This thread has been absolutely incredible to read through! As someone completely new to this community, I'm amazed by how Diego documented his entire journey from initial panic to final approval - it's like having a complete roadmap for anyone facing similar multi-job UC situations. What really stands out to me is how reasonable PA UC was throughout the process. The fact that they understood Diego's legitimate work-life balance concerns about juggling two jobs, even without formal documentation, shows they really do take a common-sense approach to these complex employment situations. The focus on the "separating employer" rather than penalizing people for earlier voluntary quits makes so much sense. I'm actually bookmarking this entire discussion because the combination of Diego's detailed timeline, everyone's personal experiences, and the professional insights from benefits counselors creates such a comprehensive resource. This is exactly the kind of real-world information you can't find on official websites but desperately need when navigating these stressful situations. Thanks to Diego for being so transparent about every step of the process, and to everyone who shared their own experiences and expertise. This community support is invaluable - you've all created something that's going to help so many people feel more confident about their UC claims!

This thread has been such an incredible learning experience to follow! As someone new to navigating UC claims, I had no idea how PA actually handles these complex multi-job situations. Diego's detailed documentation from start to finish has been invaluable - seeing the actual interview process, the examiner's focus on the most recent separation, and the ultimate approval gives so much hope to others in similar positions. What really stands out is how PA UC took a practical approach rather than just looking for technicalities to deny the claim. The fact that Diego maintained continuous employment after quitting that first job clearly demonstrated good faith, and the examiner understood that juggling multiple jobs can create legitimate conflicts that sometimes require difficult decisions. I'm currently working two part-time jobs while looking for full-time work, and reading through everyone's experiences here has given me so much more confidence about how these situations are actually handled. The professional insights from benefits counselors and HR folks really validate what we're seeing in practice - PA UC does understand modern employment realities. Thanks to Diego for being so thorough in sharing his journey, and to everyone who contributed their experiences and expertise. This community support makes such a difference when dealing with these stressful situations!

Congratulations on your win! That's such incredible news after fighting for 3 months. I'm actually in a very similar boat right now - my employer claimed I was fired for "poor work quality" when I was clearly laid off as part of their cost reduction initiative. My appeal hearing is scheduled for this Thursday and your story gives me so much confidence! The fact that you got the written decision immediately at the hearing is really promising for quick payment processing. From everything I've been reading here, it sounds like you should see your $6,700 within the next 5-10 business days since the referee was confident enough to rule on the spot. Your employer showing up completely unprepared with no documentation is actually perfect - it just proves they were lying and hoping it would stick without any evidence. Most companies that get caught like this don't bother with further appeals since they know they have nothing. Quick question - what kind of documentation did you bring to support your case? I have my termination letter that mentions "workforce reduction" but I'm wondering if I should gather more evidence. It sounds like being organized really helped your case! Keep checking that dashboard daily and make sure your direct deposit info is current. After 3 months of financial stress, you absolutely deserve to get that money fast. Please update us when it hits your account - it really helps those of us still in the fight to know what timeline to expect!

Congratulations on your big win! That must be such a relief after 3 months of stress and uncertainty. I went through something very similar about 6 months ago - my employer tried to claim I was fired for "performance issues" when I was actually part of a company-wide layoff. It's incredible how these companies will just blatantly lie to avoid paying UC benefits! Since you got that written decision right at the hearing, you're in a really good position. From my experience, you should see your payment within 7-10 business days. The immediate written decision shows the referee was confident in the ruling - which makes sense given how unprepared your employer was with zero documentation to back up their bogus "quit" claim. A few tips that helped me: check your PA UC dashboard every morning around 6-7am (updates usually happen overnight), double-check that your direct deposit info is still current, and definitely keep filing those weekly claims until you find new work. With $6,700 in backpay, you should get it all as one lump sum since it's under their $10k threshold for splitting payments. Given how poorly your employer performed at the hearing, I seriously doubt they'll waste money appealing to the Board of Review. Most companies only pursue that when they actually have evidence to support their case. You've survived the worst part of this ordeal - hang in there just a little longer! That money should hit your account soon and you can finally move forward without this financial stress hanging over you.

