I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - the same exact thing happened to me about 6 months ago! The RESEA scheduling system is absolutely terrible. I kept getting that "no appointments available" message for almost a week, then when I finally got one scheduled, they flagged my account anyway. What worked for me was calling the CareerLink office directly (not the UC number) and asking them to document in their system that I had attempted to schedule multiple times before appointments became available. The CareerLink staff member I spoke with said this happens ALL the time and they're used to helping people with this specific issue. She was able to send a note to UC on my behalf explaining the technical difficulties. It still took about 10 days to get resolved, but I did get all my back pay once they cleared the flag. Definitely keep filing your weekly claims like others have said - that's super important! And if you can get to a CareerLink office in person like some others suggested, that seems to work even better than phone calls. This whole system is such a mess. Hang in there!

This exact same thing happened to me last month! The RESEA scheduling system is completely broken - I spent 3 days getting that "no appointments available" error before any slots showed up. Then when I finally got scheduled, boom, they put a hold on my benefits anyway. I ended up calling my local CareerLink office (not the UC number) and explaining the situation. The staff there said they see this all the time and were able to contact UC directly to explain that their own system was having technical issues. It took about a week to get resolved, but I got all my back payments. The most frustrating part is that this is clearly a known issue with their website, but they still automatically flag accounts instead of fixing the underlying problem. Keep filing your weekly claims no matter what - you'll get those payments once they clear the flag. And definitely try the CareerLink office approach if calling UC directly doesn't work!

I'm in a similar boat right now - had my appeal hearing last Friday and the waiting is absolutely killing me! My employer is also claiming misconduct after what was clearly a layoff due to "restructuring." The referee seemed fair during the hearing and asked really detailed questions about the timeline and documentation from both sides. For what it's worth, I've been tracking the experiences shared here and it looks like most people get their decisions between 8-14 days, with a few outliers on either side. I'm trying to take the advice about checking just once a day instead of constantly refreshing, but it's so hard when your financial stability is hanging in the balance. One thing I've been doing is keeping a detailed log of all my job search activities and any communications related to my case - partly to stay busy and partly because if I do need to appeal further, having everything organized will help. Stay strong and keep filing those weekly claims!

I'm currently waiting for my referee decision too - had my hearing 9 days ago and checking my mailbox and dashboard religiously! Reading everyone's experiences here has been really helpful in managing expectations. It sounds like most decisions come within that 8-14 day range, though the variation is pretty wide. What's been helping me cope is what someone mentioned earlier about setting a routine - I now check mail once when it arrives and dashboard once in the evening, then try to stay busy with job applications during the day. The hardest part is not knowing, but at least we're all in this together. Keep us posted when you hear something - I think we're all rooting for each other here!

Glad you got it sorted out! The address mismatch thing is so frustrating - they really should make that clearer in the system instead of just leaving people hanging with "pending" status. For anyone else reading this who might be stuck, it's worth double-checking that ALL your info matches exactly what your employer has on file - address, name spelling, SSN, etc. Even small discrepancies can trigger a manual review. Hope you get your determination soon and can finally get some relief!

So glad you got it resolved! The address mismatch issue is super common but they never make it clear that's what's causing the delay. I had a similar situation where I had to call multiple times before someone finally told me what the actual problem was. It's really frustrating that the system just shows "pending" without any hint about what they're waiting for. Hopefully this helps other people who might be dealing with the same issue - definitely worth calling if you've moved recently or if there's any chance your employer might have outdated info on file. Good luck with getting your determination!

Just went through this exact same thing a few months ago! Got the "monetarily ineligible" notice after working at a retail chain for 7 months and I was completely baffled. The whole base period system is so confusing - they don't explain anywhere that they're looking at specific quarters from over a year ago instead of your recent work. Filed my appeal requesting the alternate base period and got approved in about 4 weeks. The key things that helped me: 1) Filed the appeal immediately (don't wait around), 2) Put "REQUEST ALTERNATE BASE PERIOD CONSIDERATION" right at the top in bold, 3) Included every single pay stub from my recent job, and 4) Wrote a simple timeline showing my work history. With your $3,800/month for 5 months, you should definitely qualify under the alternate base period. That's around $19k which is way above the minimum threshold. Don't stress too much about the phone calls - the written appeal is what really matters. Just make sure you get it submitted before that 15-day deadline! The backpay situation is real too - when I got approved, they sent me a lump sum for all the weeks I had been waiting. Hang in there, this system is frustrating but it does work once you know how to navigate it!

I just went through this EXACT same situation about 6 months ago! Got laid off from my marketing job after 8 months, applied for UC, and immediately got that confusing "monetarily ineligible" determination. I was so frustrated because I had literally just been working full-time and paying into the system. The alternate base period saved my life! Here's what I learned: PA looks at your first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters, which can miss your most recent work entirely. In your case with 5 months at $3,800/month, you've got about $19,000 in recent wages that they're probably not counting in the standard calculation. File that appeal IMMEDIATELY and write "REQUEST ALTERNATE BASE PERIOD CONSIDERATION" at the very top in bold letters. Include every pay stub from your October-March job, your termination letter, and a simple timeline of your work history. Don't wait to get through on the phone - the 15-day appeal deadline is what matters most. I got approved in about 5 weeks and received a lump sum backpayment for all the weeks I waited. With your earnings, you should definitely qualify. The system is broken and confusing, but it does work once you know how to fight it. You've got this!

Just wanted to jump in here as someone who went through this nightmare last summer as a school maintenance worker! The system is definitely confusing but you CAN get the exemption. Few things that helped me: 1) Don't waste time trying to recover old passwords - the system changed and you'll need to create a new account anyway. 2) That formal letter on letterhead is CRUCIAL - I initially tried with just an email from my boss and it didn't work. 3) Even with the exemption, you still have to do your weekly certifications, you just won't see job search requirements. One tip nobody mentioned - if you're having trouble reaching UC by phone, try calling right at 8am when they open. I got through on the second ring doing that. The afternoon is absolutely hopeless. Also check if your school district has a specific person who handles UC paperwork - ours does and she knew exactly what forms to send to the state. Saved me hours of headache!

As a school secretary who's been through this process multiple times, I can confirm everything everyone's saying about getting that formal recall letter! One thing I'd add - make sure the letter specifically mentions your exact return date AND that it's "reasonable assurance" of employment. Those are the magic words PA UC looks for. I learned this the hard way when my first letter just said "will return in fall" and they denied my exemption. Had to get HR to rewrite it with "reasonable assurance of return on August 20, 2024" and boom, exemption approved within a week. Also, @Aisha Abdullah for your login issues - I'd honestly just start fresh with a new account using the same SSN. The old system was completely different and trying to recover those credentials is like banging your head against a wall. The new system will recognize you've filed before and link everything up automatically. You got this!