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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Nia Wilson
•This is exactly the kind of real-world experience I needed to hear! It's so reassuring to know that being honest and following the rules actually works in your favor. The fact that your reopening got approved immediately after explaining the medical situation gives me a lot of confidence. Thanks for sharing the specific details about getting 80% of your weekly benefit for the partial week - that helps me set realistic expectations. Hope your recovery went smoothly!
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Lauren Zeb
I'm dealing with a similar situation coming up next month - minor surgery with about 2 weeks recovery time. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! It sounds like the consensus is pretty clear: file for the partial week when you're available some days, then completely stop filing during recovery, and be totally honest when reopening your claim. One question I haven't seen addressed - has anyone had issues with their benefit year running out while on medical leave? I'm worried that if I stop filing for a few weeks, I might lose some of my benefit weeks. Does the benefit year clock keep ticking even when you're not filing due to medical reasons?
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Ravi Gupta
•Great question about the benefit year! Yes, your benefit year clock does keep ticking even when you're not filing due to medical reasons. So if you have a 52-week benefit year that started in January and you take 2 weeks off for medical leave in March, you'll still have used up 2 weeks of your benefit year even though you weren't collecting benefits during that time. However, you won't lose any of your remaining weekly benefit amount - those unused weeks during medical leave don't count against your maximum benefit amount. So while your benefit year end date stays the same, you'll still have the full dollar amount available when you return. It's definitely something to keep in mind for timing, but it shouldn't significantly impact most people's claims unless you're already close to your benefit year end date.
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Natasha Petrova
Just wanted to add my experience from last year when I had rotator cuff surgery. I followed exactly what everyone here is recommending - filed for the partial week (3 days available, 2 days unavailable including surgery day), then completely stopped filing for my 6-week recovery period. When I reopened my claim, I had all my medical documentation ready but they didn't even ask for it - just needed me to confirm the dates I was medically unable to work. The whole reopening process was surprisingly smooth and I was back to regular weekly filings within a few days. The most important thing is definitely being upfront about everything. PA UC seems to handle legitimate medical situations pretty reasonably as long as you're honest from the start. Also, pro tip - when you're cleared to return to work, make sure you get a written note from your doctor stating you're released for full duties. Having that documentation made me feel more confident when answering the reopening questions.
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Morgan Washington
•This is such valuable insight, thank you for sharing! The 6-week recovery period sounds more extensive than what I'm facing, so it's really encouraging to hear that the reopening went smoothly even after that longer gap. I love the pro tip about getting written documentation from the doctor - that's definitely something I'll make sure to request when I'm cleared. It sounds like having that paper trail removes any ambiguity about when you're actually able to return to work. Did you end up needing to provide any other documentation during the reopening process, or was the verbal confirmation of dates sufficient?
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Donna Cline
I went through something very similar when I had my wisdom teeth removal last fall! The advice here is spot-on. I filed for my partial week (available 3 days, unavailable 2 days for surgery and immediate recovery) and got prorated benefits. Then I stopped filing completely for the 10 days I was on pain meds and couldn't work. When I reopened my claim, they asked the standard questions about why I hadn't filed, and I just explained it was for dental surgery recovery. The representative was totally understanding and said medical situations like this are common and handled routinely. The whole reopening took maybe 10 minutes online. One thing that really helped me was keeping a simple log of my recovery dates and when my dentist cleared me to return to normal activities. Even though they didn't ask for documentation, having those dates organized made me feel more confident answering their questions accurately. The system is definitely set up to handle legitimate medical situations - just be honest and follow the rules!
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Zara Shah
•Thanks for sharing your wisdom teeth experience! It's really helpful to hear about a shorter recovery period situation too. I like your idea about keeping a log of recovery dates - that seems like a smart way to stay organized and make sure I can answer any questions accurately when reopening. It's reassuring to know that the representatives are understanding about medical situations and that the process is pretty routine for them. I'm feeling much more confident about handling this properly now after reading everyone's experiences here!
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