PA UC demanding repayment because I missed June 11 deadline - but my letter says June 25!

Take a deep breath first. This is actually a common issue with PA UC where the system deadline doesn't match what's in the letter. The good news is that since you have the actual letter with the June 25 date, you have solid evidence for your appeal. Make sure to upload a picture/scan of that letter to your dashboard or include a copy with your appeal paperwork.\n\nTo answer your question - yes, unfortunately your benefits might pause during the appeal process, but they should be reinstated with backpay if you win (which sounds likely given your evidence).

Thank you!! I didn't even think about uploading a picture of the letter. I'll do that right now. Do you know roughly how long these appeals take? I've got rent due in 2 weeks and absolutely cannot miss it.

omg the EXACT same thing happened to me last month!!! letter said april 30 but they claimed deadline was april 15. took me THREE SEPARATE APPEALS to get it fixed bc nobody would even look at my proof. ugh the system is so broken

Three appeals?! Oh god, I can't wait that long. Did you have to pay back any money while waiting for the appeals?

yeah they started taking like $85 out of each payment even before my appeal was decided which is TOTALLY ILLEGAL btw. make sure u check the box that says you want to stop collection during appeal. i didnt know to do that

I worked for PA UC for 7 years (retired in 2023). What you're experiencing is likely a system error where the examiner entered the wrong compliance date in your case. The letter date always overrides the system date - that's policy. Your appeal should be straightforward since you have the letter.\n\nMake sure your appeal specifically mentions:\n1. The exact date on your letter (June 25)\n2. The date you completed the requirements (June 19)\n3. That you have the physical letter as evidence\n\nWhile appeals can take 4-8 weeks currently, you might be able to get this resolved faster if you can reach a supervisor who can verify the letter date in the system. Also, request that any recoupment be paused during your appeal process - you have the right to request this.

Thank you SO much for this detailed information! I did include the dates in my appeal but didn't specifically mention I have the physical letter. Is there a way to update my appeal to include that? And how do I request the recoupment be paused? Is there a form for that?

You can upload additional documents to your existing appeal through your dashboard. As for pausing recoupment, you need to specifically request it - there should have been a checkbox on the appeal form, but if you missed it, call and specifically ask for a \

Just checked and I did miss that checkbox. Going to call again tomorrow to request that form. Thank you again!!!

This is THE WORST part of PA's unemployment system. They send contradictory info all the time then punish YOU for their mistakes! I had to repay $4700 because of their error and the appeal took 11 weeks to resolve. The whole thing is designed to be confusing so people just give up.

That's not entirely accurate. While there are certainly system issues, it's not designed to confuse people on purpose. The UC system is operating on outdated technology that's gradually being updated. The appeals system is actually quite fair once you get a hearing, but yes, the waiting periods are too long currently due to high volume.

Easy to say when YOU haven't lost your house waiting for them to fix THEIR mistakes! The system IS broken and they DO make it hard on purpose. Why else would they have different deadlines in different places??

Have u tried using Claimyr to get thru to an actual person? I was dealing with a similar issue (different dates but same problem) and was getting nowhere with regular calls. Used Claimyr and got through to a claims examiner in about 20 mins who fixed it on the spot - didn't even need to go through appeal. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2\n\nWas totally worth it to avoid the whole appeal mess.

I've never heard of this service before. Does it actually work? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point but worried about getting scammed.

It's legit - they basically call for you and then connect you when they get through. The video explains it better than I can. My brother-in-law used it first and recommended it to me when I mentioned my UC problems. Saved me from going through the whole appeal process.

Lemme just say this about PA unemployment: document EVERYTHING. Every letter, every call (write down date, time, who you talked to), every submission. The system is built on shifting sand. I've been thrugh 3 separate claim issues with them and only won because I kept detailed records.\n\nAnd just FYI - UC is NOT money you paid into the system. Common misconception. Employers pay into UC insurance, not employees (unlike Social Security). Not saying you don't deserve benefits! Just clarifying how the system works.

I didn't know that about how UC is funded - always thought it came out of my paycheck like everything else. Thanks for the tip about documentation. I'm starting a file now with everything related to this case. Should I be recording phone calls too? Is that legal in PA?

PA is a two-party consent state, so you'd need to tell them you're recording which might make some reps uncomfortable. Instead, I recommend taking detailed notes during calls including the rep's ID number or name (always ask for this at the beginning). After important points are discussed, repeat back what they said to confirm you understood correctly.

Got it. I'll definitely ask for ID numbers from now on. Just wish I'd gotten the name of the person who admitted they could see I completed everything before I got disconnected!

Here's what you need to know about the appeal process for deadline-related issues:\n\n1. Appeals typically take 6-8 weeks currently (longer if there's a backlog)\n2. Your benefits may pause during this time, but will be reinstated with backpay if you win\n3. You need to continue filing your biweekly claims during the appeal process even if you're not receiving payments\n4. The fact that you have the letter with the June 25 date is extremely important evidence\n5. Request a \

This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I didn't realize I needed to keep filing claims during the appeal - would have definitely missed that. I'll try calling right at 7:30 tomorrow to reach a supervisor. If that doesn't work, I'll contact my state rep. Would never have thought of that solution!

did u try checking ur dashboard for messages? sometimes they send important updates there that explain deadline changes. also check spam folder for emails. not saying ur wrong just worth checking all bases

I've checked everything - dashboard messages, email (including spam), even my physical mail multiple times. The only communication about deadlines was the letter with the June 25 date. Nothing anywhere about June 11th until they suddenly declared I missed that deadline.