PA UC sent approval letter then disqualification email one week later - What's happening?

This happens more often than you'd think. You likely have two separate issues being decided. The first determination was probably about whether you have enough wages/hours to qualify monetarily. The second determination might be about the reason you separated from your job. Check if the disqualification mentions anything about 'voluntary quit' or 'misconduct' - these are non-monetary eligibility factors. You should be able to see both determinations in your dashboard with different issue IDs.

same thing happend to me!! first they say yes then they say no its like they dont even know what there doing. the whole system is a joke.

You need to file an appeal ASAP. You only have 15 days from the date on that disqualification determination to submit your appeal. Don't wait. Even if this is a mistake that could be fixed with a phone call, the appeal preserves your rights. You can withdraw it later if the issue gets resolved another way. When you file the appeal, include any documentation showing the layoff was due to reorganization - termination letters, emails about the reorg, anything official. If your employer told unemployment you were discharged for cause rather than laid off, that's likely the problem.

U definitely need to tall to someone at UC. I tryed calling for 2 weeks straight with my issue and NEVER got thru. Busy signals or disconnected everytime. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a rep within 20 mins! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. The lady I talked to fixed my conflicting determinations issue right away, didnt even need to appeal. Sometimes these things are just system errors.

THEY DO THIS ON PURPOSE!!!! The system is DESIGNED to reject as many claims as possible. They approve you then disqualify hoping you'll just give up and not appeal. I've been through this NIGHTMARE three times in the last five years. Each time I appealed and won but it took MONTHS to get my money. Meanwhile I almost lost my apartment waiting. The PA UC system is BROKEN BY DESIGN. They don't want to pay benefits they're obligated to pay!!!!!

check ur correspondence section real careful and see if the disqualification letter gives the specific reason. sometimes they use weird codes or technical language thats hard to understand but explains why they disqualified u. my letter had section 402(b) which means they thought i quit but i was actually laid off. i had to appeal too.

when my brother got laid off from the amazon warehouse last year he got same thing happening. turns out they approved him for regular benefits but then disqualified him because they thought he should be on some other type of claim. took him forever to get it fixed.

One last piece of advice - while your appeal is pending, CONTINUE TO FILE YOUR WEEKLY CLAIMS even though you won't get paid right away. If you win your appeal, they can only pay you for weeks you properly certified. I've seen too many people miss out on back payments because they stopped filing during the appeal process.

This exact same thing happened to me about 6 months ago! Got the approval letter on a Friday, then the disqualification email the following Tuesday. I was so confused and stressed out. Turns out my former employer had initially reported it as a layoff but then filed some kind of correction saying it was a discharge. The UC office explained that they process these determinations separately - one team handles the monetary eligibility (your wages/hours) and another handles the separation reason. The timing of when they get employer responses can cause this confusing back-and-forth. Definitely appeal like others said, but also try calling early morning (like 8:01 AM) - that's when I finally got through. Took about 3 weeks total to resolve but I got all my back pay. Hang in there!

I'm going through something similar right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Just wanted to add that when you call UC, if you can't get through on the main number, try calling the employer services line and explaining your situation - sometimes they can transfer you to someone who can help. Also, make sure to screenshot or print everything from your dashboard showing both determinations. I learned this the hard way when some of my correspondence mysteriously "disappeared" from my account during my appeal process. Having those screenshots saved me. Good luck with your appeal - from what I'm reading here, it sounds like you have a strong case since you have the layoff documentation!

I work as a paralegal for an employment law firm and see these dual determination cases frequently. What likely happened is your employer initially reported your separation as a "layoff" but then filed a correction or provided additional information suggesting misconduct or discharge for cause. The Section 402(e) code you mentioned confirms this - it's specifically for misconduct disqualifications. The good news is these employer corrections are often inaccurate, especially with large companies using automated HR systems. Your layoff letter mentioning the 12-position reorganization is excellent evidence. When you file your appeal, also request a copy of what your employer submitted to UC that caused the disqualification - you're entitled to see their response. Often these employer statements contain obvious errors or contradictions that make the appeal straightforward to win. Don't let this discourage you - I'd say 70% of the layoff cases I've seen that got misclassified as misconduct are eventually overturned on appeal.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year after being laid off from my marketing job. Got the approval letter with my benefit amount ($431/week), then 6 days later got the disqualification notice. I was panicking just like you are now! What helped me was understanding that these really are two separate determinations happening - one for your wage/work history eligibility, and another for your separation reason. In my case, my employer had initially reported it correctly as a layoff, but then their corporate office filed some kind of amended response claiming job abandonment (which was completely false). I filed my appeal within the 15-day window and included all my documentation - layoff notice, final paycheck stub showing "reduction in force" as the reason, even emails from my supervisor about the company downsizing. The hearing was actually pretty straightforward once I had a real person reviewing my evidence instead of just automated system decisions. The whole process took about 5 weeks from appeal to resolution, but I got every penny of back pay for those weeks. Keep filing your weekly claims during the appeal process - that's crucial! And definitely take screenshots of everything in your dashboard right now in case anything goes missing. You've got solid evidence with that reorganization letter mentioning 12 positions being eliminated. This sounds like a clear employer reporting error that should get resolved in your favor. Stay strong!

I'm so sorry you're going through this stress - the uncertainty is the worst part! Based on everyone's advice here, it sounds like you have a really strong case for your appeal. That reorganization letter mentioning 12 positions is gold - it clearly shows this was a legitimate layoff, not misconduct. I've been reading through unemployment forums for months while dealing with my own claim issues, and the pattern everyone's describing (approval then quick disqualification due to employer reporting errors) is unfortunately super common with large employers like hospitals. Their HR systems often default to coding terminations as "discharge" even when it's actually a layoff. The good news is these cases usually get resolved favorably once a human reviews the actual evidence. File that appeal ASAP with all your documentation, keep certifying weekly, and try not to panic - you're going to get through this!