I went through a PA UC phone appeal about 8 months ago and won, so I wanted to share a few additional tips that helped me prepare. First, practice explaining your situation out loud before the hearing - I actually recorded myself on my phone telling my story and listened back to catch places where I rambled or wasn't clear. It really helped me stay focused during the actual call. Second, if you have any witnesses who can verify what happened (coworkers who were also laid off, supervisors who knew about the budget cuts), ask them if they'd be willing to participate in the hearing. You can request that witnesses be included when you submit your evidence. Third, keep a notepad handy during the hearing to jot down anything your employer says that contradicts what you know to be true. You'll have a chance to respond, and having notes will help you address their claims systematically. The fact that you have written documentation about budget cuts and your position being eliminated puts you in a really strong position. Most employers who falsely claim someone quit don't have documentation to back up their version of events. One last thing - after your hearing, you can still submit additional evidence if you discover something relevant before the decision is made, but it has to be truly new information that wasn't available before. You've got this! The preparation you're doing now will make all the difference.

I went through a PA UC phone appeal last year and wanted to add a few more practical tips that really helped me during the process. Make sure you have a backup plan for your phone - I used my landline as the primary number but gave them my cell as a backup just in case there were any connection issues. Also, if you wear glasses or contacts, make sure you have them on during the hearing so you can clearly read any documents you need to reference. One thing that really helped me was writing down 3-4 key points I absolutely wanted to make sure I covered, even if the conversation went in different directions. That way I could check them off as I went and make sure I didn't forget anything crucial. Since you mentioned you have emails about budget cuts, make sure you can quickly find specific dates, names, and exact wording from those emails during the hearing. The referee might ask you to quote directly from them or clarify specific details. Also, don't be surprised if the hearing feels a bit formal at first - they have to follow certain procedures and swear everyone in, but most referees are pretty understanding once you get into the actual discussion of your case. Your documentation sounds solid, and the fact that you're preparing this thoroughly puts you way ahead of most people. You're going to do great!

Just wanted to add something that might be helpful - when you start your part-time job, make sure to keep track of any work-related expenses like transportation costs, uniforms, etc. While you can't deduct these from your UC reporting (you still need to report gross earnings), you can potentially claim them as deductions on your tax return next year. Also, since you're working part-time in retail, be aware that your schedule might vary during busy seasons like holidays - this means your UC benefits will fluctuate accordingly. During weeks when you get more hours, your UC will be lower, and during slower weeks with fewer hours, you'll get more UC. The system handles this automatically as long as you report accurately each week. One last tip - if your retail job offers any benefits like employee discounts or the opportunity to pick up shifts at other store locations, take advantage of these! It can help stretch your combined income further while you're transitioning back to full-time employment. Good luck with the new job!

One more thing to keep in mind - if you're working in retail, you might occasionally get asked to work overtime or extra shifts during busy periods. Just remember that if you ever work more than 32 hours in a week, you won't be eligible for ANY UC benefits that week, even if your total earnings are still less than what you'd normally get from unemployment. So if they offer you a lot of extra hours in one week, do the math first - sometimes it's better financially to stay under 32 hours and keep your partial UC benefits rather than work 35+ hours and lose all UC for that week. Also, make sure you understand your store's policy on shift swapping or picking up shifts - you want to make sure any hours you work are properly documented on your official timesheet so you can report them accurately to UC. The flexibility of partial benefits is great, but you need to stay aware of these thresholds to maximize your total income!

UPDATE: Finally got through to someone at UC this morning! Used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above and it actually worked - got me past the busy signals. The agent confirmed my appeal is "in final review" and should be decided within the next 7-10 days. She also added a hardship note to my file which might help speed things up. They said decisions from January hearings are being processed now, so the timing lines up with what others mentioned. Feeling slightly more hopeful now that I at least know where I stand!

So glad to hear you finally got some concrete information! That "final review" status is definitely encouraging. I went through something similar last year and once they told me it was in final review, I got my decision 5 days later. The hardship note was smart too - I think that really does help prioritize cases. Fingers crossed you get good news soon and can finally put this nightmare behind you. Keep us posted on how it goes!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm dealing with something similar right now - got denied initially because my employer claimed misconduct, but I have documentation proving otherwise. Filed my appeal two weeks ago and have been anxiously waiting for my hearing date. Reading all these responses gives me hope that maybe they'll review the evidence I submitted and resolve it before the hearing like they did for you. The PA UC appeals process is so nerve-wracking when you're already dealing with job loss stress. Thanks everyone for breaking down what "quashed as moot" actually means - I'll know what to look for if I get a similar letter!

I'm a newcomer to this community but have been lurking and reading posts about PA UC issues. This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm currently dealing with my own appeal situation (employer falsely claimed I was fired for attendance when I have documentation showing I requested FMLA leave). Seeing how "quashed as moot" actually means good news gives me hope. @Kai Santiago congratulations on getting this resolved! The legal terminology really is unnecessarily confusing - they should just say "your appeal was successful, hearing cancelled." For anyone else reading this who might be in a similar boat, it sounds like submitting strong documentation with your appeal can lead to these early reversals. Thanks to everyone who explained what this confusing notice actually means!

Just to clarify about PA UC requirements: You need to complete 6 work search activities each week, but only 1 of those needs to be a job application. The other 5 can be activities like revising your resume, attending job fairs, networking events, or taking job skills workshops. Many CareerLink offices offer free workshops that count toward your activities. This gives you flexibility while you focus on quality applications rather than quantity. Make sure you're documenting all activities in case of an audit.

I had a similar experience when I was on UC last year - applied to dozens of jobs through CareerLink with minimal response. What finally worked for me was treating it as just one part of my job search strategy rather than relying on it completely. I started using CareerLink for my required applications but put most of my energy into networking and direct company outreach. One thing that helped was joining some local professional groups on Facebook and LinkedIn where people actually share job leads. Also, many companies post on their own websites before they get to CareerLink, so I started checking company career pages directly for places I wanted to work. The key is remembering that CareerLink is there to help you meet your UC requirements, but your real job search happens everywhere else. Don't let the frustration with the system discourage you - it sounds like you're doing everything right, just need to diversify your approach!