PA UC claiming partial week with surgery + handling medical leave weeks - confused about filing
I've got a medical procedure coming up that's really complicating my unemployment claim. My surgery is scheduled for a Friday in March, but I'm available to work Mon-Thurs that week. Then doc says I'll need about 3-4 weeks recovery time where I can't work at all. For that first week with surgery, do I file my weekly claim and report that I was available 4 days but unavailable 1 day (surgery day)? And for the recovery weeks, do I just stop filing UC claims altogether since I'm not able/available to work? Will this mess up my claim when I'm ready to work again? Really confused about how to handle this without getting in trouble for improper filing.
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Tristan Carpenter
You're asking a really good question about a complicated situation. For the week of your surgery, you should definitely file your weekly claim and report that you were available and able to work 4 days, but not available on Friday due to surgery. PA UC allows you to claim partial weeks. For the recovery weeks, you're correct - you should NOT file for those weeks because you won't meet the able and available requirements for UC benefits. Being medically unable to work means you don't qualify during that time. When you're recovered and able to work again, just start filing your weekly claims as normal. There might be a small gap in your claim history, but that's normal and won't affect your overall eligibility once you're able to work again.
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Maya Jackson
•Thank you so much for explaining! So for that surgery week, will I get partial benefits for the 4 days I was available? And when I start filing again after recovery, will I need to reopen my claim or just continue filing like normal?
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Amaya Watson
OMG the same thing happened to me last year!!! I had gallbladder surgery and tried to file for the whole recovery time and got hit with an overpayment notice 2 months later because I wasnt "able and available" for work during recovery. DONT DO WHAT I DID!! Only file for days your able to work that week, then STOP filing until your doctor clears you. Then start filing again.
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Maya Jackson
•Oh no, that sounds terrible! Thanks for the warning. Did you have to pay back a lot? I definitely don't want to deal with overpayments.
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Grant Vikers
I went thru this when I had knee surgery. For the week OF surgery I filed and said I was available 4 days and unavailable 1 day. Got partial payment. Then didn't file at all for the 3 weeks I was recovering. When doctor cleared me, I had to REOPEN my claim because it was more than 2 weeks since my last filing. So heads up - you'll probably need to reopen! The system will ask why you didn't file and you just explain medical reasons.
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Maya Jackson
•Thanks for sharing your experience! That helps a lot. I'll be prepared to reopen my claim after recovery.
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Giovanni Martello
I've helped several clients through this exact situation. Here's what you need to know: 1. For the week with surgery: File as normal but indicate you were unavailable for one day. You'll receive 4/5 of your weekly benefit amount (they prorate it). 2. Recovery period: Do NOT file during weeks you're medically unable to work. UC requires you to be able and available for suitable work. 3. When cleared to work: Since it will be 3-4 weeks without filing, your claim will go inactive. You'll need to reopen your claim. This isn't a problem - just answer truthfully that you were medically unable to work. 4. Documentation: Keep your medical documentation showing when you were cleared to return to work in case there are any questions later. This approach ensures you stay in compliance with PA UC regulations.
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Maya Jackson
•This is super helpful, thank you! I was worried about the gap in filing, but it sounds like reopening the claim is a normal process for situations like this.
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Savannah Weiner
They WILL ask why u didnt file when u reopen!!! Make sure u say EXACTLY why u were out. Dont lie about ANYTHING. My cousin tried to hide his surgery and got hit with a fraud investigation!!! No joke!!!
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Levi Parker
•This is absolutely correct. PA UC is really cracking down on fraudulent claims. They'd rather you be honest about medical issues than try to claim benefits you're not eligible for during recovery. I went through something similar with a back injury, and being honest about everything made reopening my claim very smooth.
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Libby Hassan
Anyone else finding it IMPOSSIBLE to reach an actual person at PA UC to ask these kinds of questions??? I had a similar situation last month and called like 50 times trying to get clear answers. Always busy signals or disconnections after waiting forever. So frustrating when you're just trying to do the right thing!!!
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Levi Parker
•I was having the same problem until I found this service called Claimyr. They get you through to an actual PA UC rep without the endless calling and busy signals. Totally worth it when I needed answers about my medical leave situation. You can see how it works at claimyr.com or check out their demo video: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. Saved me from going crazy hitting redial all day!
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Hunter Hampton
isnt there some kind of medical leave you can apply for? dont think its unemployment but something else? anyone know????
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Tristan Carpenter
•You might be thinking of short-term disability, but that's usually through an employer's benefits program or a private insurance policy. Pennsylvania doesn't have a state disability program like some other states do. If the surgery is for a qualifying serious health condition and you have an employer with 50+ employees that you've worked for at least a year, you might qualify for unpaid FMLA leave with job protection, but that's not an income replacement program.
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Grant Vikers
One more thing nobody mentioned - when you reopen your claim after recovery, the system will probably ask if you've worked or earned any money since your last filing. Make sure you answer NO if you truly haven't worked during recovery. I got confused by this question when reopening after my medical leave and almost made a mistake.
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Maya Jackson
•That's a really good point, thanks for the heads up! I'll make sure to answer carefully when reopening.
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Ravi Choudhury
I just went through this exact situation with my appendectomy in January! Here's what worked for me: For the surgery week, I filed normally and marked that I was available Mon-Thu but unavailable Friday due to medical procedure. Got 80% of my weekly benefit which was fair. Then I completely stopped filing for my 2.5 week recovery period - didn't touch the system at all. When my doctor cleared me to return to work, I had to reopen my claim online (took like 5 minutes) and just explained I was medically unable to work during recovery. They approved it immediately and I was back to normal weekly filings. The key is being 100% honest about everything - they actually appreciate when you follow the rules correctly rather than trying to game the system. Good luck with your surgery!
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