


Ask the community...
Congratulations on finally getting your hearing date! I'm going through a similar situation - been waiting 6 weeks for my appeal hearing after being denied for "voluntary quit" even though I was actually laid off due to budget cuts. My former employer apparently told UC that I quit, which is completely false. I've been calling the referee office every morning at 8am sharp like you suggested, but still haven't gotten through. Did you have to call multiple days in a row, or did you get lucky on your first attempt? Also, when you finally got through, were they able to schedule your hearing right away during that call? Thanks for sharing your experience - it gives me hope that persistence will pay off!
@Mei Chen - I had to call for about 4 days straight before I finally got through! It was so frustrating, but I kept trying right at 8:00am using two phones like someone else mentioned. When I finally connected, yes, they were able to schedule my hearing right away during that same call. Your situation sounds really frustrating - being denied for voluntary "quit when" you were actually laid off is exactly the kind of thing these hearings are meant to sort out. Make sure you have any documentation about the layoff emails, (notices, etc. ready) for your hearing. The fact that your employer is claiming you quit when you were laid off due to budget cuts sounds like they re'trying to avoid paying into the UC system. Keep trying with those morning calls - it really does work eventually! And don t'give up on your appeal, especially with documentation showing it was a layoff.
I'm dealing with a similar appeal situation right now - been waiting 7 weeks for my hearing date after being denied for "misconduct" when I was actually let go for refusing to work in unsafe conditions. Reading through all these experiences is really helpful! @Chloe Boulanger - your situation with the safety violations sounds very similar to mine. I also have documentation of the safety issues I reported and my employer's retaliation afterward. Did you end up submitting your documents before the hearing or just having them ready during the call? And how specific did the referee get about the timeline of events? I'm definitely going to try the 8am calling strategy with two phones - that's brilliant! It's crazy that we have to resort to these tactics but it sounds like persistence really pays off. Thanks for sharing your experience and giving the rest of us hope that we can get through this process.
I'm on day 2 of waiting for my determination and already feeling anxious! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful though. It sounds like I need to adjust my expectations - I was hoping for a quick 2-3 day turnaround like some people got last year, but the 14-21 day range with the current 22% increase in claims makes total sense. I've already started my work search log and plan to file my first weekly certification this weekend. One question for those who've been through this - should I be worried if my dashboard just says "Under Review" with no other details? No open issues showing, just that basic status. Thanks for all the insights everyone - this community is already helping me feel less alone in this process!
Under" Review is exactly what mine showed too when I was at day 2!'That s the standard status for claims that are with an examiner - totally normal and not something to worry about.'You ll only see specific details if there are open issues that need your attention. It sounds like'you re already doing everything right with starting your work search log early and planning to file weekly certifications. The anxiety at day 2 is so relatable - I think we all went through that initial panic! But based on'everyone s experiences here,'you re right on track with the current processing times. Just keep doing what'you re doing and try to stay (patient easier said than done, I)know!.
I'm on day 5 of waiting for my determination and this entire thread has been such a relief! I was getting really worried when I hit the 3-day mark, but seeing everyone's experiences with the current 14-21 day processing time has helped calm my nerves. My temp contract ended and it was pretty straightforward, so I'm hoping that works in my favor. I've been keeping detailed records of my work search activities and filed my first weekly certification yesterday. The dashboard just shows "Under Review" with no open issues, which sounds normal based on what everyone's sharing. It's so helpful to know I'm not the only one constantly refreshing and checking for updates! The financial stress is real, but knowing the back pay will cover all certified weeks once approved definitely helps. Thanks to everyone for sharing their timelines - this community support makes such a difference for first-time filers like me!
I totally get the anxiety of waiting for that first payment! I went through the exact same thing with PA UC about 6 months ago. My experience was similar to what others have shared - payment showed as processed on a Wednesday and hit my account Friday morning around 6 AM. One thing that helped me was setting up account alerts through my bank app so I got a notification the moment the deposit came through instead of constantly checking. Also, since you mentioned bills piling up, you might want to call any creditors and let them know payment is coming in the next few days - most are understanding about UC delays if you communicate proactively. The wait is brutal but you're so close to relief now!
That's such a great tip about setting up bank alerts! I'm definitely going to do that right now so I stop obsessively checking my account. And you're absolutely right about calling creditors - I've been avoiding my landlord's calls but maybe I should just be upfront that the payment is coming this week. It's crazy how much stress this whole process puts you through even when you know the money is finally on its way. Thanks for sharing your experience, it really helps to know I'm not alone in this!
I know exactly how you're feeling! I was in the same boat about 8 months ago - constantly refreshing my bank app every few minutes after my UC payment showed up in the portal. For Wells Fargo specifically, I've found they usually process UC direct deposits pretty early in the morning (around 5-6 AM) so if it doesn't show up tomorrow morning, definitely check Friday. One thing that helped my sanity was remembering that even though the UC system can be painfully slow with approvals, they're actually pretty reliable once payments are processed. You've made it through the hardest part - getting approved! The money is definitely coming, probably within 48 hours. Hang in there!
Thanks so much for the Wells Fargo timing info - that's exactly what I needed to hear! Knowing it usually hits around 5-6 AM gives me a specific time to check rather than refreshing all day long. You're absolutely right that getting approved was the hardest part. I keep having to remind myself that I made it through weeks of uncertainty and now it's just a matter of waiting a couple more days for the actual money. I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here - it makes this whole process feel so much less isolating when you realize other people have been through the exact same stress and came out okay on the other side!
