PA UC work search requirements confusion - what to enter for first week after filing?

select yes!! they count the career linke registration as your first week activity. thats what i did no problems

For the first week after filing, the PA UC system actually gives you a pass on the work search requirements. Select 'yes' when it asks if you completed work search activities. The CareerLink registration counts as one activity. You technically need to complete 2 work search activities and 1 job application each week, but there's a one-week grace period after you first file. When you file for your second week, you will need to have completed the full requirements (2 activities + 1 application).

Let me clear up the confusion. According to current PA UC rules for 2025: 1. YES, you should select 'yes' for your first week 2. Your CareerLink registration DOES count as one work search activity 3. For the first week only, the CareerLink registration is sufficient 4. Starting with week two, you need 2 work search activities + 1 job application per week When the system asks for details, just enter 'PA CareerLink Registration' as the activity, the date you registered, and select 'Employment Service Registration' as the activity type. Hope this helps!

Am I the only one who thinks the PA UC system is DESIGNED to trick people??? Every single question feels like a trap. I almost lost benefits because of this exact same work search confusion. The website should clearly explain this instead of making us guess!!! And good luck trying to call them if you make a mistake - I spent THREE DAYS trying to get through on the phone.

when i filed my first week i put no and my payment got stuck for like 3 weeks!!! def put yes and the career link thing counts

btw make sure u do the job searchs every week after this or they will stop ur money! my buddy got cut off cuz he skipped a week thinkin it wasnt a big deal

To answer your follow-up question - yes, Indeed.com applications absolutely count as job applications! You can use any job site (Indeed, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, etc.) or direct employer websites. Just make sure you keep records of: - The employer name - Position applied for - Date of application - How you applied (online, in-person, etc.) The PA UC office can audit your work search activities at any time up to 2 years after you claim benefits, so keep good records of everything.

One more important thing to know - if you do make a mistake on your weekly certification, you have 2 weeks to correct it by reaching out to PA UC. So while it's important to get the work search question right, don't panic if you realize you made an error after submitting. Just contact them right away to get it fixed before it affects your payments.

Just wanted to add my experience from last month - I was in the exact same situation and was so confused! I ended up selecting 'yes' and entering my CareerLink registration as the activity. My payment went through without any issues. One tip that helped me: when you're filling out the work search details, you can find your CareerLink registration date by logging into your CareerLink account and checking your profile activity. That way you have the exact date to enter. The whole process was way more stressful than it needed to be, but once you get through that first week it becomes much clearer what you need to do going forward.

I went through this exact same situation just two weeks ago and was equally confused! I can confirm that selecting 'yes' is the right choice and your CareerLink registration absolutely counts as your first work search activity. What really helped me was calling the PA UC office right after I filed my initial claim to clarify this - they confirmed that the CareerLink registration fulfills the work search requirement for week one. The representative also mentioned that this is one of the most common questions they get from new claimants. For the activity details, I entered "PA CareerLink Registration" as the activity type, used the date I registered (which you can find in your CareerLink account under profile activity), and selected "Employment Service Registration" from the dropdown menu. My payment processed without any delays. Don't stress too much about it - you've got this! Just make sure to start doing the full work search requirements (2 activities + 1 job application) beginning with week two.

I just went through this same exact situation last week and was so stressed about it! I ended up selecting 'yes' and used my CareerLink registration as the work search activity. My payment went through with no issues at all. What really helped me was keeping a screenshot of my CareerLink registration confirmation email so I had the exact date and details ready when filling out the weekly certification. The system accepted "PA CareerLink Registration" as the activity type without any problems. One thing I wish someone had told me - after you submit that first week, immediately start planning your work search activities for week two because those requirements kick in right away. I spent my first weekend after filing applying to jobs and doing practice interviews through CareerLink so I'd be ready for the next certification. The whole process is definitely more confusing than it needs to be, but you're asking the right questions and getting good advice here. You'll get through it!

I'm so glad you asked this question because I was literally in the same boat just a few weeks ago! After reading through all these responses, I can confirm that selecting 'yes' is definitely the right choice. Your CareerLink registration absolutely counts as a work search activity for that first week. What saved me was creating a simple spreadsheet right after I filed to track all my work search activities going forward. For that first week, I just entered "PA CareerLink Registration" with the date I signed up. But starting week two, I made sure to log every job application and activity with dates, company names, and position details. The PA system really should explain this better upfront - it's causing so much unnecessary stress for people who are already dealing with unemployment! But don't worry, once you get past this first certification, the process becomes much more routine. Just make sure you stay on top of those 2 activities + 1 job application each week going forward. Good luck!

