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This thread has been absolutely fantastic! As someone who just started collecting UC benefits a few weeks ago, I'm so grateful to have this roadmap for when I hopefully land a new job. The clarity everyone provided is amazing - keep filing weekly certifications until you actually start working, then mark your return to full-time employment on that week's certification. What really opened my eyes were all the stories about problems people faced when they just stopped filing without properly closing their claims. Those "irregular closure" situations sound like a bureaucratic nightmare I definitely want to avoid. I'm taking notes on all the pro tips too - keeping screenshots and confirmation emails, setting phone reminders for that final certification week, and being aware that even unpaid training/orientation days count as work. This community knowledge is so much more comprehensive than anything I could find on the official PA UC website. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - you've probably saved a lot of people from major headaches down the road!
This thread is incredibly thorough and helpful! I just want to emphasize one more important point that might not be obvious - if you're switching from UC to a new job, make sure your new employer knows you were recently on unemployment. Not because there's anything wrong with it, but because some employers have partnerships with state programs that provide hiring incentives or tax credits for bringing on workers who were receiving UC benefits. My last employer actually got a tax credit for hiring me, and it was a win-win situation. It's worth mentioning during your onboarding process - you never know if there are additional benefits available that could help both you and your new company. Plus, being upfront about properly closing your UC claim shows professionalism and attention to detail that employers appreciate.
Reading through this entire thread has been so eye-opening! I'm currently in week 2 of my PA UC approval and thanks to everyone's experiences shared here, I now know I need to keep filing biweekly claims. I honestly had no idea - like so many others, I thought getting approved meant the payments would just start automatically. The detailed breakdown of the 14-day window, the early morning calling strategy, and especially the work search documentation requirements are incredibly valuable. I'm definitely going to start keeping that spreadsheet @Felicity Bud mentioned to track my job applications with dates and specifics. It's really frustrating that PA UC doesn't make these ongoing requirements clear upfront, but this community stepping up to help each other navigate the system is amazing. I'm bookmarking this thread and will definitely pay it forward if I see someone else with similar questions. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences - you've probably saved me and many others from weeks of stress and confusion!
@Clay blendedgen you re'so smart to be reading through this thread now while you re'still in week 2! You re'going to save yourself so much potential headache by learning about the biweekly filing requirement early. That spreadsheet idea really is a game-changer - I wish I had started tracking my job searches from day one instead of trying to piece everything together later. It s'honestly ridiculous that PA UC doesn t'send a clear follow-up email after approval saying something like Congratulations! "Now here s'what you need to do every two weeks to keep getting paid. This" thread has become like the unofficial user manual that PA UC should have provided in the first place. Welcome to the community and glad you found this before running into any issues!
This thread is absolutely incredible! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - got approved for PA UC about a week ago and had no clue about the weekly filing requirement until I found this discussion. The amount of detailed, practical advice here is amazing and honestly way more helpful than anything on the official PA UC website. I'm particularly grateful for the tips about the 14-day window and the early morning calling strategy. Since I'm only at the one-week mark, it sounds like I should still be able to file through the regular system without needing to call. Going to log in right now and look for that biweekly filing option! Also starting that work search spreadsheet immediately - the idea of having to reconstruct job applications from memory weeks later sounds like a nightmare. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences and timelines. This is exactly the kind of community support that makes navigating these confusing government systems actually manageable!
@Adaline Wong you re'in such a good spot being only one week out! You should definitely be able to file through the regular system without any issues. When you log in, look for the File "Biweekly Claim option" on your dashboard - it should let you select the week you missed. Since you caught this early, you ll'avoid all the phone call drama that the rest of us had to deal with! And yes, definitely start that spreadsheet right away - future you will thank you for keeping detailed records from the beginning. It s'so great to see people learning from this thread and avoiding the same mistakes we all made. Keep us posted on how it goes!
