PA UC eligibility after termination for attendance points - can I still qualify?

Yes, you can likely qualify. In PA, being fired for attendance points is often NOT considered willful misconduct if you had legitimate reasons for your absences. The key is whether you violated the policy deliberately or if there were circumstances beyond your control. Make sure to explain all your reasons (car trouble, family emergency, illness) when you file. PA UC will contact your employer for their side, so be prepared to provide any documentation you have of those legitimate reasons. They'll make a determination based on both accounts.

I got fired 4 attendance points at my job 2 yrs ago. Got UC no problem!!

You might qualify but it all depends on the details. My sister-in-law got denied after being fired for attendance even though she had reasons because her employer showed she had been warned multiple times. They considered that willful misconduct. You should definitely apply though because it really depends on the specific UC examiner who reviews your case and how your employer presents their side.

To give you the most accurate information: Pennsylvania UC examines whether your actions constitute "willful misconduct" when determining eligibility after termination. For attendance issues, they look at: 1. Did you have good cause for the absences? 2. Were you aware of the employer's attendance policy? 3. Did you take reasonable steps to notify your employer? Make sure you gather documentation for all your absences - doctor's notes, car repair receipts, any text messages where you notified managers, etc. Submit everything with your initial claim. Also, be completely honest about receiving warnings - lying will definitely disqualify you. In my experience assisting people with claims, attendance point systems often result in approved claims if you had legitimate reasons and followed proper call-off procedures, even with prior warnings.

When I got fired from Giant Eagle last year for points they said I didn't qualify but then my friend told me I should've appealed it cause his brother got approved in the same situation but I didn't know you could do that so I missed my chance :

I was in your exact situation in January - fired for attendance points from my manufacturing job. Applied for UC and got denied initially. BUT then I appealed and had a hearing where I explained all my absences (childcare issues, car problems). The referee overturned the decision and I got approved! The key thing the referee kept asking was if I followed the call-off procedure and if I had documentation. So definitely apply and be prepared to appeal if needed. Good luck!

One thing I forgot to mention - while you're waiting for a determination, you still need to file your biweekly claims. A lot of people don't realize this and miss out on payments they would've been eligible for if their appeal is successful. So even if your initial application is pending or denied, keep filing every two weeks!

When I tried calling PA UC about my denied claim for something similar, I spent DAYS trying to get through. Busy signals for hours, then would finally get in the queue only to get disconnected. Eventually I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. Saved me so much frustration and the agent I spoke with explained exactly what documentation I needed to submit for my appeal.

Just so you know, LOTS of people get denied the first time around - it's practically routine at this point. The system is designed to discourage people from following through. If you get denied initially, don't panic and definitely appeal. I was denied twice before finally getting approved after explaining my situation to an actual person during the hearing. The trick is to be persistent and document EVERYTHING.

Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice! I've started gathering all my documentation - found my doctor's note, text messages showing I followed call-off procedures, and car repair receipts. Going to file my initial claim tomorrow and prepare for a possible appeal just in case. I'll keep filing the biweekly claims regardless of the initial decision. Fingers crossed it all works out!

Good luck @Arjun Patel! You've got solid documentation and legitimate reasons for your absences - that puts you in a much better position than many people. Just remember that even if you get an initial denial, it doesn't mean you won't ultimately qualify. The appeal process exists for exactly these kinds of situations where there are extenuating circumstances. Stay positive and don't let the system discourage you from fighting for what you're entitled to. Keep us updated on how it goes!

You're in a good position with legitimate reasons for your absences! I was fired for attendance points from my retail job about 6 months ago and successfully got UC benefits. The key things that helped me: 1) I had documentation for every absence (doctor notes, family emergency texts, etc.), 2) I followed proper call-off procedures each time, and 3) I was completely honest about the warnings I received. PA UC really does look at whether you had "good cause" for the absences rather than just the fact that you exceeded the point limit. Make sure to file your claim ASAP and include all your documentation right from the start. Even if you get initially denied, don't give up - the appeal process is there for exactly these situations where circumstances were beyond your control. You've got this!

I went through something very similar last year when I got terminated for attendance points at my warehouse job. Had 9 points when the limit was 7, but most were due to legitimate issues - sick kid, car troubles, etc. I was really worried about qualifying for UC benefits, but I ended up getting approved after about 3 weeks. The key things that helped me were: keeping all my documentation organized (doctor notes, repair receipts, screenshots of texts to my supervisor), being completely honest about the warnings I received, and explaining the circumstances behind each absence when they contacted me for the phone interview. PA UC really does consider whether you had "good cause" for the absences rather than just looking at the policy violation. Your situation sounds very similar to mine, so I'd say you have a good chance of qualifying. Just make sure to apply soon and be thorough with your documentation. Even if you get denied initially, definitely appeal - I know several people who got approved on appeal even after being denied the first time. The system can be frustrating but it does work if you persist!

I'm in almost the exact same boat as you! Just got terminated from my logistics job last week for hitting 9 attendance points (their limit was 7). Like you, I had legitimate reasons - two instances of car trouble, one family emergency when my mom was hospitalized, and a few sick days where I had doctor's notes. I'm really nervous about applying for UC because this is my first time too, but reading everyone's responses here is giving me hope. It sounds like PA actually does look at the circumstances behind the absences rather than just the fact that we exceeded the point limits. I'm going to start gathering all my documentation today - repair receipts, hospital paperwork for my mom, doctor's notes, and screenshots of my texts to my supervisor when I called off. Thanks for posting this question because I was too scared to ask myself! Definitely going to apply this week and prepare for a possible appeal if needed. Fingers crossed for both of us!

