PA UC work search requirements with a confirmed return-to-work date?

Yes you still gotta do the work search. PA doesn't care if you have a return date. I learned this the hard way last year and missed out on 2 weeks of benefits for not doing it!!

There's actually a specific exception to the work search requirements for people on temporary layoff with a verifiable return-to-work date, but you need to make sure you're properly classified in the system. Did you indicate during your initial application that you have a return date? Also, do you have this return date in writing from your employer? If you're officially on "standby status," you're exempt from the weekly work search activities. However, you must still file your weekly claims and be available for work during this period. I'd recommend calling PA UC to confirm your status is correctly set up in their system so you don't run into issues later.

i was in the same boat last winter. construction layoff with return date. i still did the work search just to be safe even tho my boss said i didnt need to. better safe then sorry i think

If you have an official return to work date within 45 days, you should qualify for standby status which exempts you from work search requirements. However, the PA UC system often doesn't automatically recognize this. To fix this, you need to: 1. Make sure your employer properly reported your temporary layoff status 2. Have your return-to-work date documented in writing 3. Contact UC to verify your standby status is in their system The work search section will still appear in weekly claims, but if you have proper standby status, you can answer accordingly that you're exempt. Don't just skip it though! I've had clients lose benefits because they assumed they were exempt without confirming.

Just do the stupid job search. PA UC system is broken anyway and half the time they dont even check what jobs u put down. Just put that u applied to 3 rando places each week. not worth the risk of losing ur money over this!!!!

If you're having trouble reaching someone at unemployment to confirm your standby status, I'd recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation with a return-to-work date and needed to confirm my exemption status. Was getting nowhere with regular phone calls for days, but Claimyr got me through to a PA UC agent in under 30 minutes who confirmed my standby status and noted it in my file. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 Worth it to get a definitive answer straight from UC rather than risking your benefits.

Yes, it actually does work. I was skeptical too, but it saved me hours of redialing. The PA UC agent I spoke with confirmed that with my official return date, I was exempt from work search requirements, but I needed to answer the weekly claim questions in a specific way. They noted this exemption in my file to prevent issues.

To directly answer your question about how to complete the weekly certification with standby status: 1. When asked if you're able and available for work, answer YES 2. When asked if you're on standby status with a return date, answer YES 3. When asked if you completed work search activities, there should be an option indicating you're exempt If you don't see these exact options, it likely means your standby status isn't properly set up in the system, which is why speaking directly with a UC representative is crucial. I'd recommend completing the minimum work search requirements until you get official confirmation of your exemption. It's better to do unnecessary work searches than risk losing benefits.

Sounds like you're on the right track! One more thing to keep in mind: if your return-to-work date gets pushed back beyond the 45-day window, you'll need to start completing work search activities at that point. Also, keep a copy of your return-to-work documentation handy in case you're selected for an audit. Glad you found the standby status option in the weekly filing system!

Just wanted to add that if you're ever unsure about your standby status in the future, you can also check your benefit determination letter or log into your PA UC account and look under "Claim Details" - it should show your claim type there. If it says "Temporary Layoff" or mentions standby status, that's confirmation you're properly classified. I had to reference this when I got questioned during a phone interview about my work search activities. Having that documentation made it easy to explain my situation.

I went through this exact same situation with my employer last spring - had a temporary layoff with a confirmed return date about 6 weeks out. The key thing is making sure your employer filed the layoff correctly with PA UC as a "temporary layoff" rather than a regular separation. When they do this properly, you should automatically get standby status which exempts you from work search requirements. However, like others mentioned, the online system can be glitchy about recognizing this status. I'd strongly recommend calling to verify - even if it takes multiple attempts to get through. In my case, the agent confirmed my standby status was active but told me that if my return date got pushed back more than 8 weeks total, I'd need to start doing work searches again. One thing that helped me was keeping detailed records of everything - screenshots of my claim details showing "temporary layoff" status, copies of my employer's return-to-work documentation, and notes from any phone conversations with UC representatives. This saved me when I had to verify my situation during a later review.

I just went through this same situation a few months ago! I was on temporary layoff from my manufacturing job with a return date about 5 weeks out. The confusion is totally understandable because PA's system doesn't make it clear upfront. Here's what I learned: if you have official documentation of your return date and your employer filed it correctly as a temporary layoff, you should qualify for standby status. But the tricky part is that the work search questions still show up in your weekly certification - you just answer them differently. When I finally got through to a PA UC rep (took about 12 tries over 3 days), they confirmed I was exempt from work search but said I still needed to answer "yes" to being available for work and select the option indicating I was on standby status with a return date. The key is making sure your status is properly noted in their system. I'd recommend calling ASAP to get this confirmed rather than guessing. In the meantime, you might want to do the minimum work search activities just to be safe until you get official confirmation. Better to do unnecessary searches than risk losing benefits over a misunderstanding.

I was in a very similar situation last year with a construction layoff and confirmed return date. The most important thing is getting official confirmation from PA UC that you're properly classified for standby status. Don't assume it's set up correctly just because you provided the return date during your application. Here's what worked for me: I called PA UC (yes, it took many attempts) and specifically asked them to verify my "standby status" was active in their system. The representative confirmed it and made a note in my file. Even with standby status, you still need to file weekly claims and answer that you're available for work, but you're exempt from the actual job search activities. If you're having trouble getting through by phone, document everything in the meantime - keep copies of your return-to-work paperwork, take screenshots of your claim details showing "temporary layoff" status, and consider doing minimal work searches until you get that official confirmation. It's not worth risking your benefits over uncertainty about the requirements.