I'm new to this community but wanted to share some encouragement as someone who recently went through a similar UC appeals process in PA. Your situation sounds like it has all the right elements for approval - the documented accommodation requests, safety concerns for your children, and the rural childcare desert you're dealing with. One thing that really helped my case was creating a simple one-page timeline that I could reference during my phone interview. It showed: when my childcare situation changed, each date I requested help from my employer, when they denied me, and finally when I had no choice but to quit. Having that visual really helped me stay focused and not get flustered during the interview. Also, since you mentioned you're finishing college courses - that actually might work in your favor too. It shows you're actively working toward improving your employment prospects and weren't just looking for an excuse to quit. Make sure to mention that you're a student when you speak with UC representatives. The fact that your employer used the union negotiations as a blanket excuse to deny ALL schedule changes seems particularly unfair, especially for such a minor 15-minute adjustment after you'd been there 4+ years. That kind of inflexibility from management often doesn't look good to UC reviewers. Stay strong - you clearly did everything possible before making this difficult decision!
This is such helpful advice about creating a timeline! I've been feeling overwhelmed trying to organize all the details, but having a simple one-page reference for the phone interview is brilliant. You're right that it would help me stay focused and not get emotional or flustered when explaining everything. I hadn't thought about mentioning that I'm in college, but you make a great point that it shows I'm working toward bettering my situation, not just avoiding work. The timeline idea especially appeals to me because I can clearly show the progression from "everything was working" to "childcare crisis" to "multiple attempts to solve it" to "forced to quit as last resort." Thank you for the encouragement - it really helps to hear from someone who successfully navigated this process!
I'm new to this community but wanted to reach out because your story really touched me. As a single parent myself, I know how impossible these situations can feel when you're trying to balance work and your children's safety. What really stands out to me about your case is how proactive you were in trying to solve the problem before quitting - 20+ internal job applications plus multiple accommodation requests shows incredible effort on your part. The fact that your employer wouldn't budge even 15 minutes after 4+ years of employment seems unreasonable, especially when you were dealing with a genuine emergency. I'm curious - when you fill out that questionnaire they sent, are you planning to include information about the specific daycare situation in your rural area? It might be worth documenting not just that there's only one facility that could work for your needs, but also the broader lack of childcare infrastructure in your county. Sometimes UC reviewers who live in urban areas don't fully understand how limited rural options can be. Also, the safety aspect with your mom becoming abusive toward your children is really important. That wasn't a gradual inconvenience - it was an immediate threat that required you to act quickly to protect your kids. No reasonable person would expect you to continue exposing your children to harm just to maintain employment. Keep us posted on how your case develops. From everything I've read here, it sounds like you have a strong foundation for approval, even if it takes an appeal to get there. You're clearly a dedicated parent and employee who was put in an impossible situation.
Thank you for this understanding response! You're absolutely right about including information about the rural childcare infrastructure in my questionnaire - I think people in urban areas really don't grasp how different it is out here. I should probably explain that it's not just about convenience or preference, but that there literally are only 2-3 licensed facilities in our entire county, and only one that serves both age groups I need. I could even mention that the nearest alternative is 45+ minutes away, which would make my work schedule completely impossible even if they had openings. Your point about the safety situation being immediate rather than gradual is spot on - when my mom started getting physical with the kids, there was no "let me think about this for a few weeks" option. I had to act right away to protect them. It's reassuring to hear from another single parent who understands these impossible choices. I'll definitely keep everyone updated as the process moves forward!
Harmony Love
As someone who's been navigating PA UC for a while now, I'm so glad to see this resolved! The RESEA exemption confusion seems to happen way more often than it should - I've seen probably a dozen posts about this exact issue over the past few months. Your experience really highlights how important it is to act quickly when you get those threatening emails from UC. The system errors are frustrating but they're usually fixable if you have the right documentation and can get through to someone who knows what they're doing. Thanks for sharing your resolution - it'll definitely help the next person who runs into this same problem!
0 coins
Ahooker-Equator
•@Harmony Love you re'so right about how common this RESEA issue seems to be! I m'new to this community but just reading through this thread, it s'clear that system glitches between CareerLink and UC are happening to a lot of people. It s'really frustrating that folks have to stress about losing benefits due to technical errors, but it s'reassuring to see how quickly it got resolved once @Fatima Al-Mansour was able to talk to the right person. Definitely taking notes on all the documentation advice here - seems like having screenshots saved me before problems even start is the way to go!
0 coins
William Rivera
This thread is such a perfect example of why I love this community! @Fatima Al-Mansour, I'm so relieved you got this sorted out quickly. The RESEA system issues are absolutely maddening - I went through something similar a few months back where the systems weren't syncing properly. The stress of potentially losing benefits over a technical glitch is just awful. For anyone else reading this who might face RESEA confusion: the advice here about screenshots is golden. Also, if you're exempt, make sure to check both your CareerLink dashboard AND your UC account periodically to catch any discrepancies early. Sometimes these system errors pop up weeks or even months later. The Claimyr service mention is interesting too - I've heard mixed reviews but it sounds like it worked well in this case. Sometimes paying a small fee is worth it when your benefits are on the line and you can't get through the regular phone lines. Thanks for updating us with the resolution - these success stories really help others know there's light at the end of the tunnel!
0 coins
Natasha Volkov
•@William Rivera this is exactly why I joined this community! I m'still pretty new to dealing with UC but seeing how everyone shares their experiences and actually helps each other solve real problems is incredible. The RESEA system sounds like a nightmare - I haven t'had to deal with it yet but now I know to take screenshots of everything just in case. It s'crazy that people have to worry about losing benefits due to technical glitches that aren t'their fault. Really glad @Fatima Al-Mansour got it resolved so quickly once she could talk to someone. Definitely bookmarking all this advice for future reference!
0 coins