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I'm really sorry you're going through this stressful situation, but it sounds like you're building a solid case for your appeal! Based on everything you've shared, you have several strong pieces of evidence: 1. The email from your supervisor mentioning "your position has been eliminated" - this is HUGE because it directly contradicts their claim that you quit 2. Your unused vacation payout on the final paycheck - employers typically don't pay this out for voluntary quits 3. Text messages showing your immediate shock about being fired 4. The follow-up emails about returning company property Make sure to organize all of this chronologically and bring multiple copies to your hearing. The fact that your employer has no resignation letter, notice, or any documentation of you quitting while you have multiple pieces of evidence showing you were terminated gives you a really strong position. One more suggestion: when you're at the hearing, if the employer claims you quit, ask them directly "Can you please show the referee my resignation letter or any written notice I gave?" Put the burden on them to produce evidence they don't have. Stay calm and factual, and let your evidence speak for itself. You've got this - employers who lie about separation reasons often get caught because they can't back up their claims with documentation. Good luck on May 25th!
This is such a comprehensive summary of all the evidence - thank you for laying it out so clearly! You're right, that email about my position being eliminated is probably the strongest piece of evidence I have since it's directly from my supervisor and completely contradicts their unemployment claim. I've been organizing everything chronologically like everyone suggested and I'm feeling much more confident about the hearing now. The tip about asking them directly for my resignation letter during the hearing is brilliant - I'm definitely going to use that strategy. It's amazing how much support and practical advice I've gotten from this community. I'll definitely update everyone after the May 25th hearing!
Wow, reading through all the advice here has been incredibly helpful - this community is amazing! One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet is to also check if your employer posted your job opening online after your "quit date." If they were actively recruiting for your position immediately after you allegedly quit, that's pretty strong evidence they knew you weren't coming back because they fired you, not because you resigned. You can search job boards like Indeed, LinkedIn, or your company's career page to see if they posted your role. Take screenshots with dates visible if you find anything. Companies don't usually rush to fill positions that people "voluntarily" quit from without notice. Also, consider reaching out to your state representative's office if the appeal doesn't go your way. They often have staff who help constituents navigate state agency issues like UC appeals. It's a free service and they can sometimes help escalate cases or provide additional resources. You've built such a strong case with all the evidence everyone has helped you identify. That email about your position being eliminated is basically a smoking gun. Your employer is going to have a really hard time explaining that one away. Rooting for you on May 25th!
That's such a smart idea about checking for job postings! I never would have thought of that but you're absolutely right - if they were trying to fill my position right after I supposedly "quit," that shows they knew I wasn't coming back. I just searched Indeed and LinkedIn and sure enough, they posted my exact job title 4 days after they terminated me! I took screenshots with the posting dates clearly visible. This is perfect additional evidence to add to my timeline. The tip about contacting my state rep's office is also really valuable to know as a backup option. Thank you for thinking of these details that could make a real difference in my case! This community has been incredible - I went from panicking about having no evidence to feeling like I have a really solid case with all the advice everyone has shared.
Just want to echo what everyone else is saying here - this is such a common confusion point for new UC recipients! I made the exact same mistake when I first started collecting benefits. The lack of integration between CareerLink and the UC system is really frustrating, especially since they're both state systems. What helped me stay organized was creating a weekly routine: every Sunday I review all my job applications from the previous week, make sure I have screenshots/confirmations saved, and then enter everything when I file my weekly claim on Monday. I also keep a backup spreadsheet with all the details just in case the UC system glitches or I need to reference something later. The extra documentation might seem like overkill, but after reading about people getting audited and nearly losing benefits, it's definitely worth the peace of mind. Keep doing what you're doing with the detailed record-keeping - you're on the right track!
Thank you for sharing that weekly routine idea! That's really smart - having a set day to review and organize everything before filing the weekly claim. I'm definitely going to adopt something similar. It's reassuring to know that so many people have gone through this same learning curve with the CareerLink/UC integration issue. I wish they made this clearer somewhere in the initial paperwork or orientation materials, but at least we have communities like this to help each other figure it out. Your point about keeping a backup spreadsheet is great too - I hadn't thought about what happens if the UC system itself has technical issues when you're trying to enter your activities. Better to have multiple records than scramble to recreate everything later!
New UC recipient here and wow, this thread just saved me from making a huge mistake! I've been religiously applying through CareerLink for the past three weeks thinking everything was being tracked automatically for my work search requirements. When I checked my UC dashboard and saw it was completely empty, I panicked and thought there was some kind of system error. Reading everyone's experiences here makes it clear that I need to go back and manually enter all my applications ASAP. I've been keeping a basic log with company names and dates, but clearly I need to up my documentation game with screenshots and confirmation emails like everyone suggests. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge - this could have been a disaster if I'd found out during an audit instead of from this helpful community!
