Just went through this same situation a few months ago! The timing really is frustrating when you have bills due. One thing that helped me was setting up text alerts with my bank for low balances so I could catch any potential overdrafts while waiting for the card. Also, if you have any credit cards, you might want to pay essential bills with those temporarily and then pay them off once your card arrives. It's not ideal but better than late fees. The good news is once you get through this initial transition, the Money Network card is actually pretty convenient - no more waiting for checks in the mail or worrying about them getting lost.

I switched from checks to the Money Network card about 6 months ago and here's what I learned: The 7-10 day wait is pretty standard, but there are a few things you can do to prepare. First, call Money Network at 888-233-5916 once you get a confirmation that your card has been requested - they can usually tell you when it was mailed out. Second, download their mobile app ahead of time so you're ready to activate immediately when it arrives. The funds from your weekly certifications will accumulate on the card even before you activate it, so you won't lose any payments. Also, keep in mind that the first time you use the card at an ATM, there might be a temporary hold for security verification, so try to activate and test it before you absolutely need the funds. The transition is definitely inconvenient but once you're through it, having instant access to your benefits is much better than waiting for checks to arrive and clear.

ur lucky u even got 23 weeks, i only got 18 and nobody could explain why. the whole system is rigged

I went through something similar last year when I got laid off from my retail job. The PA UC system really doesn't make it clear upfront how many weeks you'll actually get. Like others mentioned, it all comes down to your base year wages and how they're distributed across quarters. I thought I'd get the full 26 weeks too but ended up with 22. The financial determination letter is definitely the key document - it has all the calculations broken down. I wish they'd explain this stuff better when you first apply instead of people having to figure it out when their benefits suddenly end. At least you found your letter and got answers!

Update: I just checked with a friend who works at the PA CareerLink office. She confirmed that you absolutely must include all W2 wages when filing for UC, including those from a union. The system will flag your claim if there's a mismatch between what you report and what's on file with the tax authorities. Better to be upfront than have to deal with an overpayment notice later!

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact situation! I was with the Carpenters Union and got laid off from my construction job. Like you, I had a separate W2 from the union for some safety training they paid me for. I initially hesitated to include it because it seemed confusing, but after reading through all the responses here, I'm glad I did. The PA UC system really does cross-check everything, and it's way better to over-report than under-report. One tip: when you're entering the union wages, make sure you select the correct employer type in the dropdown menu. There should be an option for "labor union" or similar. This helps the system categorize it correctly and avoids any confusion during processing. Good luck with your claim! The whole process is stressful enough without having to worry about whether you filled something out wrong.

Just went through this process myself! Filed my appeal in December for identity verification issues (even though I did the ID.me thing multiple times too - so frustrating!). Got my hearing scheduled exactly 6 weeks later, had the hearing last week, and won! Here's what I learned: 1. The retroactive payments go all the way back to your original filing date in January, not just from when you appealed 2. Keep doing those weekly certifications no matter what - this is crucial! 3. For the hearing, bring EVERYTHING identity-related you can find. I brought: driver's license, Social Security card, birth certificate, passport, utility bills, bank statements, tax returns, pay stubs from previous job, and even my voter registration card 4. The hearing itself was pretty straightforward - they just wanted to verify I was who I said I was My payments were released about 8 business days after the hearing decision. Hang in there - the wait is awful but if you have all your documentation ready, you should be fine. The identity verification denials seem to be getting overturned pretty regularly from what I've seen.

I'm going through something similar right now - filed my appeal about 3 weeks ago for the same identity verification issue. It's so frustrating because like you, I completed the ID.me process multiple times and even got confirmation emails! From what I've been reading here and elsewhere, it seems like these identity verification denials are pretty common but also frequently overturned on appeal. The retroactive payment thing is huge - knowing that you'll get paid back to your original filing date if you win makes the wait a bit more bearable. One thing I've started doing is keeping a detailed log of every step I took during the ID.me process, including screenshots and confirmation emails. I figure it can't hurt to have that extra documentation ready for the hearing. Also started gathering all my identity documents now so I'm not scrambling later. The waiting is the worst part though. Every day without income makes everything more stressful. Stay strong and keep filing those weekly claims!

Just got off the phone with CHIME (waited 40 mins to talk to someone btw) and they said they haven't received ANY notification from PA Treasury for my account yet so now I'm really confused. How can some people get payments and others not?? Isnt that like illegal or something for the state to not pay everyone the same day?

I'm new here but dealing with the same Chime/UC payment anxiety! Just wanted to add that I've found it helpful to set up text alerts through my Chime app for deposits - at least then I know the moment it hits instead of constantly checking my balance. Also, for anyone still waiting, I've noticed that filing your weekly claim earlier in the week (like Sunday night) vs later (Monday evening) can sometimes affect which processing batch you end up in. Not guaranteed but might be worth trying if you're consistently getting paid later than you'd like.