Pennsylvania (PA) Department of Labor and Industry – End of Enhanced Unemployment Benefits Under PUA, PEUC, MEUC and $300 FPUC Programs. Retroactive Benefit Payment Updates

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (L&I) manages the states’ unemployment insurance program, which includes the federally funded pandemic unemployment programs. See further details below on the newly enhanced benefits available now, how to file a claim and whom to contact.

Also per the official PA unemployment website, they are aware of the ongoing issues people are experiencing when filing claims with the new unemployment system in place. You can see the comments forum at the end of this article for some of the reported issues and delayed payments.

How Much Unemployment Can I Get In Pennsylvania?

With the expiry the pandemic unemployment programs, only traditional/regular state unemployment is now available for full or partial unemployment claims. The table below provides key details on the latest unemployment benefits and qualifying wage requirements in the state.

You will need to submit a claim or certify your application via your state’s unemployment department to get your actual weekly benefit amount.

Note that to qualify for unemployment, your job or hours worked loss will generally need to be involuntary. I.e. through no fault of your own or via directly quitting. Your job and wages must also have been paid by an employer or source that deducted unemployment insurance taxes per state law (see your paycheck).

Further if you are being paid severance via a layoff or able to use sick leave or paid vacation, you cannot claim unemployment.

You will also need to certify for benefits at regular intervals (weekly or bi-weekly), demonstrate ongoing work availability and evidence of search requirements to keep getting weekly unemployment benefits.

Weekly Unemployment Available
(Min – Max)
$68 – $594
Additional eligible dependent benefitsAdditional $5 weekly for a dependent spouse or one dependent child plus $3 weekly for additional dependent child. Allowance for dependents cannot exceed $8 per week.
Max number of Weeks covered in Benefit Year26
Qualifying Wage Base for getting Unemployment (Min to Max)Qualifying Gross Wage: $2,718 to $23,948
37% of the employee’s total base year wages have been paid in one or more quarters. Credit week min earning req = $116
Part-Time Workers UI benefits key criteriaYou can get a partial benefit credit (PBC) based on earnings in a week.
Earn less than PBC = no reduction in benefits.
Earn more than PBC = reduce benefits dollar-for-dollar basis unital no benefits paid
PA Unemployment Benefits Summary (source: PA OIC)

Why is my weekly benefit payment lower than the maximum amount?

Your actual weekly benefit amount (WBA) is the amount of money your state agency has determined you may receive for regular unemployment insurance after filing a claim. This can change weekly based on your certification or claim for benefits.

It is based on the amount that you were paid by all employers over the states pre-defined basic or alternate wage based period(s), which are generally based on the past 4 to 5 calendar quarters spanning 12 to 18 months. The higher your earnings, the higher your approved WBA will be, up to the maximum amount allowed in the state.

Certain states also provide additional unemployment benefits for qualified dependents you are primarily responsible for, which could impact your maximum weekly benefit amount. See above table for details.

Any part time or temporary earnings from employment or other activities during eligible weeks you are claiming and certifying for benefits, will potentially reduce the amount of benefits you may get.

What if I worked or lived in another state?

If you worked or lived in another state during the base year, you should file your unemployment benefits claim in the state you worked in. Not where you reside at the time of claim.

Your claim will be paid and governed by laws of that state in which you applied for. You will need to report this on your state and federal income taxes per form 1099-G issued by the state’s UI agency.

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End of Federal Enhanced Benefits in Pennsylvania (PUA, PEUC, $300 FPUC and $100 MEUC)

Claimants on the PEUC, PUA, MEUC and FPUC programs certified for benefits for the last time covering the week ending September 4, 2021. Any active claims, with or without remaining balances, expired after this date and any weeks after Sep 5th will NOT be paid.

Claimants will also need to apply or reapply for UI benefits when they reach the end of their current benefit year (see your online payment history for this date). They must also have worked and earned enough qualified wages in the benefit year to qualify (minimum of 18 credit weeks).

While there has been a lot of discussion around extending pandemic unemployment benefits, the Biden administration has confirmed that states will have to use already allocated stimulus funding to expand or extend traditional state unemployment programs. PA state leaders have not indicated they are planning to do so at this stage, but I will post updates if things change.

Unemployment Benefit Extensions to September 2021

Under President Biden’s $1.9 trillion federal coronavirus relief package, known as the American Rescue Plan (ARPA), enhanced unemployment benefits have been extended until September 6th. This includes further extensions to the PUA program, PEUC program, $300 weekly payment under the FPUC program and $100 Mixed Earners (MEUC) program.

There were also provisions in the Biden Stimulus package for Unemployment tax breaks on the first $10,200 of benefits received in 2020.

Note that unlike many other states which ended pandemic benefits early, PA has kept theirs in place until the week ending September 4th in line with available federal funding.

PA – Latest News and Status on PUA, PEUC, MEUC and $300 FPUC Extensions and Payment Schedule

The PA Dept. of L&I and their vendor has now updated their program/systems to enable the 25 (out of the 29 legislated) weeks of extensions funded under the ARPA Program. They will notify claimants who exhausted those benefits when their payments are ready to resume. Anyone currently collecting unemployment in any amount will also receive the $300 FPUC supplemental benefit.

PUA Claimants – Extended weeks now available for all new and active claimants. PUA benefits are payable for weeks of unemployment, partial unemployment, or inability to work caused by approved COVID-19 related reasons. The Weekly Benefit Amount is based on 2019 or 2020 taxes, 1099’s, W-2, or any additional documentation that will verify 2019 or 2020 earnings (you will be asked to submit documents via your UI portal). If you applied for PUA in 2020, your Weekly Benefit Amount is based upon the earnings for 2019. If you applied in 2021, your Weekly Benefit Amount is based upon your 2020 earnings.

PEUC Claimants – Extended weeks now available. New applicants or those in a new benefit year will need to exhaust regular/traditional unemployment state benefits before getting PEUC benefits. Weekly Benefit Amount based on regular unemployment claim. Extended Benefits becomes available after regular UC benefits and PEUC benefits are exhausted.

