Received conflicting PA UC approval AND denial letters - appeal hearing timeline?

same thing happened to my brother last year. the system is messed up. he got a hearing date after like 6 weeks i think? the waiting is the worst part.

PA UC appeals generally take 4-6 weeks to schedule right now, though some are faster. With contradictory decision letters, you should call the UC service center immediately as this could be a system error they can fix without a full appeal. If you can't get through, try calling first thing Monday morning at 8am. Regarding your medical restrictions, for your appeal you'll need: 1. Documentation from your doctor clearly stating your work capabilities 2. Evidence showing you attempted to return to work 3. Something in writing from your employer about their inability to accommodate This sounds like a potentially strong case since you're able and available for work, just not your specific previous position. UC generally considers you eligible if you can perform some type of suitable work, not necessarily your exact prior job.

This sounds like a system glitch!!! I got contradictory letters once too and it turned out they had TWO different claims in my name somehow?? One was approved and one denied. Try checking if you have multiple claim numbers on those letters. The whole system is such a mess sometimes I swear!!!

I'm going through something similar right now with medical restrictions. At my appeal hearing the referee was really focused on whether I told my employer exactly what work I COULD do, not just what I couldn't do. Make sure you emphasize that you're willing to work ANY job they could offer that meets your restrictions. That's what my attorney told me makes a big difference.

If you're desperate to reach someone at PA UC about those contradicting letters, I recently used a service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in under 20 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. They basically keep dialing for you until they get through, then call you when an agent is on the line. Saved me weeks of stress. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 For your actual question - my appeal hearing was scheduled about 5 weeks after filing. The referee was actually pretty reasonable and focused on the facts. Since you have medical documentation and proof your employer couldn't accommodate you, you have a decent chance if you present everything clearly.

DONT PANIC YET!!! UC makes mistakes ALL THE TIME. Last year they denied me for "refusing suitable work" when I had NEVER been offered any work to refuse! The approval letter then denial letter sounds like a computer glitch in their ancient system. You ABSOLUTELY have a good case for appeal with medical restrictions. I won my appeal for something similar. The main thing is proving you're ABLE and AVAILABLE for SOME type of work, which you clearly are! The hearings are taking forever though. Mine took 7 weeks to get scheduled but then only 3 days to get a decision (which was in my favor). GOOD LUCK!!

To answer your follow-up question: Unfortunately, in most cases, benefits are NOT paid while waiting for an appeal hearing. If you win your appeal, you'll receive all back payments you're entitled to. However, there is an exception - if you received contradictory decisions (approval AND denial) and it was clearly a system error, sometimes they can fix this administratively before the hearing and start payments sooner. Regarding documentation, yes - having your doctor provide a detailed list of what work activities you CAN perform is extremely helpful. This directly addresses the "availability for suitable work" issue. The more specific this list is, the stronger your case will be.

when i had my hearing it was on the phone not in person, is that normal? they gave me like 2 days notice which was super stressful. make sure you check your mail everyday

One more thing I forgot to mention - if you're truly in a financial emergency while waiting for your appeal, contact your local state representative's office. They sometimes can help expedite UC issues or connect you with emergency assistance programs. My state rep's office actually helped get my appeal hearing scheduled faster after I explained my situation to them.