Thanks everyone for all the advice! I'm going to check the box for federal tax withholding. Better to get slightly smaller payments than a big tax bill later. I'll also put a little aside for the PA state taxes since they don't withhold that automatically. Really appreciate all the help!

Good decision @Zoe Walker! I went through the same dilemma last year and chose to have taxes withheld - definitely the right call. One tip: even with the 10% federal withholding, I still owed a little bit at tax time because my regular job earlier in the year had put me in a higher bracket. So maybe set aside just a tiny bit extra if you can, like $10-20 per week, just as a safety buffer. Also keep all your UC documentation organized - you'll get a 1099-G form in January that you'll need for filing. Best of luck with your claim!

UPDATE: I wanted to let everyone know what worked for me. I tried several of your suggestions. The state rep office was helpful but said they had a 2-week backlog of UC cases. I ended up using Claimyr and got through to an agent yesterday! They fixed my issue (turns out my claim had a verification flag that needed to be cleared). My payment is now being processed! Thanks so much to everyone who offered advice - this community saved me from a really bad situation.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - been trying to reach them for over a week about my claim status. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like the state representative route might be my best bet since I can't afford to wait weeks for a dashboard response. @Oliver Zimmermann thanks for the detailed breakdown of options, really helpful! I'm also curious about that Claimyr service @Emma Davis mentioned - has anyone else here tried it successfully? The phone situation is absolutely maddening.

Just to follow up on this thread - the program most likely to help you is called "Training Benefits" (sometimes called "Section 30") through PA CareerLink. PMP certification typically takes 3-6 months which fits within their guidelines. The approval process usually takes 2-3 weeks if you have all your documentation ready. You'll need: - Details about the PMP training provider - Cost breakdown - Length of training - Your recent work history showing relevance to the training - Evidence that PMP certification will improve your job prospects If approved, you won't have to do the weekly work search activities, but you'll still need to file your weekly certification claims. Also important - while in approved training, you can sometimes get an extension beyond your regular benefit year if needed to complete the program.

That's awesome news @Jade Lopez! Really glad you got connected with the right people. Keep us posted on how your appointment goes - I'm sure others here would benefit from hearing about the actual application process. One tip from my experience with PA CareerLink: bring multiple copies of everything they ask for. They have a habit of "losing" paperwork and it's way easier to just hand over another copy than to reschedule and start over. Also, if they give you any pushback about PMP certification being "too expensive" or not directly related to your previous job, emphasize how project management skills are transferable across industries - especially since you were already doing project coordination work. Good luck with the process! Fingers crossed you get approved quickly.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - got disqualified last week after being laid off from my retail job. Reading through all these responses is giving me hope that I can actually win this appeal! @Kelsey Chin - have you received your hearing date yet? I'm curious how long it's taking them to schedule these days. Also wanted to mention that when I called (took forever to get through), the agent told me to make sure I have witness contact info ready in case the referee wants to call my former supervisor during the hearing. Might be worth having that prepared just in case!

I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago - also got hit with a "voluntary quit" disqualification when I was clearly laid off due to company downsizing. It's infuriating but totally winnable if you have the right documentation! A few things that helped me beyond what others have mentioned: 1) If you have any coworkers who were laid off at the same time, get their contact info as potential witnesses, 2) Check if your company issued any press releases or public statements about layoffs that you can print out, and 3) Look through your employee handbook for the section on layoffs vs terminations - it can help establish that your employer knew the difference. My hearing was scheduled about 3 weeks after filing the appeal, and the whole thing lasted maybe 30 minutes over the phone. The key is staying calm and sticking to the facts. You've got this! The system is frustrating but it does work when you have solid evidence like that layoff notice you mentioned.

My friend said u have to call and activate the card even if u dont use it or theyll think ur claim is fraud or something??? is that true?

Just wanted to add my experience - I got the ReliaCard about a week after my eligibility determination too. I was also confused at first! Like others mentioned, PA UC sends it automatically as a backup. I kept mine in my wallet without activating it for months, and my direct deposit worked perfectly the whole time. The one thing I'd suggest is writing down the card number somewhere safe (maybe take a photo) in case you ever need to reference it when calling UC. That way if there's ever a payment mix-up, you can quickly tell them the card details without having to dig around for the physical card.