MEUC benefits Online applications can be submitted until September 3rd, 2021. Supporting documents for claiming the extra $100 under this program MUST be submitted within 30 days of the application date. However it could take several weeks for the benefits to be paid given the processing queue and claimants should not submit more than once. Retroactive payments will be made where applicable.

All active claimants receiving regular state unemployment, PUA and PEUC will also continue to get the supplementary $300 FPUC weekly payment until September 4th, 2021.

Note – *Federal Law and UC portal will display PUA benefits increases to 79 weeks and PEUC up to 53 weeks — this is an error. Claimants will only receive PUA benefits increases to 75 weeks and for PEUC up to 49 weeks due to the last payable week of benefits being week ending September 4, 2021. See more on why this happened.

See more updates from the PA DOL here and the summary diagram below on the federal enhanced benefit programs. Per the comment forum below this article some claimants are still seeing delays or issues with their claims/payments. I will provide ongoing updates on resolution of these issues and further extensions, which you can follow via the options below.

PA DOL Unemployment Extensions

2021 Unemployment Program Extensions Under COVID Relief Bill

The $900 billion COVID-19 relief package was passed into law on Dec. 27, 2020, which among several other pandemic relief measures extends and provides additional federal funding for enhanced unemployment benefits. This includes the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) and a reinstatement, but halving of the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) Program which provides a $300 supplemental weekly unemployment payment.

These programs have been funded and extended for 11 weeks (on top of any state funded extensions), covering the weeks of December 27th, 2020 to March 14th, 2021. The $300 FPUC will only be available from the week ending 1/2/21 (subject to states updating systems) and eligible claimants can receive up to 11 weeks of payments for a maximum total of $3,300). To receive FPUC benefits, you must be receiving and certifying for regular UI, PEUC, EB, or PUA UI benefits.

PA Dept of Labor and Industry – 2021 Unemployment Extension Payment Updates and Latest News – PUA and PEUC claimants

PEUC Claimants – Program Now Available from January 24th

  • You can file for the additional 11 claim weeks during your biweekly cycle beginning Sunday, January 24.
  • If you had some of your original 13 weeks left over on December 26, you will also receive the additional 11 weeks on Sunday.
  • If you were being paid on the Pennsylvania’s Extended Benefits (EB) program before December 26, 2020, you MUST complete your EB benefits before the additional 11 weeks of PEUC can be added to your claim.
  • You will automatically receive the extra $300 weekly Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) – you do not need to take any action to get this boost.
  • PEUC provides additional claim weeks to workers who have exhausted their regular Unemployment Compensation (UC) benefits. Claimants are automatically enrolled in PEUC after they have reached their maximum claim weeks for UC.
  • If you need to request backdating for the weeks between January 2 through January 23, please email [email protected].

PUA Claimants

  • Existing PUA claimants can now file (via their PUA dashboard) for the additional 11 weeks of PUA payments. If approved, will be added to their accounts. Claimants are asked to this by Jan 29th, 2021
  • Eligible PUA claimants will be able to file for the weeks of January: 2nd; 9th; 16th; and 23rd
  • PUA claimants that no longer had claim weeks or did not file for the week ending Dec. 26 for any reason MUST REOPEN their claim before they can proceed. To do this, log onto your dashboard and click on the link to reopen a claim.
  • If you tried to open a new claim while the PUA program was inactive, you will have error codes that the UC staff must fix before you can proceed. Please be patient while we work quickly to resolve your issue.
  • If you are a new, first-time PUA claimant opening a claim in 2021, you cannot yet file. The PA Dept of L&I is still adding 2020 as a base wage year in the system and will notify you when you are able to file for benefits. 
  • You will automatically receive the extra $300 weekly Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) – you do not need to take any action to get this boost.

Open/Known issues

The PA L&I is aware of ongoing issues for certain groups of claimants per their latest Twitter update below. The main issue is for new claims being filed this year. You cannot do much at this time other than wait for updates from PA L&I

PUA claimants that experience additional issues with their claims can email [email protected] and provide a short description of the problem, their name as it appears on their claim, and the last four digits of their Social Security number. This is another way to get a response if you cannot get through to anyone.

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January 21st, 2021 update: Active recipients under regular UI and getting State EB are being paid benefits, including the $300 weekly unemployment payment. However those who have exhausted their PUA and PEUC claims will see delays in continuing their benefits under the extended 11 week coverage period and subsequently will not get the supplementary $300 UI payment until those claims can be filed. The PA Dep of L&I has provided the following updates on delays with extending PUA and PEUC claims.

Funds are automatically added to UC claimant payments – Claimants DO NOT need to apply. PA’ians on UC may see FPUC payments as early as Tues., Jan. 12. PUA and PEUC programs are being updated to allow the extended payments to be applied for existing and newly eligible claimants.

PA Office of Unemployment Compensation

Opened a new PUA claim prior to 12/27/2020: Do not take any action at this time. PA Dept of L&I will let you know when you should resume filing you benefit certifications. In the meantime, claimants should wait for further instructions before filing for additional weeks. Claimants enrolled in the programs prior to Dec. 26 should not file a new claim. 

If you have never had a PUA claim and have now opened (or plan to open) a new PUA claim 12/27/2020 or later: you may complete the application to have a PUA claim (see below), and must begin filing your weekly certifications for benefits. No payments will be released until the Department receives federal guidance and fully implemented.

Note: Some claimants have reported seeing what they believe are errors in their PUA system dashboard, but this is due to the reprogramming and the correct amounts will be populated into claimants’ dashboards when the system is ready to accept the new claims.

PEUC claimants: Those who had claim weeks remaining on Dec. 26 can now file for and receive payments for eligible weeks. The additional 11 weeks provided by the extension of the federal CARES Act have not yet been added to claimants’ accounts and cannot be paid at this time. L&I will update claimants when these weeks become available.

