PA UC hearing - Does employer send evidence packet beforehand?

Yes, you should receive a hearing packet from the UC Service Center about 7-10 days before your scheduled hearing. This packet will include the Notice of Hearing (with date/time/referee info), the appeal filing, and copies of all relevant documents that have been submitted by both you and your employer. This includes any evidence your employer has provided to support their misconduct claim. Make sure to thoroughly review everything when you get it. If you don't receive this packet within a week of your hearing, call the UC Service Center listed on your hearing notice immediately.

got my hearing last year and package came like 4 days before. barely enough time to read all the BS my boss made up about me!!!! make sure u check ur mail everyday bc if u miss it ur screwed

I went through this in January. You'll get a packet with all the evidence about 1-2 weeks before the hearing. The packet will include: - Notice of Hearing (date, time, referee info) - Copy of your initial application - Employer's protest documents - Any fact-finding questionnaires completed - Relevant employer documents (policies, write-ups, etc.) I HIGHLY recommend having supporting documentation ready - emails about the restructuring, performance reviews, anything that shows you weren't fired for misconduct. You can submit additional evidence before the hearing by following the instructions in your packet. Usually you need to submit it at least 3 business days before the hearing and send copies to all parties. During my hearing, the referee was actually pretty fair and gave both sides time to present their case.

my brother had a hearing and didnt get anything in the mail at all and lost his case because he wasnt prepared!!!! the system is rigged!!!!

I had this exact situation last month and spent DAYS trying to reach someone at UC to ask questions about my hearing. Constant busy signals and disconnects after waiting on hold forever. I finally found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual PA UC agent within 20 minutes! They explained exactly what would be in my packet and when to expect it. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 The agent I spoke with told me I could submit additional evidence as long as I did it at least 5 days before the hearing AND sent copies to both the referee office and my former employer. Definitely worth getting your questions answered before the hearing!

Make sure you actually OPEN the packet as soon as you get it! I got mine and thought it was just the hearing notice, but there were like 15 pages of employer statements and documentation that I almost missed. My employer had submitted emails and policy documents trying to prove misconduct. Had I not reviewed everything carefully, I would have been completely unprepared.

my hearing was last week and they sent everything about 10 days before. but the hearing itself was actually way less scary than i expected. referee was really nice and just wanted to get the facts. employer had submitted a bunch of stuff but the referee seemed to see through their bs pretty quick lol. good luck!

One more important tip - make sure ALL your contact information is up to date with the UC system. If you've moved or changed phone numbers since you first filed, update that info immediately. I've seen people miss hearings because notices went to old addresses or calls went to old phone numbers.

I don't mean to hijack your thread but this reminds me of my hearing last year where they scheduled it during my doctor's appointment and wouldn't reschedule!!! I had to cancel a critical medical appointment just to attend this hearing. The whole system is designed to make us fail!!! And then they wonder why we get frustrated!!!!

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I feel much more prepared now. I'll watch for the packet in early March, review everything carefully, and make sure I have all my own documentation ready. I actually found some emails from my manager about the restructuring that should help my case. Will update after the hearing!