I just went through this exact situation about a month ago and can definitely confirm what others have said - select YES and use your CareerLink registration as your work search activity! When I was filling out the details, I put "PA CareerLink Registration" as the activity type and used the date from my confirmation email. The system accepted it without any issues and my payment came through on schedule. One thing that really helped me was calling the local CareerLink office (not the main UC line) to ask about what other activities I could start doing right away to prepare for week two. They told me about some online workshops and job search seminars I could attend that would count toward my requirements. The whole system is definitely confusing for new filers, but you're getting great advice here. Don't overthink it - the CareerLink registration is specifically designed to count as your first work search activity. You've got this!

I was literally in this exact same situation just two weeks ago and it was SO stressful! I ended up selecting 'yes' and entering my CareerLink registration as my work search activity, and everything went smoothly. What really helped me was going into my CareerLink account and taking a screenshot of my registration confirmation page before filling out the certification - that way I had all the exact details and dates ready. When the system asked for activity details, I entered "PA CareerLink Registration," selected "Employment Service Registration" from the dropdown, and used my registration date. My payment processed without any delays. The biggest thing I learned is to start preparing for week two immediately! I spent that first weekend after filing doing job searches and signing up for CareerLink workshops so I'd be ready with the full requirements (2 activities + 1 job application) for my next certification. Don't stress too much - you're asking all the right questions and getting solid advice here. The first week is definitely the most confusing, but it gets much more straightforward after that!

I just want to add my recent experience to help reassure you! I filed my PA UC claim about 3 weeks ago and was in the exact same confused state when it came to that first weekly certification. After reading through forums like this one, I decided to select 'yes' and enter my CareerLink registration as my work search activity. Here's exactly what I did: I logged into my CareerLink account, found my registration date in the activity section, and when filling out the weekly cert I put "PA CareerLink Registration" as the activity, selected "Employment Service Registration" from the dropdown menu, and used my actual registration date. The system accepted it immediately and I received my payment with no issues. The key thing I learned is that PA specifically designed the CareerLink registration requirement to serve as your first work search activity - it's not just a random hoop to jump through. So don't second-guess yourself on this one! Just make sure you're ready for week two with actual job applications and additional work search activities. I started applying to jobs immediately after submitting that first cert so I wouldn't be scrambling the following week. You've got this!

I just want to echo what everyone else has said - definitely select 'yes' for your first week! I went through this same exact confusion about 6 weeks ago when I first filed. The CareerLink registration absolutely counts as your work search activity for week one. What helped me was calling the PA UC office the day after I filed just to confirm this, and they told me that probably 80% of their calls from new claimants are about this exact question. The representative said the CareerLink registration requirement exists specifically to fulfill your first week work search activity. When you get to the details section, just enter "PA CareerLink Registration" as the activity type, use your registration date (you can find this in your CareerLink account under profile activity), and select "Employment Service Registration" from the dropdown. Super straightforward once you know what to enter! One last tip - start planning your week two activities right away! I made the mistake of waiting until the last minute and then had to scramble to get my 2 activities + 1 job application done. Good luck with your certification!

I'm actually going through this exact same situation right now! Just filed yesterday and was completely stumped by the work search question on my first weekly cert. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I was honestly leaning toward selecting 'no' because I thought I hadn't done enough yet, but it sounds like that would have been a huge mistake! I'm definitely going to select 'yes' and enter my CareerLink registration as my work search activity. It's reassuring to know that so many people have successfully done this exact same thing. I love the tip about taking a screenshot of the CareerLink registration confirmation page - I'm going to do that right now before I submit my certification. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here. It's frustrating that the PA system doesn't explain this clearly upfront, but this thread has been a lifesaver for confused first-time filers like me and the original poster!

I went through this exact same confusion just last month! I was so worried about selecting the wrong option and messing up my benefits. I ended up choosing 'yes' and entering my CareerLink registration as my work search activity, and everything processed perfectly. When you get to the details section, here's exactly what worked for me: I entered "PA CareerLink Registration" as the activity type, found my registration date by logging into my CareerLink account (it's in your profile activity section), and selected "Employment Service Registration" from the dropdown menu. The system accepted it immediately and my payment came through on schedule. The thing that stressed me out was thinking I needed to have done MORE than just the CareerLink registration for that first week, but that's literally what it's designed for. The PA UC system knows that new claimants need time to get started with job searching, so they built the CareerLink requirement to satisfy your first week's work search activity. Just make sure you start planning for week two right away! You'll need 2 work search activities plus 1 job application starting with your second certification. I spent that first weekend applying to jobs and signing up for CareerLink workshops so I'd be ready. Good luck - you've got this!