State Extended Benefits (EB) were unaffected by the expiration and extension of the federally funded PUA and PEUC programs. Some claimants who filed EB claims on Jan. 10 did not receive their payments on time due to a programmatic glitch. The issue was identified and remedied and payments to the affected claimants were reissued on January 17, 2020

UI claimants with existing or expired claim balances should be aware of the following general guidelines:

  • PUA and PEUC, FPUC will be automatically added and to the claimants’ benefits if they are eligible for the weeks outlined in the new legislation.
  • Claimants who will have additional weeks in UI and PUA or PEUC due to state provisions (where applicable) should watch their state agency UI portal or website for updates that will allow additional weeks to be filed.
  • Claimants will receive retroactive payments for all weeks they are eligible This applies to all enhanced benefit programs and people will receive backpay to the first day they were eligible. 
  • Claimants currently receiving benefits through the Extended Benefits program must finish all weeks of EB before receiving additional weeks of PEUC.

I will post additional details as they are released in coming days. So stay tuned for updates.


Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) Program – Now Expired/Paid

Pennsylvania has now paid out the 300 weekly payment under the LWA program, which provided supplemental payments to eligible unemployment benefits claimants who have been unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work due to disruptions caused by COVID-19. The PA L&I department started making payments to eligible claimants starting September 17th (see latest LWA payout tracker by state ). A maximum of 6 weeks or $1800 of payments were made.

There was no new application for LWA. Claimants eligible for LWA will automatically receive LWA funds in addition to their weekly benefit amount as long they are eligible for unemployment benefits and unemployed or partially unemployed as a result of COVID-19.

If you are not on PUA, you will have to certify only ONCE for the LWA program. Complete your LWA Certification as soon as possible as funds are limited and not guaranteed. The LWA certification will be available when you’re due to file your biweekly claim, or it will be available if you are no longer filing. See more on the PA LWA page.

LWA Program Eligibility

  • You must be fully or partially unemployed due to COVID-19, and
  • You must have a weekly benefit rate + dependent allowance totaling $100 or more, and
  • You must receive a payment each week from an existing UI program

Starting Sunday, Sept. 6, individuals should fill out their LWA certification using their UC PIN by selecting “Complete LWA Certification” in the same application used to file biweekly claims.

On Sept. 9, 2020 the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) notified L&I that the last week for LWA benefit program is Sept. 5, 2020 due to the fund’s depletion. This is not an L&I decision. No additional payments will be allowed after Sept. 5, 2020. Hence the maximum payout for the LWA program is 6 weeks, or $1800.

The new LWA payment would be in addition to Regular Unemployment Insurance (UI), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), or Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) payments currently available to unemployed workers. LWA Payments will will be retroactive to week ending August 1, 2020.


COVID 19 (CARES) Enhanced Benefits and Payment Issues

Under the CARES act, there are three types of federal unemployment assistance now available:

• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA): expands eligibility for individuals who are typically ineligible for
Unemployment benefits, for example independent contractors, and self-employed and “gig” workers. In general, PUA provides up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits.

​Eligible, approved claimants who have no issues with their claim will receive their very first PUA payment – whether it’s the backdated lump sum payment or a regular weekly payment – within one week or less after filing their first certification. Claimants will receive their regular weekly payments within three business days after filing their weekly certification. Questions about your claims should be emailed to [email protected]. You should expect to receive a response within 7 days. This email address is for PUA questions only. Any emails unrelated to PUA will not receive a response.

Note – PUA claimants will notice a federally-required change in the weekly claim application for benefits, which was added to Pennsylvania’s PUA application on Friday, June 12. The U.S. Department of Labor requires individuals to certify for each week of PUA benefits claimed that they are unemployed for at least one of the valid COVID-19 reasons that cause their job loss.

Also going forward, recipients of unemployment benefits under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) programs will be transitioned from paying by check to payment by electronic deposits on debit cards. This is to battle fraud and address delays in payments to several recipients. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (L&I) is providing debit cards via U.S. Bank ReliaCard, which is a secure, reliable, and prompt method of delivering funds, are being mailed to you at this time. You should expect to receive your card starting from about June 19, 2020, until July 7, 2020.

• Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC): provides an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits to individuals who previously collected state or federal unemployment compensation (UC) but exhausted those benefits. PEUC benefits are available to qualified individuals whose regular UC benefits exhausted July 6, 2019 or later; and are unemployed for weeks within the time frame of March 29 through December 26, 2020. Learn more about PEUC in the Pennsylvania PEUC Claimants Brochure (UCP-26) and PEUC FAQs for additional information.

• Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) [NOW EXPIRED]: provides an additional $600 per week, on top of regular benefits. All individuals collecting any type of UC, including PEUC, will receive $600 per week in addition to their weekly benefits as calculated. FPUC payments began the week ending April 4, 2020 and will end July 25, 2020. UC claimants should now be receiving the FPUC payments, which are paid approximately one week after regular UC benefits are paid. Once the PUA Program is making payments, FPUC payments will be made retroactively for any backdated weeks of benefits for weeks ending April 4, 2020 and later. The $600 per week will be separate payments from your bi-weekly benefit. 

Backdating your Unemployment Claim’s effective date

if you are looking to have the effective date of your claim earlier than the week in which you opened your claim, you can call the PUA Call Center at 855-284-8545 OR you can send an email request to [email protected].

Email Backdating Request:

  • Include “Back Date Request” in the subject line of the email
  • Provide exact dates and how COVID affected your employment or self-employment for the additional weeks you wish to claim.
    • Examples: I want to backdate to March 22nd because I have not worked since March 20th and where I worked has remained closed due to the Governor’s closure orders.” OR “I want to go back to March 15th because I had to temporarily close my business until June 6th due to the Governor’s closure orders. Please note I don’t need to claim as of June 7 because I have re-opened my business as of June 8.” 
  • Send only one email request as they will be processed as fast as possible and multiple requests will only delay our ability to process in a timely manner.

