Good luck with your certification on Sunday! Just a heads up - when you report your earnings, make sure you report the gross amount (before taxes) for all hours worked this week, including Monday-Wednesday before you reopened. The system is pretty good at calculating the partial benefits automatically once you enter the correct wage info. Hope you get your payment processed quickly!

Just wanted to add - if you're getting reduced hours like this regularly, you might want to look into keeping a simple log of your weekly hours/earnings. I learned this the hard way when PA UC asked me to verify my earnings history during a review. Having records of when your hours dropped below full-time can really help if they ever question your eligibility for partial benefits. Also, some employers try to schedule you just under the threshold where you'd qualify for UC - knowing your rights helps you advocate for yourself!

I'm going through something similar right now - my balance is down to about $1,500 and I'm getting really anxious about what happens next. Reading through all these responses is both helpful and scary at the same time! The part about needing 6x your weekly benefit amount in W-2 wages to qualify for a new claim is news to me and honestly pretty alarming. I've been focused on finding a full-time job in my field but maybe I should start looking at temporary or part-time W-2 work just to build up those qualifying wages. Has anyone had luck with temp agencies for this kind of situation? I'm wondering if that might be a good way to get some W-2 income while still having flexibility for interviews.

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea about the 6x weekly benefit amount requirement for a new claim - that's absolutely crucial information that I wish was made clearer when you first file. @Amara Okafor, given what everyone's shared here, it sounds like your best bet might be to start looking for some part-time or temp W-2 work ASAP while you still have a few months left on your benefit year. Even if it's not in your ideal field, getting those qualifying wages could be the difference between having benefits when your year ends versus having nothing. The temp agency suggestion from @Amina Bah sounds really practical - you'd get the W-2 income you need while maintaining flexibility for job interviews in your field. Also definitely keep doing those weekly certifications even when your balance hits zero, as @Ava Martinez explained. This whole situation really highlights how confusing the UC system can be!

I was actually able to get through to UC yesterday! I used that call service someone mentioned and got connected pretty quickly. The agent was super helpful and put detailed notes in my file explaining the situation. She said it was good I submitted the form with

That's great news that you got through and got it sorted out! For anyone else dealing with this - documentation is absolutely key. Always keep screenshots of any communications with your employer about your employment status. PA UC really does try to catch people on technicalities with these forms, but if you have proof that the employer initiated the separation (like Caleb's text message), you should be fine. The system is definitely frustrating but it sounds like you handled it the right way by being persistent and getting an agent to document everything properly.

Good luck with your claim! You definitely did the right thing by being completely honest about everything. I went through a similar situation last year where I had to explain a complicated employment situation to PA UC. The waiting period is nerve-wracking, but since you were legitimately laid off from your primary job due to lack of work, that's really the key factor they'll focus on. The commission job situation sounds like it falls under necessitous and compelling circumstances since you couldn't reasonably be expected to survive financially without any guaranteed income. Keep filing your weekly claims while you wait - even if there's a delay, you'll get backpay if approved. Fingers crossed you hear back soon!

I'm in a somewhat similar situation right now - got laid off last month but had already accepted a part-time retail job that barely covers my expenses. The whole multiple employer thing definitely complicates the UC application process. From what I've learned, PA really does focus on your primary job loss when determining eligibility. Since you were legitimately laid off for lack of work from your main source of income, that should work in your favor. The commission job situation sounds like it clearly falls under financial hardship since there's no guaranteed income. I think you handled it perfectly by being completely transparent. The adjudication process is slow but at least you'll know you did everything by the book. Hope you get good news soon!

For regulations, go to the PA Office of UC Benefits website and look for the "UC Law & Regulations" section. Section 402(e) covers misconduct cases. In brief, being laid off due to budget cuts is NOT misconduct and you should be eligible. Make sure your brief clearly states that the separation was due to employer's budgetary decisions, not your performance or behavior. Also, while waiting for the Board's decision, continue looking for work and documenting your job search activities. In the event you win your appeal, you'll need to show you were actively seeking work to receive backdated benefits.

I just went through this exact same situation! Lost at referee level in January for "misconduct" when I was clearly laid off due to company downsizing. Won my board appeal last month with a brief I wrote myself. Key things that helped me: - Got my hearing transcript and highlighted every contradiction in my employer's story - Found the company press release announcing layoffs (check their website/social media) - Organized everything chronologically with dates - Cited Section 402(e) like others mentioned - misconduct requires willful violation of company policy - Kept it under 8 pages, very factual and professional The hardest part was staying patient - took 12 weeks for the decision but it was worth it. I got all my back benefits plus the extra weeks I was waiting. Don't give up! Layoff cases have good success rates at the board level if you can prove it wasn't performance-related. Also seconding the legal aid suggestion - they can at least review your brief before you submit it even if they can't write it for you.