PA UC eligibility after quitting due to childcare crisis - rural area daycare nightmare

You actually might have a decent chance at approval. PA unemployment considers "necessitous and compelling" reasons for quitting, and childcare issues can sometimes qualify. Since you made repeated documented attempts to resolve the situation with your employer before quitting, that helps your case tremendously. Make sure you emphasize that you exhausted all options before quitting - the schedule accommodation requests, the 20+ internal job applications, and the fact that your childcare provider became abusive leaving you with no alternatives. Document EVERYTHING when you file your claim. Keep copies of those emails with management, the job applications, and any evidence of your mom's behavior toward the children. I've seen similar cases get approved, but be prepared for them to initially deny you and then have to appeal.

idk i think youll prolly get denied tbh... pa unemployment is super strict about "voluntary quits" even with good reason. my friend quit after her daycare closed and she got denied cuz they said she shouldve found another option b4 quitting

I successfully won my UC case after quitting for childcare reasons, but I had to APPEAL first. They almost always deny these cases initially, but appeals have a better chance if you have documentation. The key regulation is that you must prove you made "reasonable efforts to preserve the employment relationship" before quitting. Your 20+ internal job applications and requests for schedule accommodation should help tremendously. During my hearing, I provided: 1. Emails with my boss showing attempts to resolve the issue 2. Application confirmations for other positions 3. Documentation about local childcare availability 4. A timeline showing I quit as a last resort And YES, you absolutely must continue filing your weekly claims while waiting for a decision! This is critical. Even if they deny you initially, keep filing while you appeal. If you win the appeal, they'll only pay for weeks you properly filed claims.

Dealing with PA UC is incredibly frustrating when you're already stressed about childcare and finances! Have you tried getting through to an actual person at the UC office? I was stuck in limbo for WEEKS until I finally got to speak with a real agent. If you're struggling to reach someone, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to an unemployment representative much faster than calling yourself and waiting on hold for hours. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 that shows how it works. Talking to an actual person made a huge difference in my case - they could see all my documentation and explain exactly what else I needed to provide for my "compelling reason" quit.

THE UC SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO REJECT YOU!!!!! They make it IMPOSSIBLE for people with legitimate reasons to get benefits. I had to quit my job after my abusive ex found out where I worked and they STILL denied me initially even though I had a PFA!!! The whole system is RIGGED against workers. You basically have to APPEAL EVERYTHING and fight like hell. It's not fair that parents with no childcare options are treated like we're just lazy. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING and don't give up!!!

Just to clarify some information about UC eligibility when quitting for childcare reasons: 1. Under PA UC law, you need to prove that you had a "necessitous and compelling" reason to quit 2. You must demonstrate you made reasonable efforts to maintain the employment relationship before quitting 3. The childcare issue must have been created by circumstances beyond your control (your mom becoming abusive would qualify) 4. Your efforts to find alternative solutions must be well-documented Since you have documentation of trying to solve this through schedule changes and internal job transfers, you've built a decent case. When speaking with UC representatives, use these specific terms - "necessitous and compelling" and "reasonable efforts to preserve employment" - as these are the exact legal standards they use to determine eligibility.

just went thru this!!! got denied first then appealed n got approved. heres wut happened - i quit cuz my babysitter moved away n i couldnt find anyone else n my boss wouldnt let me switch to night shift when my husband was home. they denied me sayin i should of tried harder to find childcare. i appealed n sent them a list of EVERY daycare in 30 mile radius with their waitlists n prices. i won! make sure u have proof u tried EVERYTHING

Update: I just got a letter saying my claim is "under review" with an "open issue" regarding my job separation. There's a questionnaire asking for more details about why I quit. Should I call them before filling it out? I'm nervous about saying something wrong that might hurt my case.

why didnt u jst ask to switch to evenings or weekend shifts? seems like that woulda been the ez solution with ur ex working diff hours

Make sure when you're explaining your case that you emphasize the timeline and sudden nature of your childcare crisis. PA UC regulations recognize that unforeseen emergencies (like your mother becoming abusive to your children) can create legitimate reasons to quit. The fact that you continued working for weeks/months while actively seeking solutions (internal transfers, schedule changes) shows good faith on your part. During your fact-finding interview, be very clear about the immediate safety concerns for your children that forced your hand - this isn't just about convenience but about protecting your kids from harm when no other options existed.

I'm really sorry you're going through this stressful situation. As someone new to navigating PA unemployment, I wanted to ask - when you mention having screenshots of your accommodation requests, did you also save any responses from management? I'm wondering if their written refusals might actually help your case by showing they were unwilling to work with you despite reasonable requests. Also, since you mentioned the union negotiations as their excuse for not changing schedules, do you think the union representatives might be able to provide any documentation about that policy? It seems like having official confirmation that management used the negotiations as a blanket reason to deny all schedule changes could strengthen your argument that you truly exhausted all options.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help. When I was going through a similar situation with childcare issues and had to quit my job, my case worker told me that PA unemployment looks very favorably on cases where you can show a "sudden change in circumstances beyond your control." Your situation with your mom becoming abusive toward your children definitely fits this criteria. One thing I'd suggest is when you fill out that questionnaire, create a clear timeline showing: 1) When your childcare arrangement was working, 2) When it became unsafe/unavailable, 3) Each specific attempt you made to resolve it with your employer (with dates), and 4) When you were finally forced to quit as a last resort. Also, if you haven't already, document the childcare desert situation in your rural area - maybe take screenshots of daycare websites showing waitlists or call a few places to get their availability in writing. This helps prove you didn't just quit without exploring alternatives. Best of luck with your case!