Filing Claims

Filing a Claim for Regular UI

At this time, only our Internet Initial Application for UC benefits is available.  Click here to continue filing an application for PA UC benefits.

Filing a Claim for PEUC

File for PEUC

Individuals who are currently receiving regular unemployment benefits do NOT need to apply. Once the balance of your benefits is received, you will automatically be enrolled in the PEUC program for the additional 13 weeks of benefits.

Filing an Initial Claim for PUA

Make sure to review the PUA System Guide for helpful information on what to have ready to prepare for registering and filing your initial claim. You’ll also want to collect proof of earnings documents in advance. Click here to File for PUA

You CAN manage everything through your PUA dashboard – check on your claim status, upload documents, see payment information, etc.

Getting Your Unemployment benefit payment

You can receive UC benefit payments either by debit card or direct deposit.

My employer offered me my job back but at reduced hours.  I would make more staying on unemployment.  Can I do this?

​No. If you are offered work by your employer and refuse to accept it, even if it is at reduced hours, and your acceptance is without good cause, you may no longer be eligible for UC. Determining whether there was good cause for a refusal of work is driven by the facts of each claimant’s circumstances. UC staff would review those specific reasons and make determinations based on the facts of their individual cases.

If you do return to work at reduced hours, and this results in a reduced weekly income compared to your weekly income prior to filing for UC, you may be eligible for partial UC plus the $600 FPUC per week.

See more FAQs and Scenarios specific to PA residents here.

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293 thoughts on “Pennsylvania (PA) Department of Labor and Industry – End of Enhanced Unemployment Benefits Under PUA, PEUC, MEUC and $300 FPUC Programs. Retroactive Benefit Payment Updates”

  1. I got approved for my pua pa and I put my request for backpay in and that was almost a month ago. Everyone in home has Covid19 and I’m on a whole other part because I don’t I can’t afford to leave I have been off work since March and we are so behind I have to get tested every week and it’s very hard on us and everybody. I really need my backpay to get up to date on my bills and find somewhere to go I’m scared I’m a be next. None of the numbers work and I only got paid for two months f the three weeks and at this point idk what to do

    Reply
    • I requested my backpay four months ago next week. I just called and spoke to a uc rep amd thwy told me still processing that they are so backed up theres no time frame in which am examiner has to get to it.

      Reply
    • How do you apply for the backpay. I have an effective date for July 17th. But I lost my job on April 1st due to COVID. I have been receiving my weekly payment but I can’t get my backpay. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

      Reply
      • I believe you can only go back 2 weeks now. If that. But under “file weekly certification “ is where you would do it. You can’t go back any further than the beginning of the claim date you originally filed for example when I filed in June I backdated it to February 6 and was paid retroactively one lump sum in July 16,000 then continue to file weekly until my benefits were exhausted at the end of October I’m in a pickle myself as I filed a new claim because I was told after exhausting your benefits that’s what to do today they have a big red banner on the top of the website telling the exact opposite mass confusion can’t get a hold of anybody can I get an answer out of anybody this has gotten to be on stupid people are starving. Luckily utility companies and landlords are unable to evict nor terminate your service at this time however it’s a good idea to try to keep the balance is as low as possible because when they lift that veil believe me they’re not gonna have any mercy or care about your problem that’s the world we live in today good luck hope everything works out just keep trying and you will get the money but you have to be persistent

        Reply
  2. I just realized I could file for PUA at the beginning of September. So I did, stating I have not worked since March 20. I had no problem getting approved but my claim summary is still stating an effective date of 9/6. I have tried emailing calling everything and still can’t get my claim backdated to 20 March. I really need those backdated funds as I have not worked since then. Any other suggestions on how I can get this claim backdated?

    Reply
    • Request Backdating

      If you are looking to have the effective date of your claim earlier than the week in which you opened your claim, you can call the PUA Call Center at 855-284-8545 OR you can send an email request to [email protected].
      In the Subject line of the email, indicate BACK DATE REQUEST and in the body please indicate exactly when and how COVID affected your employment or self-employment and which weeks you wish to claim.

      (The effect of COVID-19 on your employment must be due to one of the COVID-19 related reasons in the CARES Act for PUA eligibility).

      For example, in your email you could tell us…”I want to backdate to March 22nd because I have not worked since March 20th and where I worked has remained closed due to the Governor’s closure orders.” OR “I want to go back to March 15th because I had to temporarily close my business until June 6th due to the Governor’s closure orders. Please note I don’t need to claim as of June 7th because I have re-opened my business as of June 8th.

      Please only send one such email request as they will be processed as fast as possible and multiple requests will only delay our ability to process in a timely manner.

      Reply
      • How long does it take to get a email back about backdate. It’s been three weeks and I got two of three of my weeks paid.

        Reply
      • People like you that are claims are all screwed up. And for you to sit here and say the same thing that has been said over and over. Do you not hear what we are saying we have did everything that you asked and still nothing so how about you put in your mouth and get out of this conversation because nobody wants to hear you repeating yourself because you guys sell foolish because you’re not helping nobody

        Reply
        • Please try and reach deep down inside yourself and use a modicum of humanity when responding to people…..? Everyone (especially PA with terrible unemployment system) is hurting and stressed.

          Thanks?
          I wish good luck and health to everyone….we’re all in the same canoe on the same rocky seas.

        • Sorry every one is going through this crap! Lots of legit people need their money and not getting it. I know alot of people that havemt worked in years got lots of money already thats not cool. I even heard people in jail got theirs, how is that possible. UC system is a joke.

        • GOOD GRIEF, maybe you should ask those people how they did it. seems they know more than most of us. i had no trouble at all. they did send to my daughter’s acct but immediately fixed that when it was brought to their attention. you’d be surprised how much info the government has on us. i find it hard to believe that people in jail are getting benefits. people may want to make sure the funds are not being sent to the bank card or an old bank acct or old address. with all the thousands of people applying, i think they did a pretty good job. of course i am not in the same boat so i can say that. i think there are reasons unknown as to why some people are not getting those funds.

