PA UC waiting period after reopening claim - can't file until 01/07/2024, normal?

Yes, that's completely normal. When you reopen a claim, there's always a delay before you can file your first weekly certification. The system is set up to only allow filing for the previous week on Sundays (01/07/2024) for the week ending 01/06/2024. You're not doing anything wrong - it's just how the PA UC system works. You'll be claiming for the weeks you were off work, so you won't lose any benefits you're entitled to.

i had this same thing happen last winter when our factory shut down for 2 weeks. its normal but super annoying!!! your not missing anything, just how PA does it

The system is DESIGNED to make us wait and suffer! I swear PA UC intentionally makes everything complicated just to discourage people from collecting. When I reopened my claim last year they made me wait too and then hit me with "open issues" for three weeks! Complete nightmare.

To explain this more clearly: PA UC operates on a Sunday-Saturday calendar week system. When you reopen a claim, you're establishing eligibility for future weeks. The earliest you can file for a week is the Sunday after that week ends. So: - Your time off starts 12/22/2023 (Friday) - First full week off is 12/24/2023-12/30/2023 - Second partial week is 12/31/2023-01/02/2024 Since you can't file until the Sunday after the week ends, the system is telling you to file on 01/07/2024, which is the first Sunday after your second week. You should be able to file for both weeks at that time. Make sure you answer the work search questions correctly - since this is a temporary layoff with a return date, you may qualify for the work search exemption, but verify this in your paperwork.

Anyone else getting confused by the work search requirements for temporary layoffs? Last time I was on standby I still had to do search activities even though I was going back to my job in 3 weeks. The PA website is so confusing about this!!

I tried calling PA UC for days when this happened to me - constant busy signals and disconnects. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to an agent in about 30 minutes. They confirmed exactly what others are saying here - the waiting period is normal, and you'll claim all eligible weeks on the 7th. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 - saved me lots of stress wondering if I'd messed something up!

Make sure when you do file that you report ANY earnings correctly for the weeks you're claiming!!! I messed this up last year (reported gross instead of net pay for my part-time gig) and ended up with a $2,800 overpayment notice six months later. Total nightmare to fix. Also double check that your employer properly reported your temporary layoff to UC.

Just to add to my earlier comment: When you file on 01/07, the system will let you file for all eligible weeks you missed. You'll go through the weekly certification process for each week separately (answering questions about work search, availability, earnings, etc. for each specific week). So you'll do multiple certifications on the same day.

While we're waiting for the system to let us file, does anyone know if holiday pay counts against unemployment? My company paid us for Christmas day even though we were laid off that week.

Update: I waited until 01/07 as everyone suggested, and you were all right! The system let me file for both weeks I was off work. Everything went smoothly and I just got my first payment deposited to my Money Network card today. Thanks everyone for the help and preventing me from panicking and potentially messing up my claim by trying to "fix" something that wasn't broken!