Hey! I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago. One thing I wish someone had told me - if your new job offers any kind of signing bonus or advance on your first paycheck, definitely ask HR about it! Some companies will do a small advance to help with the transition period. Also, if you're really tight on money during those first couple weeks, look into local food banks or utility assistance programs - many have emergency help for people transitioning back to work. The financial stress is real but you'll get through it. The partial benefits calculation really does help bridge that gap if you're only working part-time your first week or two.

I just went through this same transition 2 months ago! Here's what worked for me: I called my new employer's payroll department directly and explained the situation. They were actually really understanding and let me know the exact dates I'd be paid so I could plan better. Also, don't forget that when you report your work hours, you can still qualify for partial benefits during that transition period - it really helped me avoid the income gap. The key is being super accurate with your reporting. I actually made a little spreadsheet tracking my daily hours and calculating my weekly gross pay before filing each week. Made the whole process much smoother and I never had any issues with overpayments. Hang in there - the first few weeks are the hardest but once you get that first paycheck it gets so much easier!

I'm so glad to hear you got it resolved! This gives me hope for my own situation. I accidentally selected "yes" to refusing suitable work last week when I meant to click "no" - was filing on my phone and my thumb slipped. Now I'm in the same boat with my claim under review. I've been calling nonstop but can't get through. Did the Claimyr service cost anything? And how quickly were you able to get connected? I'm really stressing because rent is due in a few days and this is my only income right now.

Wow, this is exactly what I needed to see! I'm dealing with the same nightmare right now - accidentally clicked "yes" to being absent from work when filing my weekly claim three days ago. My heart sank when I saw that review message pop up. I've been calling the UC office every hour on the hour but just get busy signals or disconnected after waiting forever. Reading through all these responses is giving me some hope though. Sounds like this mistake is way more common than I thought! I'm definitely going to try that live chat option first thing tomorrow morning, and if that doesn't work I might have to bite the bullet and try that Claimyr service. Twenty-five dollars is definitely better than missing rent payments while waiting weeks for this to get sorted out. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's such a relief to know I'm not the only one who's made this stupid mistake with PA's confusing system!

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at the UC office this morning! After being on hold for almost 2 hours (ugh). They confirmed I do have an overpayment notice for $4,750 from March 8. The agent said they'll mail me a new copy and noted in my file that I'm planning to appeal. They're giving me until April 5th to submit my appeal (yay for the extension!). Apparently they're claiming I didn't provide adequate proof of self-employment income for some weeks, even though I swear I uploaded all my 1099s and bank statements. At least now I know what I'm dealing with. Thanks everyone for your help!

Congrats on getting through! That's a huge relief that you have a clear deadline now. Just wanted to add - when you're gathering your self-employment documentation for the appeal, make sure you also include any correspondence or confirmations from when you originally uploaded those documents. Sometimes the system glitches and doesn't properly save files, but if you have screenshots or email confirmations showing you submitted everything on time, that can really help your case. Also, consider requesting a phone hearing rather than just a written appeal if that's an option - it gives you a chance to explain your situation directly to the hearing officer. You've got this!

Congratulations on landing the new job! Just wanted to add one more tip from my experience - make sure to keep documentation of that $80 payment (pay stub, direct deposit record, etc.) in case PA UC ever audits your claim later. I had to provide proof of earnings from 8 months prior when they did a random review of my case. Also, since you mentioned budgeting for the transition week, remember that your unemployment payment might come a day or two later than usual if their system flags the earnings report for manual review (even though it shouldn't affect your benefit amount). Better to plan for a slight delay just in case!

Just wanted to share my recent experience with this exact situation! I had a similar 4-hour orientation before starting my new job last month and was worried about the same thing. Like everyone said, the 30% rule saved me - I got my full benefit amount that week even though I reported the small earnings from orientation. One thing I learned though is to make sure you answer "yes" when they ask if you're able and available for work during that certification week, since the 4 hours of training doesn't make you unavailable for other full-time opportunities. PA UC processed it smoothly and I got paid as usual. Best of luck with the new job!

I literally just went through this same nightmare two weeks ago! The greyed out direct deposit option had me pulling my hair out for hours. What finally worked for me was a combination of things: 1) Used Microsoft Edge browser instead of Chrome, 2) Disabled all browser extensions temporarily, and 3) Made sure I was logged out completely, cleared all PA UC cookies specifically (not just general cache), then logged back in fresh. The key thing I learned is that their payment system integration is super buggy when there are any saved form data or cookies from previous sessions. Also pro tip - if you do end up having to start with the debit card, you can switch to direct deposit pretty easily once your claim is approved. Just go to "Update Payment Information" in your dashboard. The switch usually takes effect for your next payment cycle. Don't let this technical glitch stress you out too much - it's definitely on their end, not yours!

I just dealt with this exact same issue last month! The greyed out direct deposit option is so frustrating. What worked for me was trying a completely different approach - I used my tablet instead of my computer and accessed the site through the DuckDuckGo browser app. For some reason their payment form loads differently on mobile devices and tablets. Also make sure you're not using any VPN or proxy - that can sometimes interfere with their payment processor verification. If you're still stuck, try waiting until after midnight and before 6am when their system does maintenance updates. I noticed the payment options were more responsive during those hours. And honestly, even if you have to start with the debit card temporarily, it's not the end of the world - I switched to direct deposit about a week after my claim was approved and it was super straightforward. The important thing is just getting your claim submitted so you can start the processing timeline!