One more thing to be aware of - when you finally get your hearing notice, it will likely be scheduled as a phone hearing (they're still doing most of them remotely). Make absolutely sure that PA UC has your correct phone number on file! I've seen people miss their hearings because the UC office called an old or incorrect number. Also, you'll get some paperwork to fill out before the hearing. Complete it thoroughly and return it immediately. Some referees will look at this paperwork before your hearing to understand your case better. On the actual hearing day, find a quiet place with good phone reception, have all your documents organized, and be ready at least 15 minutes early. Hearings often run behind schedule, so don't panic if they don't call exactly at the scheduled time, but stay by your phone.

I FORGOT to mention in my earlier post - DOCUMENT EVERY CALL and CONVERSATION! Note the date, time, who you talked to and what they told you. The UC people will tell you different things depending on who you get. I was told THREE DIFFERENT TIMEFRAMES by THREE DIFFERENT AGENTS! When you finally get your hearing, having these notes shows you were making good faith efforts the whole time. And another thing - sometimes the hearing notices get lost in the mail. My neighbor almost missed her hearing because the notice came just TWO DAYS before the actual hearing date! The USPS is terrible in our area. CHECK YOUR UC DASHBOARD ONLINE REGULARLY!

ok so i read all this advice and here's what I think you should do: 1. Apply for new claim about a week before current one ends 2. Keep doing weekly claims without missing any 3. Have your job offer letter ready to upload 4. Try to get thru on phone using that service someone mentioned 5. Maybe ask new job for ANY hours they can give before official start That's what I'd do anyway. good luck!

Just wanted to thank everyone for the advice. I'm going to file a new claim about a week before my current benefits end, keep all my documentation ready, try to get some partial hours from my new employer if possible, and use Claimyr to actually talk to someone if I hit any roadblocks. Will update if I run into any issues others might benefit from knowing about!

what ever you do, DON'T say no to self-employment if you actually are self-employed... thats considered fraud and can get u in big trouble. my friend did that and ended up having to pay back all her benefits plus penalties!! just be honest and keep going with the application.

Just to add some specifics that might help: When you file your weekly certifications, PA UC has a partial benefit credit (PBC) that allows you to earn some money before your benefits start being reduced. In 2025, you can earn up to about 30% of your weekly benefit amount before reductions start. If your contractor work varies week to week, some weeks you might get full benefits and others reduced, depending on what you earn. Just make sure to accurately report ALL earnings during the week you PERFORM the work (not when you get paid).

In my experience with PA UC system (and I've unfortunately had to use it twice in the past 3 years), the biggest issue is often a COMPLETE LACK OF COMMUNICATION on their part. Your claim could be held up for something simple they need to verify, but they won't tell you what it is!!!! It's absolutely maddening. Have you checked if you passed the ID.me verification? That tripped me up last time. Also, check if your previous employer responded to the separation information request PA UC sent them. If they're slow to respond or haven't responded at all, that will keep your claim in review limbo. I HATE how they expect people to job search without giving them the resources to do so. How are you supposed to put gas in your car to get to interviews? It's a broken system that punishes people who WANT TO WORK.

I just wanted to follow up - how is your claim going? Were you able to get it resolved?

This is a classic case of miscommunication during a PA UC call. I've been through this exact situation and have helped several others navigate it too. Here's what you need to know: 1. File those appeals immediately as others have said - there's a 15-day deadline from each determination letter 2. In your appeals, be very specific about what was actually said in the conversation - if you mentioned anything about job prospects, interviews, or potential opportunities, the agent may have misinterpreted this as job acceptance 3. When you do reach someone by phone, ask them to review the call notes and clarify that you are still unemployed and conducting active work search 4. Request that they send an urgent correction to the claims examiner 5. Most importantly, keep certifying every week as if nothing happened The good news is that these administrative errors can absolutely be corrected, and when they are, you'll receive all back payments for the weeks incorrectly disqualified. The bad news is that it does take time - typically 2-3 weeks if you're persistent.

UPDATE: I finally managed to speak with someone at PA UC this afternoon! I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and got through in about 30 minutes instead of endless busy signals. The representative was actually helpful and could see exactly what happened. The previous agent had coded my account with status code 'JA' (Job Acceptance) instead of 'JS' (Job Search) after I mentioned an upcoming interview. She's submitted an urgent correction request to have my claim reviewed and the disqualifications removed. She said it should be fixed within 3-5 business days and all my weeks will be reprocessed. I still submitted the formal appeals just in case, but she said this might resolve before the appeals even get processed. Thanks everyone for your help! What a nightmare this system is.