PA UC determination contradiction: eligible then disqualified in 10 minutes - able and available issue?

This actually happens a lot in PA. The "separation" determination is about WHY you lost your job (quit, fired, laid off). The "able and available" determination is about whether you're physically able to work and available for work (not on vacation, able to accept a job, etc.). So what they're saying is that they approved the reason you lost your job, but found an issue with your availability. This could be because of something in your weekly certifications. Maybe you answered "no" to being able and available for work on one of your weekly claims? Or said you couldn't accept work for some reason?

the same thing happened to my cousin last month!!! the system is so messed up. he had to call them like 20 times to finally get it fixed. good luck getting thru tho, it took him 3 days of calling non-stop

This situation is definitely confusing but actually has a straightforward explanation. In PA's UC system, your claim has multiple eligibility factors that are determined separately: 1. Separation reason (quitting, firing, layoff) 2. Able and available status (can you work right now) 3. Work search requirements (are you looking for work) What likely happened is that your separation issue was decided in your favor (eligible), but they found a problem with your able and available status for PAST weeks. However, that doesn't necessarily affect FUTURE weeks. The representative saying you'd get paid for week ending 8/19 suggests that whatever able/available issue existed has been resolved going forward. The waiting week (8/12) is normal - it's an unpaid week that starts your benefit year. You should: 1. Check your determination letters carefully for the specific weeks they're referring to 2. Make sure you're answering "Yes" to the able and available questions on your weekly certifications 3. File an appeal for the disqualification if you believe it's incorrect (15-day deadline!

Ugh PA unemployment is THE WORST!! I got contradictory determinations too last year. Their left hand literally doesn't know what the right is doing. I ended up having to appeal which took FOUR MONTHS to resolve!!! By then I'd already found a new job but still fought for my backpay.

Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to an actual UC rep on the phone? After struggling with similar contradictory determinations, I finally broke down and used it. Got through to a rep in under 20 minutes who explained everything and fixed my issues on the spot. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 and sign up at claimyr.com. Seriously saved my sanity when dealing with these able and available issues.

just wondering did u answer NO to being able and availble for work on any of ur weekly claims? sometimes people answer wrong by accident and thats all it takes to mess everything up. when i filed last month i almost made that mistake

I had THE EXACT SAME THING happen to me!!!! My separation was eligible but they said I wasn't able/available even though I was! I went to the CareerLink office in person and they helped me figure it out. Turns out I had accidentally said I wasn't able to work one week because I had a job interview!!!! The system is so stupid - going to a job interview should PROVE you're looking for work, not disqualify you!

Quick update on what you should expect: If the rep told you 8/12 is your waiting week and 8/19 payment week is coming, then it sounds like they've already resolved the able and available issue for current claims. Just make sure you keep answering the weekly certification questions correctly going forward. Don't forget to complete your work search activities each week too (applying to jobs, uploading resumes, attending workshops, etc.) - you need at least two per week in PA. Many people lose benefits because they forget this requirement.

my friend got denied 4 times befor they finally aproved him! sometimes u just gotta keep trying with PA unemployment its a mess

I just went through something similar last month! The contradictory determinations are super confusing, but it sounds like you're on the right track. Since the chat rep told you to expect payment for 8/19, that's actually a good sign - it means they've likely resolved whatever able/available issue was flagged. One thing that helped me was keeping screenshots of everything - all my weekly certifications, determination letters, chat transcripts, etc. PA's system has so many glitches that having documentation saved me when I had to prove I answered questions correctly. Also, don't stress too much about the waiting week (8/12) - that's totally normal for new claims. The fact that they gave you such specific dates suggests your claim is actually moving through the system properly now. Hang in there!