@Adaline Wong you re'so lucky to have found this thread early! Being only a week out puts you in the perfect position to avoid all the complications the rest of us faced. When you log into your PA UC account, the biweekly filing option should be right on your main dashboard - it s'usually pretty prominently displayed. Since you re'still well within that 14-day window, you should be able to select that missed week without any issues. The system will walk you through the same certification questions you d'answer for current weeks, so just be ready with your work search activities from that week. This thread really has become the unofficial guide that PA UC should provide! Glad you re'getting ahead of this before it becomes a bigger headache.
Kennedy, I've been following this entire thread and I'm honestly amazed at how much valuable information you've received from this community! As someone who works as a paralegal specializing in employment law, I can confirm that all the legal advice you've gotten here is spot-on. Your case is about as strong as they get for UC appeals. Having 15 people laid off from your department is what we call "slam dunk" evidence of legitimate business restructuring. The non-fault overpayment protections everyone has explained will absolutely shield you from having to repay those benefits you've already received. I wanted to add one small but important detail: during your phone hearing, make sure you're in a quiet location with good reception and have all your documents spread out in front of you for easy reference. Sometimes technical issues or fumbling for papers can make claimants seem unprepared even when they have great cases like yours. You've gone from being terrified about owing back $4,800 to being better prepared than 99% of claimants who go into these hearings. Between your rock-solid documentation, understanding of the non-fault protections, and all the practical tips you've gathered here, June 15th should go very smoothly. This thread is honestly a masterclass in how community support can turn a scary situation into a manageable one!
Kennedy, I've been reading through this entire thread and I'm so impressed by how this community has rallied around you! As someone who went through a PA UC employer appeal in 2021, I can add my voice to everyone confirming that you're in excellent shape. My situation was almost identical - laid off as part of a department restructuring affecting 12 people, employer appealed claiming "performance issues," and I was terrified about repaying benefits. Just like all the experts here have explained, the non-fault overpayment protections worked exactly as intended - I never had to repay a single dollar. One thing that really struck me reading your updates is how much stronger your case is than mine was. Having 15 people eliminated from your department, plus all that documentation about business restructuring, makes this about as clear-cut as UC cases get. Your employer is really reaching by appealing this. The preparation advice you've gotten here is fantastic - that one-page summary idea, requesting their evidence beforehand, having coworker contact info ready - all of that will serve you well. Most importantly, you now understand your legal protections and rights, which takes away so much of the fear. You've transformed from panicking to being incredibly well-prepared. June 15th is going to go great! This thread should honestly be pinned as a resource for anyone facing employer appeals - the expertise and support shown here is just amazing.
Just want to add another potential cause that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you started working for your employer late in a quarter, they might not have included you in their quarterly wage report until the following quarter. For example, if you started in mid-December, your wages might not show up until they file their Q1 report. Also, some employers (especially smaller ones) sometimes file their wage reports late or make corrections after the initial filing. This can cause temporary mismatches in the UC system even when everything is actually correct. @23909c3d58a1 Diego - really glad you got it resolved! Your experience will definitely help others dealing with the same issue. The parent company name thing is so common but not something most people would think to check.
@4f686a384ebd Sofia, that's a really important point about the quarterly reporting timing! I actually just went through this exact situation last month. I started my job in late November and when I filed my UC claim in February, it initially showed no wages because my employer hadn't submitted their Q4 report yet when I filed. It took about 2 weeks for the system to update once they filed, but UC was able to backdate everything once it was resolved. The key thing I learned is to keep all your documentation (paystubs, offer letter, etc.) because you might need to prove your start date to UC if there's a timing issue with the quarterly reports. @23909c3d58a1 Diego, your success story gives me a lot of hope! I'm bookmarking this whole thread because there's so much useful information here for anyone dealing with wage reporting issues. Thanks for keeping us updated on your progress!