        • Yeah thanks for that helpful temper tantrum as so many people benifited from your post especially the person you trash talked to, what a great representation of “how not to address someone in need of help”! My coat buttons are popping off this very minute as I’m bursting with admiration! Come on, many of us are on edge but man up and own your own situation.

    • No they arent doing that (backdating) because why in the world would you wait until now to ask for help? Thats why they stop paying lots of people also becaise to combat fraud. If if truly didnt work then why didmt you apply until september?

      Reply
      • I didn’t even learn about til than. I have all paperwork about so don’t get smart with me about my business. That was very disrespectful. I understand what’s going on with fraud but I am 56 years old and if you could not answer in a respectful way don’t say anything or respond to mine because that was very uncalled for.

        Reply
    • What a mess this is! My husband is going through this with the back pay right now also. Got through to someone yesterday from pua and she said that even though he has no chance of getting the normal unemployment that he still needs a denial letter from them to get backdated pay. After he gets the denial letter, then he is to send his id/social security card on letterhead and a letter from the company (on letterhead) he was to be working for. But he was an independent contractor so I guess he just makes his own?!! She wasn’t much help but that’s what she told us he needed to do in order to get his back pay. His pua has been open for a while so a lot of the requirements you have to do for a new case, he didn’t have to do. Which is making it all the more complicated. As for emails, we’ve went months with no reply about the backdate. I finally just called the pua number on the request backdate tab under the pua site until I finally got through. Not sure if that helps anyone but that’s as much info as we received!

      Reply
  3. I am not eligible for PA UC because I have not been at my job for 18 months so I applied for PUA. My hours ere reduced because of COVID and my last 40 hour week ended on 04/24/2020. I did not work a 40 hour week again until 08/03/2020. When I applied for PUA, my monetary determination letter is showing claim effective date 08/30/2020 so I am unable to file for the weeks I was reduced hours. I have been trying to reach someone in UC sine 09/04. I do not live in PA so I am not sure which state rep I would try to get in touch with. Can someone please advise what I can do? I am drowning in debt and need this rectified ASAP.

    Reply
    • Jennifer trust me I know what you are going through. Call, hang up, call again, hang up, and call again. Keep doing it. We finally got through after an hour. They said there are issues with he system because of the new stimulus plan and “says” it was gonna be fixed within a day or two smh (that was on the 20th). My husband hasn’t received his payments for weeks 2nd and 9th and guy said that’s the weeks they are having issues with.

      Reply
    • Jennifer – Getting through to someone on the phone is a PAIN- I suggest you put a re-dial app on your phone. I have done this – and it works. As far as State Reps go – your best bet is to Google “State Representative in _______ (the city and/or county where you worked) PA” and that should tell you exactly who you need to contact. GOOD LUCK!

      Reply
  4. I could not file from 2/2/2020 for some reason they started my claim on 5/24 requested backdating never heard a thing sent 5 emails over last 12 weeks never a response Phone number is useless it does not go through and now I went to file my weekly claim and everything is GONE! There isn’t even a summary !

    Reply
    • Same here. My husband has a band that plays live music at bars, pubs, clubs, social venues, community festivals, social gatherings, and fairs which all were cancelled and shut down the entire year pretty much. Those who weren’t closed and allowed to open back up were too scared to employ live entertainment or couldn’t afford it after being closed all that time prior to being allowed to reopen. Then again, another government shut down. He also provided PA equipment rentals and announcement services for different events locally which all were cancelled as well so I helped him file for PUA. Got the monetary decision letter saying eligible. Starting filing for each week and requested back pay because we were unaware he was even eligible for such a program and finally was told by someone else getting it to file and it should be approved as a gig worker. Well week after week we filed certification and still nothing. No emails back from backdating request. Nothing. Then there was some active issue on his claim and the payments were in process status for all the weeks we filed and never received pay. Nobody answers the phones there and they’re always busy. Nobody returns emails even. We’ve never received a payment at all or a response except for monetary determination letter. Then all the sudden, sometime after 12/26, I tried logging in to see whether any changes had been made on status of payment and there’s nothing there. Gone. Every week we filed for every single document and all the prior weekly certifications were gone. It showed there isn’t a claim at all or ever!!! And of course, nobody can be reached. We have lost over close to 7000$ in cancelled shows for last year and that was just the ones that had been booked in advance and on the schedule as of the start of this whole thing in March. The last gig he played was the weekend I believe of the 20th in March. Then it was silent. Cancellations poured in and phone calls from different social spots cancelling any future bookings of the band and no further updates when they were able to start booking live entertainment again. This not only affects my household but the other band members who relied on that money for income or as a source especially when the schedule was full only two months into the year it was looking like it would be a pretty profitable year until all this mandatory closures and social distancing was necessary to avoid spread of the virus. However that wasn’t our sole source of income but a rather dependable source of supplemental income that we were incorporating into our very small pathetic budget. We used those funds every month to pay the mortgage payments in the past and now are struggling to keep our cars from being repossessed. Everyone has a story and a different one at that. There are those however who have found ways to cheat this system and have been getting paid weekly payments that are unworthy and not eligible but clever enough to beat the system which is why many of us who are very much in need and legit end up paying the price. I just wish that someone would just answer the damn phone there so we can explain what the hell it is that needs cleared up and be paid our share of these emergency funds.

      Reply
  5. I am eligible for the LWA and still haven’t received my backpay for the 5 weeks. Does anyone know a way I can get in contact with them for this matter?

    Reply
    • I also am approved to get the LWA I even called UC center spoke with a lady that stated my form was filled out correctly. She said she would email treasury department for payment. Week later still no payment. So im not sure im in same jam.

      Reply
      • I called out state representative’s office and the person said there’s nothing they can do other than email UC office which most likely they won’t provide any information.