I've been following this discussion and wanted to add some encouragement - your situation with legitimate reasons for most absences actually puts you in a strong position for PA UC approval. The fact that you have documentation (doctor's note, repair receipts, family emergency details) and followed proper call-off procedures is huge. I work in HR and see these cases regularly - PA UC examiners really do differentiate between willful misconduct and circumstances beyond your control. A few tips: when you file, be very specific about each absence and the documentation you have. Don't just say "car trouble" - explain that your vehicle broke down requiring emergency repairs, you notified your supervisor immediately, and you have receipts proving it was legitimate. The more detailed you are about following procedures and having valid reasons, the better your chances. Also, even though your employer rejected the late doctor's note, PA UC operates independently and may still consider it valid evidence of illness. Apply as soon as possible and don't be discouraged if there's an initial denial - the appeal process exists exactly for situations like yours where there are extenuating circumstances!

Reading through all these responses is giving me so much hope! I was in a very similar situation about 8 months ago - got terminated from my warehouse job for hitting 10 attendance points when the limit was 8. Like many of you, I had legitimate reasons: two instances of car breakdowns (major transmission issues), one family emergency when my dad had a heart attack, and a couple sick days with doctor documentation. I was terrified about applying for UC because I thought being fired for policy violation would automatically disqualify me. But I applied anyway and got approved after about 4 weeks! The examiner who called me was actually very understanding and focused on whether I had good cause for each absence rather than just the fact that I exceeded the point limit. What really helped was having all my documentation ready - repair invoices, hospital discharge papers for my dad, doctor's notes, and screenshots showing I texted my supervisor each time I had to call off. Even though I had received warnings at 6 and 8 points, the examiner said that didn't matter because my absences were due to circumstances beyond my control. To everyone in similar situations - definitely apply and don't let the fear of denial stop you. PA UC really does look at the full picture, not just the surface-level policy violation!

I was in your exact situation 6 months ago - fired from my warehouse job for exceeding attendance points (had 9, limit was 7) but with legitimate reasons like you. Car broke down twice, had to take care of my sick daughter, and one medical absence. I was so worried about applying for UC because I thought being terminated for policy violation meant automatic denial. But I got approved! The key things that helped me: 1) I had documentation for every absence (repair receipts, doctor notes, texts to supervisor), 2) I was completely honest about the warnings I received, and 3) I emphasized that I followed proper call-off procedures each time. The UC examiner who interviewed me said they look at whether you had "good cause" for the absences, not just whether you broke company policy. Your situation sounds very similar to mine with legitimate reasons and proper notification. Definitely apply ASAP and gather all your documentation. Even if you get initially denied, appeal it - the system is designed to discourage people but you have a strong case with documented reasons beyond your control. You've got this!

I'm in a really similar situation - just got terminated from my retail job for attendance points (had 7, limit was 5). Most of my absences were due to childcare issues when my babysitter canceled last minute and a few sick days with doctor's notes. Reading all these success stories is giving me hope that I might actually qualify for UC benefits! It's so reassuring to see that PA UC really does look at whether you had legitimate reasons rather than just the policy violation. I'm going to start gathering all my documentation - doctor's notes, texts to my manager showing I followed call-off procedures, and anything else that proves my absences weren't just me being irresponsible. Thanks for asking this question @Arjun Patel - this whole thread has been incredibly helpful for those of us dealing with similar situations!

I just want to say how helpful this entire thread has been! I'm in a similar situation - got terminated from my manufacturing job last week for exceeding attendance points (had 8, limit was 6). Like so many others here, most of my absences were due to legitimate reasons: car breakdowns, family emergency when my grandmother was hospitalized, and a few sick days with proper documentation. Reading all these success stories from people who got approved despite being fired for attendance points has given me the confidence to actually apply. I was convinced that being terminated for policy violation would be an automatic denial, but it's clear that PA UC really does evaluate whether you had "good cause" for your absences. I'm going to gather all my documentation (repair receipts, hospital paperwork, doctor's notes, texts showing I followed call-off procedures) and file my claim this week. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's amazing how many of us are dealing with the exact same situation!

I'm in almost the exact same situation as you! Just got fired yesterday from my distribution center job for hitting 9 attendance points when their limit was 7. Most of my absences were legitimate too - had COVID twice (with positive tests), my daughter was in the hospital for a week, and my car transmission died. I've been reading through all these responses and it's giving me so much hope that we might actually qualify for UC benefits despite being fired for attendance. It sounds like PA really does look at whether you had "good cause" for your absences rather than just the policy violation. I'm going to start gathering all my documentation today - COVID test results, hospital records, repair estimates, and all my text messages to my supervisor showing I followed proper call-off procedures. Thanks for posting this question because I was too scared to ask myself! Reading everyone's success stories has convinced me to apply this week. We've got this!

I went through almost the exact same thing about a year ago - got fired from my warehouse job for attendance points (had 9, company limit was 7) but most of my absences were for legitimate reasons like car trouble, family emergencies, and illness. I was terrified to apply for UC because I thought being fired for policy violation meant automatic denial, but I ended up getting approved! The key is that PA UC looks at whether you had "good cause" for your absences, not just whether you technically broke company policy. What really helped my case was having documentation for everything - repair receipts, doctor's notes, text screenshots showing I properly notified my supervisor each time. Even though I had received warnings, the UC examiner said that didn't matter since my absences were due to circumstances beyond my control. Your situation sounds very strong with documented reasons and proper call-off procedures. Definitely apply ASAP and include all your documentation with the initial claim. If you get denied initially (which happens to lots of people), don't panic - appeal it immediately. The system can be frustrating but it does work when you have legitimate reasons like yours. You've got this!