PA UC denied my benefits after 6 weeks - no explanation - what to do?

Yes, file an appeal immediately! You only have 15 days from the determination date (not when you received it). I got denied last year for a similarly vague reason and won my appeal. Make sure you gather proof of your employment - paystubs, W2s, any communication about the restaurant closing. The appeal hearing can take 4-6 weeks to schedule, but they'll backpay you everything if you win.

The most common reason people get denied is if your employer contested the claim. Did you quit or were you laid off when the restaurant closed? Sometimes employers will say you quit voluntarily even if the business was closing. Another possibility is they're claiming misconduct. Check your SIDES correspondence in your dashboard to see if your employer submitted anything.

this happened to my brother too!!! he got denied for no good reason and had to wait 3 MONTHS to get his money. the system is rigged against working people!! they WANT us to give up and not appeal

I had almost the exact same situation in January! I filed my appeal and won. The most important thing is to be super specific in your appeal letter. Explain exactly why you believe you qualify under PA UC eligibility rules. Mine took about 5 weeks from filing the appeal to getting a hearing date. They did mine over the phone which was way less stressful than going in person.

I represented myself. You don't need a lawyer for most UC appeals. Just be organized and stick to the facts. I wrote out all my points beforehand so I wouldn't get flustered during the call. Oh and make sure your phone is charged and you're somewhere with good reception!

While you're waiting for your appeal, try calling the UC service center daily to see if someone can tell you the specific reason for denial. I know getting through is nearly impossible with the busy signals, but I've had success using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an agent. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. Having the exact denial reason before your hearing will help you prepare better. In my case, there was actually a data entry error they fixed without needing an appeal!

They resolved mine in one call once I finally got through to a knowledgeable agent. Just make sure you have your claim documents ready when you call. And be super specific about what the determination letter says - even though it's vague. The more details you can give them, the better they can help.

One thing no one mentioned - check if you qualified for the base year earnings requirement. PA requires you to have earned at least $115 per week for at least 16 weeks in your base period (the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed). If you worked part-time at the restaurant, you might not have met the minimum earnings threshold.

Also make sure you continue filing your weekly claims even while appealing! If you win, they can only pay you for weeks you properly certified. I made that mistake and lost out on 3 weeks of benefits because I stopped filing during my appeal. Don't make the same mistake!

Yes, absolutely continue doing and recording your work search activities. You need to complete at least 2 qualifying work search activities each week (applying for jobs, attending job fairs, creating profiles on employment websites, etc.). Keep detailed records of everything. If you win your appeal, they'll check that you met all requirements for each week before paying benefits.

my cousin's roommate got denied but it was bc he got fired for misconduct lol. he tried to appeal but they had proof he was stealing so obvi he lost. not saying thats ur situation just sometimes theres a real reason

Any update on your situation? Did you file the appeal yet? And were you able to get through to someone at the service center to get more details about the denial reason?