This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm a new member here and just filed my UC claim last week, only to get the same "employer hasn't reported wages" message. Reading through everyone's experiences has given me a much clearer roadmap for what to do. I'm definitely going to start with calling my employer's HR department tomorrow to check on the company name issue that @23909c3d58a1 Diego discovered. My company was recently acquired by a larger corporation, so there's a good chance they're reporting wages under the parent company name now. A few questions for the group: 1. When you call UC, is there a specific department or extension that handles wage reporting issues, or do you just go through the general line? 2. For those who successfully resolved this - did UC automatically process any back payments for the weeks you were waiting, or did you have to request that separately? 3. Should I be documenting all my phone calls and attempts to reach UC in case I need to escalate this later? Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is a lifesaver when the official system is so hard to navigate!
Clarissa Flair
I'm going through something very similar right now - got terminated from Amazon a few days ago for attendance issues and I'm honestly panicking about the whole UC process. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful though, especially seeing that people are actually winning these appeals! I had 5 tardies and 2 absences over about 4 months. One absence was when my car broke down on the highway (I have the towing receipt), and the other was when I had food poisoning. The tardies were mostly traffic-related but a couple were my fault - I overslept twice. I always called the ERC though and got confirmation numbers. My biggest worry is that HR mentioned "willful misconduct" when they fired me too, and I keep seeing that phrase in the denial letters people are talking about. But it sounds like that's just their standard language and doesn't necessarily mean you can't win on appeal? I'm definitely going to file today and start putting together that documentation chart everyone's mentioning. For anyone who's been through this - is it worth trying to get a statement from the towing company about my car breakdown, or is the receipt enough proof? Just want to make sure I have everything I need for when this inevitably gets denied the first time. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - it's making this whole situation feel a little less hopeless!
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Keisha Williams
•Hey Clarissa! I'm new to this community but going through almost the exact same situation right now - just got fired from Amazon for attendance issues too and I'm scared about the UC process. Your situation actually sounds really similar to mine (car trouble, sick days, some tardies that were my fault but I always called in). From reading through all these responses, it definitely seems like "willful misconduct" is just their standard scary language they use on everyone! And the towing receipt should be perfect proof for your car breakdown - that's exactly the kind of documentation people are saying helped them win their appeals. I wouldn't think you need an extra statement from the towing company since the receipt shows the date, time, and that you had a legitimate emergency. The fact that you always called the ERC and have confirmation numbers puts you in a really good position. It sounds like following proper procedures is a huge part of what the referees look at during appeals. I'm filing my claim today too after reading all this advice. We've got this! Thanks for sharing your situation - it helps to know I'm not alone in this mess!
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Carmen Diaz
Just wanted to jump in here as someone who's been following PA unemployment law for a while. One thing I don't see mentioned much is that Amazon's attendance policy has actually been challenged successfully in other states because of how rigid it is. Pennsylvania tends to be more worker-friendly than some states when it comes to "good cause" determinations. A few additional tips based on what I've seen work: - If you had any documented conversations with supervisors about your attendance issues before termination, include those in your appeal - Amazon's own employee handbook mentions accommodations for certain situations - if any of your absences could have qualified but weren't offered, bring that up - The ERC confirmation numbers are GOLD - they prove you followed procedure exactly as required Also, don't let the initial denial discourage you. I've seen statistics showing that over 60% of attendance-related misconduct denials get overturned on appeal in PA when the claimant shows up prepared with documentation. Amazon relies on people giving up after the first denial. Stay strong everyone - the system is definitely stacked against workers initially, but persistence and good documentation really do pay off!
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NeonNebula
•This is such valuable information, thank you Carmen! I had no idea about Amazon's policy being challenged in other states or those statistics about appeals getting overturned. That 60% success rate is really encouraging! I actually did have a conversation with my supervisor about my attendance about a month before I got fired - she said she understood that having a sick kid was tough but that policy was policy. I didn't think to document that conversation at the time, but I remember the date. Should I still mention it in my appeal even without written proof? Also, you mentioned accommodations in the employee handbook - I never thought to look into whether I should have been offered anything for the childcare-related absences. Going to dig out my handbook tonight. Thanks for giving me hope that this system isn't completely rigged against us!
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