PA UC says overpayment due to ID verification, but hearing was dismissed - do I still owe?
So frustrated right now! PA UC is claiming I owe back $8,750 because they're saying I 'failed to verify my identity' during my claim period. I KNOW I did the ID verification through IDme like they asked, but somehow they're saying it wasn't completed correctly. I went through the appeal process and had a hearing with a referee about 3 weeks ago. Just yesterday I got a letter saying 'case dismissed' but it doesn't clearly state if this means I'm off the hook for the overpayment or not? The letter is super confusing and doesn't directly say whether I still owe this money. Has anyone dealt with a dismissed case before? Does 'dismissed' mean I'm clear, or do I need to file another appeal? My anxiety is through the roof right now!
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Chloe Boulanger
A dismissal is actually good news! When a hearing officer dismisses the case, it typically means the issue (the overpayment determination) has been set aside. You shouldn't have to pay back that money based on the dismissed determination. Check your UC dashboard in a few days - the overpayment balance should be removed. If not, definitely call them to confirm. Make sure to keep that dismissal paperwork in a safe place - you'll need it if they ever try to bring this up again.
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Noah Ali
•Thank you! That's a relief. The letter was so confusingly worded I couldn't tell if it was good or bad news. I'll check my dashboard and hopefully see the balance gone. Should I still file an appeal just to be extra safe, or would that actually hurt my case since they already dismissed it?
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James Martinez
Congrats! dismissal = win 4 u. they cant take $ now
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Noah Ali
•Thanks! I really hope you're right. The whole system is so confusing.
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Olivia Harris
You're good now. A dismissed case means they've thrown out their original determination. However, if the letter mentions anything about them having the right to reopen the case or issue a new determination, pay close attention to that. Sometimes they dismiss on procedural grounds but can come back with a different approach. Double check your UC dashboard for any balance and print/save that dismissal letter somewhere safe. If the overpayment still shows on your account after a week, you might need to contact them.
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Alexander Zeus
•This happened to me but for a different issue - they dismissed my case but then sent a NEW determination letter a month later for the SAME thing just worded differently! Make sure you keep checking your mailbox and portal for a few months.
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Alicia Stern
THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!!! Don't get too comfortable yet. I had a "dismissed" case too and 2 months later they came back with a NEW determination saying basically the same thing but with different wording. These people are EXPERTS at finding ways to grab money back. They said my case was dismissed then hit me with a "redetermination" making me pay back $12,400!!! KEEP ALL YOUR PAPERWORK and take screenshots of everything!!!!
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Noah Ali
•Oh no, seriously?? Now I'm worried again. Did you appeal the redetermination? Did you win that time?
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Alicia Stern
Yeah I appealed again and I'm still waiting for that hearing. It's been 6 weeks already. The whole system is designed to wear you down until you give up. Whatever you do DON'T admit to anything or agree to a payment plan if they contact you!!
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Olivia Harris
•I want to clarify something important here - a true dismissal should end the matter, but there are different types of rulings that people sometimes confuse with dismissals. If your letter specifically says "DISMISSED" in the decision section, that's generally final for that particular determination. New determinations on different issues can happen, but they can't just retry the exact same issue if it was properly dismissed after a hearing. Make sure you're reading the exact wording of the decision part of your letter.
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Gabriel Graham
after my hearing was dismissed i still saw the overpayment amount on my dashboard for like 10 days but then it finally went away. the computer systems take forever to update after decisions. just wait a bit and keep checking.
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Noah Ali
•Thanks for sharing your experience! That gives me hope. I'll keep checking my dashboard.
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Drake
If you're still having trouble reaching someone at PA UC to confirm the dismissal means you don't owe anything, I highly recommend trying Claimyr. I was in a similar situation last month with an appeal decision I didn't understand, and after trying for days to get through, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me connected to a live agent in about 20 minutes. They have a good video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. The agent was able to explain my decision letter and confirm my account was updated correctly. Definitely worth it for peace of mind.
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Alexander Zeus
•I second this! I used Claimyr after trying for TWO WEEKS to get through on my own. I was connected to a real person who actually helped resolve my issue instead of transferring me around.
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Noah Ali
UPDATE: I just checked my dashboard and the overpayment is STILL showing. It's been 5 days since I got the dismissal letter. Should I be worried? Has anyone had the system take longer than this to update after a dismissal?
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Olivia Harris
•Don't panic yet. Their system updates can take 7-14 business days sometimes. If it's still showing after two full weeks, then you should try contacting them. Bring your dismissal letter if you need to visit an in-person UC office.
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Noah Ali
UPDATE 2: Good news everyone! The overpayment finally disappeared from my account today (two weeks after getting the dismissal letter). What a relief! Thanks to everyone who helped calm me down and explained what was happening. This system is so confusing and stressful to navigate.
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James Martinez
•awesome! told u it would work out 👍
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