim might resurface The system is not designed to penalize people who need to reopen claims - many industries like construction, hospitality, and manufacturing regularly have workers who need to reopen claims due to cyclical work patterns. Just make sure you're completing your work search requirements and can document your separation reason.
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Sunny Wang
•Thanks for the clear explanation. I've definitely earned enough since my last claim (worked full-time for 5 months between claims), and my previous claim had no issues. I'll make sure to be extra careful about documenting my work search activities this time.
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Clarissa Flair
My cousin reopened his claim last year and they made him wait longer because they said he didnt have enough credit weeks or something like that? But that might be different from your situation idk
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Hugh Intensity
•Your cousin likely ran into the issue of not having enough credit weeks since his last claim. This happens if you haven't worked enough weeks between claims. The OP mentioned working 5 months full-time between claims, so they should have enough credit weeks (you typically need at least 4-6 depending on your situation).
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Melissa Lin
Something important that nobody has mentioned: If you're reopening within the same benefit year (sounds like you are), you don't need to serve another waiting week. That's one advantage of a reopened claim vs. a brand new one. Also, make sure your work search registrations are up to date with PA CareerLink. Having an incomplete profile there can trigger an unnecessary review of your work search compliance.
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Sunny Wang
•Oh! I didn't realize that about the waiting week - that's good news. I'll double-check my CareerLink profile today to make sure everything is current. Thanks for the tip!
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Lydia Santiago
Update??? Did your payments start? I'm in a similar situation and waiting to see what happens with yours before I reopen mine...
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Sunny Wang
•Just got my first payment yesterday! Took 9 days from reopening to payment, which isn't too bad. Using that Claimyr service to actually speak with someone definitely helped - they confirmed my claim was just in standard review and moved it along. So far everything seems to be working like a normal claim.
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Keisha Brown
Great to hear your payment came through! For anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar situation - I reopened my claim about 6 months ago after a seasonal layoff and had a smooth experience. The key things that helped me were: 1) I uploaded my layoff notice immediately when I reopened, 2) I kept detailed records of my work search activities (even saved screenshots of job applications), and 3) I made sure to certify every week even while it was pending. The whole process took about 10 days from reopening to first payment. Don't let the horror stories scare you - most reopened claims go through just fine if you have legitimate separation reasons and follow the requirements.
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