PA UC weekly benefits during hospital stay - am I disqualified?

same thing happend to me last year. if ur in the hospital u cant work so ur not eligible for those days. thats wat they told me whn i called

You need to report this situation accurately on your weekly certification. PA UC rules state that you must be "able and available" for work to receive benefits, but there's a specific exception for temporary illness or injury. When you certify, answer "NO" to the question about being able and available for all days, then provide the explanation that you were hospitalized. The system will likely create an "issue" on your claim that needs to be reviewed. You won't necessarily lose all benefits - the UC office may prorate your payment for the days you were able to work. Be prepared to provide documentation from your doctor or hospital showing the exact dates you were unable to work. Don't skip reporting this or you could face an overpayment later.

when I was on UC I got sick with covid for 10 days and they ended up just not paying me for those 2 weeks and then my benefits went back to normal after that. kinda sucked but whatever, it was only 2 weeks

There's some confusion in this thread, so let me clarify based on PA regulations. Temporary illness or injury doesn't automatically disqualify you from benefits, but you must report it correctly. Here's what you should do: 1. File your weekly certification (even if late) 2. Answer NO to the able/available question for the days you were hospitalized 3. In the explanation field, clearly state you were hospitalized with pneumonia and provide the exact dates 4. Be prepared to submit medical documentation The UC office will review your case. They typically handle these situations in one of three ways: - Reduce your weekly benefit amount based on days available (most common) - Place a temporary hold until you're able to work again - In some cases, approve the full payment if your condition was very short-term Importantly, don't skip filing! That's worse than reporting the hospitalization.

THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!!! I was in the hospital for surgery last year and they cut off ALL my benefits and then I had to REAPPLY and wait 3 WEEKS without any money! They don't care if you have bills to pay or need medicine. They just want any excuse to stop paying you!!!! Make sure you CALL THEM directly and talk to a SUPERVISOR not just regular agent!!

I know everyone's stressing about calling them, but seriously, PA UC phone lines are impossible. After my accident last year I spent 3 days trying to get through on their phone lines (literally 71 calls!!!) and kept getting disconnected. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 Worth it when you're dealing with complicated issues like medical situations where you really need to talk to someone instead of just using the portal. The agent I spoke with was able to make notes on my claim about my medical situation.

I think everyone's missing something important... if you were on unemployment for a while before this happened, you might want to check if you've met your work search requirements each week too. I got denied for a week when I was sick not because of the sickness but because I couldn't do my work searches that week. Just something else to think about!

To address your work search concern - PA UC regulations actually provide an exemption from work search requirements during weeks you're medically unable to work. When you certify and explain your hospitalization, also note that you were unable to complete work searches for medical reasons. As for timeframes, expect the issue to take 2-3 weeks for review typically. Since this involves a straightforward medical situation with documentation, it shouldn't be excessively delayed. Just be completely honest in your certification and keep any hospital/doctor's documentation handy. The system is designed to handle temporary medical situations.

Update: I just wanted to let everyone know what happened in case someone else has the same question in the future. I filed my weekly certification, answered NO to being able and available for all days, and explained my hospitalization with exact dates. I got a notice that my claim had an "issue" but about 10 days later I received my payment! They reduced it by 5/7 (for the 5 days I was in the hospital out of the week), but I still got something. They never even asked for my hospital papers, but I had them ready just in case. Thanks everyone for your help!

That's great to hear your situation worked out! It's really helpful when people follow up with their outcomes. Your experience shows that the system does work as intended when you're honest and provide the right information upfront. The prorated payment makes perfect sense - you were available for 2 out of 7 days that week, so you got paid for those days. This is a good example for others who might face similar medical situations while on UC.