        Reply
  6. Hi I Receive regular unemployment in my state PA and I get less then $100 for unemployment every week I file my biweekly claims I was getting PUA and that stopped and everything is in process with PUA I have not got the LWA everyone is talking about I did file the form out on my regular unemployment but that was back on sept 6 and this is the 21st of sept and I have not got no LWA nor my PUA there’s no issue on my PUA claim I just think maybe it’s not for me.

    Reply
    • Yes the reason your in processing is because your collecting from PUA and UV thats illegal and fraud. It says right on website claiming for more than 1 program is fraud. You getting 2x the money everytime you claim. You can NOT do this.

      Reply
      • That isnt true because I am also getting partial regular UC and the PUA! Reason being is because they approved me for the UC due to having W2 (9-5)plus a schedule C(self employed)! My UC covered me for the month of January ($3,500)alone in my regular job! $5,900 doing Uber in January! So no it’s not illegal

        Reply
        • Well tanya it says right on the UC website collecting from more than 1 program for the same weeks is fraud. Go read. It dont matter if you are collecting 1 week pua and then that same exact week from UC yes it is illegal. Do some reading. But you will pay every penny back at tax time. Maybe even before when they catch it.

        • Britney is right it is illegal you can’t be filing for two different claims you have to be under the same claim they’re not gonna catch it right away with all the claims that are open but you’re gonna have to pay that money back eventually when they realize that they gave it to you under two different claims you won’t get any charges or go to jail or anything but you are going to have to pay it back

      • Britney your absolutely right you aren’t allowed to claim on two different claims it’s fraud any legal and she is going to have to pay every penny back when they do catch it

        Reply
  7. Yeah I didn’t receive it have no issues and I’m eligible for the lwa still haven’t got them did any onee se not get there’s

    Reply
    • No PA said Thursday and Friday they will be all paid out. I would call if i were you. You made 100 & over weekly? Your on PUA or UC OR PEUC ? That sucks. I really hope and pray you get your money

      Reply
        • If you can get to your state reps office they will help you I just went there to get my back pay through from March

    • Same here. I certified a while back and I am eligible. I recieve regular uc benefits and have seen nothing from lwa. They keep telling me its thru fema and they have no idea when and if they will send who what funds.

      Reply
  8. I haven’t even received my LWA payment yet. I certified for it and I was actually paid 600 already last week on September 9th before they shut it down. It’s Saturday morning and I still haven’t received my lump sum back. Does anyone know why? I collect regular UC.

    Reply
    • @Elissa i still haven’t got my payments. I have 3 weeks in progress. I usually file Wednesday and get paid friday. Can you please explain to me. Thanks

      Reply
      • There telling me payment on lwa starts sending money out on oct 5 I think but there back in up from Aug 1

        Reply
  9. i got 14 claims in progress i need my stuff to be fixed asap this is crazy soon as the government want they money they want it asap but soon as they owe u you cant get in contact with them smh

    Reply
    • 14 claims?? That seems like alot, to many to have at one time in progress how would they even allow so many to be open?? I know you can log in and withdraw claims under your dashboard on PUA. Not sure which your on PUA or regular… But if I was you would contact regular ue or try the chat online and explain u have these claims open want so them canceled and start a whole new one and backdate it or file a new claim like u never have yet and start over an then just start like fnad new and see if that works I know at 1 point I couldn’t get a relia card being in this system from 2015 having a claim back then they ended up going off that and no information was correct or updated or anything and all I did was update my address with relia card and was sent one and as soon as it’s activated money’s there so what exactly is the issue. You have claims open but what??

      Reply
  10. I notice the people who are getting it are getting different amounts and not the whole 1800 dose anyone know why

    Reply
    • Yes. It all depends when u started to claim and they only paid out for 5 and half weeks not a full 6. 1620 would be 5 an half. But because of my claim being opened not till August 2nd. Was only eligible for 4 and half weeks. 1st week started July 26th thru Aug 1st. ..

      Reply
      • I only received $1500 of the $1800, (I do not have taxes taken out of my unemployment). Does anyone know why I didn’t receive the sixth weeks’ payment?

        Reply
        • Likely due to delays in FEMA approving and releasing funding to PA. They have confirmed payment should be for 6 weeks so your last and final LWA payment should hit your bank account by next week.

    • No the reason because some people got 1620 including myslef is because we have taxes take out. So when tax time comes you’ll have a 1099 form from unemployment to put in with your taxes. You actually should get 10% taken out. The 1800 people didnt have taces taken out. That is the only reason. 6 full weeks were paid out.

      Reply
      • Thank you i forgot all about the taxes being taken out.some some on here wrote that we still receive an extra 300 each week even after the lump some did you hear anything about that

        Reply
        • Why have I not still recieved my lwa or my biweekly money what is going on i have the relia card debit card for pua can anyone help me please?

        • Were you eligible for it? Did you make 100 weekly? If not you don’t get it. If you have issues you also on dashboard then you have to clear them first.

  11. It’s Thursday Sept 17th at 730am and guess what no payment still. Is the benefit pay date the day we are supposed to be basing this 2 day delay off of? I did see comment that a person who gets regular uc said about they had delay by 9 hours last week so atleast now knowing that it means us bank does deposits at anytime was because I’m new to this. Only have been getting pua for 6 weeks so besides the labor day delay I haven’t had any issues.

    Reply
    • Me as well man I haven’t recieved my bill weekly claim 195 or I haven’t recieved the extra lump sum from August I dint really understand I need some guidance please I need to find out what’s going on because I have Bill’s and stuff to pay man! Please help I have 4 kids

      Reply
      • Do u get it every 2 weeks or paid every week. Cause pua is every week here in pa. Bi weekly would be regular unemployment not PUA. And there was an update that stated they r behind and you should receive by tmrw if not today. But seems everyone got theirs today so far so if u get paid every 2 weeks 195 then ur on reg unemployment and needed to fill out the lwa certificate and certify to apply otherwise your on PUA and don’t and get paid weekly not bi week. And also money can come at any time throughout the day but usually comes early have u received it yet? N when was your last payment?