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Just accepted a job offer on Tuesday but don't start until next Monday. This thread has been such a lifesaver - I was really panicking about my weekly claim for this week. It's incredible to see how many people are going through this identical scenario and how consistent everyone's advice has been! The clear message from all these real experiences is: file normally for any week where you didn't actually work or earn wages, even if you accepted a job offer during that time. PA UC focuses on what actually happened during that specific claim week (work performed and wages earned), not on job offers or future employment plans. I was definitely overthinking this and getting myself all stressed about potentially making some mistake that could cause overpayment problems later. But reading through all these detailed success stories from people who navigated this exact transition with zero issues really gives me the confidence to move forward. This community has been such an amazing resource - thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences so thoroughly! And huge congratulations @Lilly Curtis on landing your new job - it's such an exciting feeling when you finally get that offer after all the searching and waiting!

I'm actually going through this exact same situation right now too! Just accepted a job offer this week but don't start until Monday. This thread has been absolutely incredible to find - I was really stressing about whether I should file my weekly claim for this week or not. It's so reassuring to see how many people have navigated this identical scenario successfully! The consistent advice from everyone's real experiences is crystal clear: you can file normally for any week where you didn't actually work or earn wages, even if you accepted a job offer during that time. PA UC really does focus on what actually happened during that specific claim week (work performed and wages earned), not on job offers or future employment plans. I was definitely overthinking this and getting myself all worked up about potentially making some mistake that could cause overpayment issues down the road. But seeing all these detailed success stories from people who handled it exactly this way with zero problems really gives me confidence to proceed. Thanks to everyone for sharing such helpful and thorough experiences - this community has been such a valuable resource! And huge congratulations @Lilly Curtis on landing your new job - it's such an exciting feeling when you finally get that offer after all the searching!

I went through RESEA about 6 weeks ago and can definitely relate to your nervousness about it! I was also worried about messing something up since the UC system can be so confusing. Here's what actually happened: my appointment took about 90 minutes at the local CareerLink office. The counselor was really professional and understanding - she explained right away that RESEA is designed to help people find work faster, not to trip them up. We went through my work search records (definitely bring printed copies with company names, dates, and how you applied), she helped improve my resume by suggesting better keywords for online applications, and showed me some job matching features on PA CareerLink I didn't even know existed. The most valuable part was when she identified some local employers in my field that I hadn't considered and gave me tips on how to research companies before applying. At the end you get a completion certificate that you upload to your UC portal within a few days - just don't forget this step! The whole thing was actually way more helpful than I expected and much less intimidating than I built it up to be. Just make sure to schedule ASAP since appointments book out pretty far, bring all your work search documentation organized, and arrive on time. You've got this - it's really not as scary as it seems!

I just went through RESEA about 4 weeks ago and wanted to share my experience to help calm your nerves! I was randomly selected after being on UC for about 7 weeks and had the exact same reaction - total panic and confusion about what I was getting into. My appointment at the Reading CareerLink office ended up taking about 75 minutes. The counselor was genuinely helpful and started by reassuring me that RESEA is a support program, not a "gotcha" situation. We reviewed my work search activities in detail (definitely bring printed records with company names, dates, positions, and application methods - they check this thoroughly but fairly), she helped me rewrite parts of my resume to better match current job market trends, and walked me through some PA CareerLink features I had completely overlooked. What really impressed me was that she had specific knowledge about employers in my area and actually gave me contact info for two companies that were actively hiring in my field. She also asked about any challenges I was facing in my job search (like transportation or interview prep) and had actual resources to help with those issues. At the end you get a completion certificate that you must upload to your UC dashboard within 5 business days - I recommend setting a phone reminder immediately! The whole experience was so much better than I expected and actually gave me renewed energy for my job search. Just schedule as soon as possible since they're booking 2-3 weeks out, arrive organized with all your documentation, and try not to stress too much. It's really designed to help you succeed, not catch you failing. Good luck!

One thing no one mentioned is that the 26 weeks don't have to be consecutive! If you work part-time some weeks and don't claim benefits, those weeks don't count toward your 26-week maximum. My benefit year just ended and I stretched my benefits to almost 10 months by working odd jobs here and there.

Just wanted to add that you can also check your remaining benefit balance and weeks left on the PA UC website under "View Benefit Summary" - it shows exactly how many weeks you have left out of your 26-week maximum. This helped me keep track when I was getting close to the end of my benefit year. Also, if you're getting close to exhausting your regular UC benefits, you might want to look into Extended Benefits (EB) or other federal programs that sometimes kick in during high unemployment periods, though those aren't always available.