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this - being a single mom navigating childcare issues while trying to work is incredibly challenging, especially in rural areas with limited options. Your situation sounds like it has strong potential for approval given the documentation you've gathered. A few things that stood out to me that could help your case: First, the fact that your employer's refusal to accommodate even a 15-minute schedule change seems unreasonable, especially when you offered multiple solutions. Second, your mom becoming abusive created an immediate safety concern for your children - this wasn't a gradual inconvenience but a sudden crisis requiring immediate action. When you complete that questionnaire, I'd suggest emphasizing these key points: the safety of your children was at risk, you made numerous good-faith attempts to resolve the situation before quitting (schedule changes, internal job applications), and the rural location severely limited your childcare alternatives. Also mention that you were willing to work different shifts but were denied due to the union negotiation freeze. Keep filing those weekly claims no matter what happens with the initial decision. Even if you get denied first (which sadly is common), you'll want those claims on file for when you appeal. Your documentation sounds solid - those emails with management and evidence of the limited childcare options in your area should really help your case.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share that your situation really resonates with me as someone who's dealt with similar challenges. What strikes me most about your case is how thoroughly you documented your efforts to work with your employer before quitting - that's going to be crucial for your UC claim. One thing I'd suggest is organizing all your evidence chronologically before your fact-finding interview. Create a folder with: 1) Screenshots of your schedule accommodation requests and rejections, 2) Evidence of your 20+ internal job applications, 3) Documentation about the union negotiation freeze policy, 4) Proof of the childcare crisis (texts about your mom's behavior, daycare waitlist confirmations, etc.). Also, when you speak with UC representatives, be very clear that this wasn't a choice between work and convenience - it was a choice between work and your children's safety. The fact that your previous childcare provider became abusive created an immediate emergency that required you to quit to protect your kids. Combined with the rural childcare desert you're in, you literally had no viable alternatives. Don't let the initial stress discourage you. From what others have shared here, many valid childcare-related quits get approved on appeal even if denied initially. Your documentation sounds solid and your situation clearly meets the "necessitous and compelling" standard. Keep filing those weekly claims and don't give up!

I'm new to this community but want to offer some support and perspective as someone who works in employment law. Your case has several strong elements that align well with PA's "necessitous and compelling" standard for voluntary quits. What really stands out is that you have a documented pattern of attempting to preserve your employment relationship - the multiple schedule accommodation requests, 20+ internal job applications, and willingness to work different shifts. This shows you acted in good faith and only quit as a last resort. The safety concern with your previous childcare provider is particularly important. PA unemployment recognizes that protecting children from harm constitutes a compelling reason to leave employment when no alternatives exist. Your rural location further strengthens this argument since you can demonstrate the severe lack of childcare options. A few practical suggestions: When completing your questionnaire, use specific dates and reference your documentation by type (emails, applications, etc.). If you haven't already, consider reaching out to local daycares to get written confirmation of their waitlists/availability - this helps prove you exhausted all reasonable alternatives before quitting. Even if you receive an initial denial (which is unfortunately common for voluntary quit cases), don't lose hope. Appeals often succeed when there's solid documentation like yours. Keep filing your weekly claims throughout the process and stay organized with your evidence. Your situation genuinely appears to meet the legal criteria for approval.

As someone new to this community, I wanted to reach out because your situation really highlights how broken the childcare system is, especially in rural areas. What you're going through sounds incredibly stressful, and I think it's important that you know you're not alone in facing these impossible choices between work and your children's safety. From reading through all the responses here, it seems like you have a really solid case for unemployment benefits. The combination of your documented accommodation requests, the 20+ job applications within your company, and the sudden safety crisis with your previous childcare provider creates a compelling narrative that you truly exhausted all options before quitting. One thing that hasn't been mentioned much is that you might want to consider reaching out to local social services or family resource centers while you're waiting for your UC decision. Even in rural areas, there are sometimes emergency childcare assistance programs or sliding-scale daycare options that aren't widely advertised. It won't help with your current UC claim, but it might provide some backup options as you look for new employment. Also, don't let anyone make you feel guilty about prioritizing your children's safety. A 15-minute schedule accommodation after 4+ years of employment should have been completely reasonable, and their refusal to work with you shows they weren't acting in good faith either. You made the right choice protecting your kids, and hopefully the UC system will recognize that. Keep us updated on how your case progresses!