        Reply
      • I’m going through the same thing I haven’t received any of my 195 claims or the extra lump some of money that the state was just approved of. Have you Hurd anything or do you have any information on what’s going on, does anyone know what’s going on? I need help ASAP

        Reply
        • YES IT WAS ON THE NEWS & THEY SAID TO COMBAT FRAUD ALL NEW CLAIMS ARE NOT BEING TOUCHED UNTIL THE FIND ALL DOUBLE CLAIMS? THEY SAID PEOPLE FROM OTHER STATES ARE USING PEOPLES IDENTITY. SO THEY SAID FRIDAY THEY GOT TO GET ALL THEM CLAIMS FIRST SO SOME LWA ARE BEING HELD

  12. Sept. 16, 2020 -PUA Payment Delay Notice:
    If you normally receive a PUA payment on Tuesday or Wednesday, please be advised that we are experiencing payment delays due to exceptionally high volumes. You should receive your PUA payments within the next 2 days.

    JUST FOUND THIS!! WAS ON PA LABOR AMD INDUSTRY WEBSITE UPDATE NEWS SECTION

    Reply
    • I just seen this. I was trying to share the picture could figure out how to send it. Yea so its 2 days from Tuesday. that means tomorrow

      Reply
    • You got to be kidding me????OMG if it’s not one thing it’s another but I hope it’s because we’re getting the extra money but this is crazy I don’t have any cash I borrowed enough thanks for sharing that that explains why I didn’t even get my weekly

      Reply
      • No prob. An I know rite by time I get it and pay back what I owe people I’ma be broke haha just hoping it’s cuz they plan on giving us the extra money along with r weekly payment

        Reply
        • Yes me to you know it’s a lot of work with this unemployment s*** I get exhausted sometimes fighting with them about my money I worked just about all my life I’m not used to this

        • Amen..if I get an alert for a deposit and I open and its just the weekly amount im not gonna be happy lol

    • My biweekly claim is still reading I progress am I gonna get my weekly payment also I still havent heard anything g about the lwa program am I gonna hear something about that? Please write back I need a load of help! Thanks

      Reply
    • could anyone tell me why my payrate went from 195 to 412 i have not filed anything or changed anything it did this all on its own and i have not talked to anyone else who has has this happen can someone maybe explain to me what this would happen thank you

      Reply
    • Okay so @elissa I have been waiting to days now I was supposed to get my biweekly on wednesday right but it says on pua website that my biweekly is still IN PROGRESS not sure what that means but I’m becoming really upset and trying to understand what is going on can someone please help me I have 4 kids man need this money I’m struggling hard

      Reply
      • @justis ok so is it biweekly or weekly? PUA is weekly bi is regular uc which r you on excatly? And in progress all that says is stating no payment date it’s in progress of one and when did you file claim. Sunday or Monday? N the way it’s working with regular ue is u get the lwa one week after your payment meaning you get payments every 2 weeks so I’m between them 2 you would get the extra payment so when was your last payment as well? Do you have messenger or chat or something be easier to explain n talk that way…

        Reply
  13. Well it’s Wednesday the 16th and I still have not received the Lwa payment yet and to top that off I didn’t get my regular weekly payment either!!Anyone else having issues?

    Reply
        • Im trying to contact the disbursement place they r the ones that disburse the money to relia card and it’s so hard to connect. I’m on hold and then it take some another automated system message last time I tried for hours relia card said to contact them being there’s no pending money from unemployment in the system but I know people that got theirs after 11am at 1 point

        • It’s all about when they release the money maybe later today or tomarrow but we still don’t know of we are just getting the weekly payment or thr lwa too everything is a waiting game with them.

        • Which is BS because they had no problems yesterday sending UC their payments now PUA don’t get shit. UC had to apply we didn’t. I just find that weird

    • Yes I didn’t get mine regular payment this morning either. It normally hits my card at 5 am but nothing this morning

      Reply
    • Yes Michael and the 4 others below his comment. Thousands of us PUA recipients havent received regular pay and LWA payments. Maybe throughout the day. People say its on PUA part not reliacard. So if someone gets theirs please post here. Goes for all PUA people on here.

      Reply
      • Sept. 16, 2020 -PUA Payment Delay Notice:
        If you normally receive a PUA payment on Tuesday or Wednesday, please be advised that we are experiencing payment delays due to exceptionally high volumes. You should receive your PUA payments within the next 2 days.
        Found this… On the uc. Pa. Gov website under pua section update news part was painted today. Bullshit lol. So they can give reg uc out but not us. Mus have something to do with maybe trying to give the extra money along with payments at same time?

        Reply
        • I just got word from a friend that there lump some of 1800 just hit….like 15 minutes ago… but mine is still not there.
          YONE ELSE GET THERES YET?

        • I just got mine deposited at 7:40 this morning. A total of 800$ …hope everyone starts seeing there’s soon!

        • Yes its coming. 1620 taxes taken out and WBA. But it came 730am. It’ll come. Everyone posting all different. Eva came after for alot.

        • Me and two other people I know of got their money and it was $1,800 today Thursday 8:30 a.m.

        • Hey Justin, yeah just checked mine it’s jus hit my account now so you should be getting yours

        • Ya same here they r only paying out for few weeks and then should be 300 a week after that for next 3 weeks if eligible

        • Chris how long did It take for you to receive funds/payment? My portal says 1 weekly claim was paid on 12/21/2020 but nothing was deposited. Just received email yesterday stating they are sending my us relias bank card. I just want to know if I was approved or not for PUA

    • Same here! No regular Pua payment or LWA. Not sure what’s going on….my neighbor also gets PUA and they didnt recieve theirs either.