I'm in a similar situation - been waiting 7 weeks for my open issue to be resolved and getting really worried about making rent. Reading all these responses gives me hope that persistence pays off! Quick question for everyone who's had success with multiple contacts to their state rep - did you call or email the second time? I emailed the first time but wondering if calling might get faster attention since time is running out. Also, has anyone tried contacting BOTH their state rep AND their state senator at the same time, or is that overkill? Thanks for all the helpful advice in this thread - it's reassuring to know I'm not alone in this frustrating situation!
I'd definitely recommend calling this time! When I was in a similar crunch with rent due, calling got me connected to someone immediately vs waiting days for an email response. The urgency comes through better over the phone too. As for contacting both your state rep AND senator - I actually did that and it worked! They don't coordinate with each other, so you're essentially doubling your chances of getting someone who will really push for you. Just make sure to mention to each office if the other one is also helping so they don't duplicate efforts. Good luck - 7 weeks is definitely long enough to justify being persistent!
Definitely call instead of email - I made that mistake the first time and lost precious days waiting for a response! When you call, ask to speak with whoever handles unemployment cases specifically. Some offices have dedicated staff for UC issues and they know exactly who to contact at the state level. And yes, contacting both your rep AND senator is smart! I wish I'd thought of that. They have different contacts within UC so you're getting two different pressure points. Just be upfront with each office about the timeline - 7 weeks is well past reasonable and with rent due soon, this is legitimately urgent. Don't feel bad about being persistent when your housing is at stake!
I went through this exact same situation last year! Contacted my state rep twice for the same open issue. The first time got me nowhere after 4 weeks, but the second time I was more strategic about it. I called instead of emailing, specifically mentioned it had been over 8 weeks total (someone here mentioned that's an important threshold), and I was very specific about my financial hardship - exact dates when rent was due, utilities getting shut off, etc. The key difference the second time was that I asked to speak with whoever handled UC cases specifically, not just the general staff. That person seemed to have better contacts at UC and knew exactly what buttons to push. My case was resolved within a week of that second contact. Don't give up - the system is broken but persistence really does work. The UC reps who tell you "nothing can be done" are just regular customer service staff. Your state rep has access to supervisors and managers who can actually move things along. 8 weeks is definitely long enough to justify pushing harder!
I've been dealing with PA UC for over a year now and can confirm this is one of their most common system quirks. The "missing wages" flag usually doesn't mean you're disqualified - it just means they need complete data. When you're still employed but worked 0 hours, the system needs to see actual zeros entered, not blank fields. I've found the best time to call is Tuesday or Wednesday mornings around 8:15 AM - seems like Monday is always swamped and Fridays are hit or miss. If you do get through, have your SSN and claim confirmation number ready because they'll ask for verification right away. The fix itself takes like 2 minutes once you're connected to the right person.
This is really helpful timing info! I've been trying randomly throughout the day but will definitely focus on those Tuesday/Wednesday morning windows you mentioned. Good point about having all my info ready - I'll write down my SSN and claim number so I'm not scrambling when someone finally picks up. It's reassuring to know the actual fix is quick once you get through to the right person. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I went through this exact same situation about 3 months ago! The panic is real when you see that "missing wages" status, but don't worry - it's totally fixable. Like others mentioned, you definitely need to enter actual zeros instead of leaving fields blank. The UC system treats blank fields as incomplete rather than zero values. I ended up having to call (took me 2 days of trying) but once I got through, the representative fixed it in literally under 5 minutes. She told me this is probably the #1 mistake they see with partial unemployment claims. Pro tip: if you do work hours in future weeks, make sure to report the gross wages for the week you actually worked, not when you receive the paycheck. That's another common trap that can cause delays. Your benefits should be fine once this gets corrected - just don't let it sit too long!
Thank you for sharing your experience! It's such a relief to hear from someone who went through the exact same thing. The "missing wages" status really does cause panic when you're already stressed about benefits. I'm definitely going to be more careful about entering actual zeros instead of leaving anything blank in future certifications. Your tip about reporting wages for the week worked versus when paid is super helpful too - I had no idea about that distinction. I'm feeling much more confident about getting this resolved now. Did you have any issues with delayed payments while waiting to get it fixed, or did they backdate everything once corrected?
Nalani Liu
does anyone know if theres a way to do this online instead of calling? the pa treasury website is confusing
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Fidel Carson
•Unfortunately, no. While you can do almost everything else online through the UC portal, direct deposit setup/updates with Treasury can only be done by phone. It's one of those bureaucratic disconnects that hasn't been fixed yet.
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Ana Rusula
Update: I finally got through to Treasury this morning after about 45 minutes on hold. They confirmed my direct deposit had expired after exactly 12 months. Got it set up again and they said my next payment will be direct deposit. Thanks everyone for your help!
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Xan Dae
•45 min isn't bad! last time i had to call i was on hold for over 2 hours lol
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Hattie Carson
•Glad you got it sorted out! Did they give you that confirmation number that @Fiona Gallagher mentioned? Definitely want to save that for next year when this happens again.
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