      Reply
        • PUA WILL GET EVERYTHING TOMORROW GUYS. ITS ON WEBSITE, TWITTER AND SOMEONE CHATTED WITH JOE TORSELLA(PA TREASURER) HE SAID MOST LIKELY TOMORROW. THEY WERE BACKUP

    • Same here! Still no back payment going all the way back to March! No one responses! U call the phone number n you get a different answer everytime.u ask to speak to supervisor I get told they will call u back! Absolutely ridiculous!

      Reply
    • I live in PA and I am on PUA and I haven’t got my regular payment or the back dated LWA payments either and it’s not normal for me not to get paid my 195 a week by this time now so I’m not sure what’s going on

      Reply
      • Sept. 16, 2020 -PUA Payment Delay Notice:
        If you normally receive a PUA payment on Tuesday or Wednesday, please be advised that we are experiencing payment delays due to exceptionally high volumes. You should receive your PUA payments within the next 2 days.

        Found this online under uc. Pa. Gov website updated news today under pua section

        Reply
    • I didn’t get mine on my card yet my weekly and I talked to a up operator and she said nobody has gotten their back pay yet two days ago I don’t know what’s going on I usually have my weekly though by now it was processed and the dates and all are done but I didn’t receive it yet

      Reply
      • Sept. 16, 2020 -PUA Payment Delay Notice:
        If you normally receive a PUA payment on Tuesday or Wednesday, please be advised that we are experiencing payment delays due to exceptionally high volumes. You should receive your PUA payments within the next 2 days.

        Reply
      • They say it takes 4 days from when you file your biweekly benefits. So if I file sunday u should get the money on your card Thursday. I also did not receive my back pay.

        Reply
    • Ya i usually gey my paymwnt at like 630 on wednesday morning! I hope its a hold up because we are gna get this extra cash today.

      Reply
  14. I know they say pua will pay one week apart from regular weekly payments but if they started paying out 9/14 are they counting the week before that as the week apart or this week we are getting ready to have to claim ? will it show up on your pua dash board im wondering if it will show like the 600 did

    Reply
  15. Has anyone on PUA received the lwa payment yet?? I see some people are receiving these payments but not on person from pua ? Why is that?? Thought would have gotten it today. Saw people day a week after filing but we file evry week not evry 2. And cant seem to find anywhere with any updated news on when or anything of receive it.

    Reply
    • I think we get paid tomorrow for PUA they filed every 2 weeks thats why they got theirs seperate from us. So tomorrow is PUA which is weekly and also UC only got 1500 today because they a week behind us. Well get 1600 tomorrow I think. Thats from just experience of what I been seeing TODAY

      Reply
    • I was wondering the same thing. I got an email back at the end of August that I was eligible for the 6 weeks of Lwa and still havent received anything and checked my account and nothing today either. Just curious if and when I will receive it.

      Reply
  16. Did anyone receive there 1500 for the back weeks for LWA today? I get over $100 a week and qualify but didnt receive money today, it even took a lot longer for them to even process my regular weekly claim today, its usually done n processed by 9:30am, but didnt go through til about 5ish

    Reply
  17. Had anyone in PA received their LWA back payment yet? They said today and I still haven’t received anything. Like I’m thinking maybe I didnt qualify, but I’m looking at the requirements and I meet all of them so what going on? Haven’t we waited long enough and they still wanna take there sweet times.

    Reply
  18. Has anyone received the lwa payments yet? They say September 14th we would receive them but from what I have seen none has received anything yet…

    Reply
    • Have not seen them yet either. I think it’ll take a few days to hit the debit card. good luck to you, hoping for the best. Maybe Wednesday or later. I’m just guessing. I’m on PUA .

      Reply
    • Never got anything either im still processing everytime i file i was thinking they would update the portal to complete all the processing claims but nope

      Reply
    • Nope. It’ll be Tuesday or Wednesday. The website clearly states earliest is the 14th. I don’t know why it said anything about the 10th of september.

      Reply
  19. RO: Lmao “HUBBY” really bothered that weirdo thanks for brightening my day! Seriously on such a difficult/important topic with many unfortunate issues the word “HUBBY” stole his focus/attention and demanded a response mainly on that. Wow people can be “CREEPS” Intimate bahahaha its not like you said my “Big Daddy” in reference to your husband/hubby lol
    -Gigi Capone

    Reply
    • LOL, yeah i know right? what a dick. imagine how love starved he must be if he is triggered by the word ‘HUBBY’. i guess he’s lonely.

      Reply
  20. So when exactly are we supposed to start getting the $300 extra? I’ve seen PA Is paying on the 10th but also seeing the 14th of September… I self certified last Sunday, got my regular tiny UC payment that gets me a tank of gas and some peanut butter and bread, and really really need that promised $$ ASAP like everyone else and need to know how to plan

    Reply
      • my brother gets over $100 and still didnt receive the additional $300 and today is the 12th. does this mean he wont get it?

        Reply
        • They are backlogged. They’re trying to fix all of the systems glitches. Supposedly they’ll start paying the extra $300 dollars backdated from August 1st 2020 to September 5th 2020. Starting tomorrow on September 14, 2020 or 1 week afterwards. We’ll receive a lump sum check for $1500.00 to $1800.00 as long as you don’t have any outstanding issues with your PUA OR UC Claim? That lump sum will be paid separately from the regular benefit amount you receive now. It will be uploaded onto the ReliaCard if you have that as your method of payment. Or you’ll be mailed a physical Check in the amount of the past due weeks owed as mentioned above. In my claim they sent me a message within the PA PUA portal I use weekly to claim. However they only had confirmed that I qualify for the LWA, yet only showed three of the 5 weeks on it?
          August 1, 2020
          August 8, 2020
          August 15, 2020
          ? I believe it was because the glitches as well as there wasn’t any room left for them to put the other dates down under those first three weeks? I’ve only been unemployed as a direct result of the pandemic. Because we were forced to close and still are. I didn’t have enough time or money to qualify for regular UC. So they told me to apply for the PUA and I was accepted. However I only qualified for the minimum (WBA) which I am Truly thankful for. However I don’t know anyone who’s able to survive off of $195.00 a week when rent alone is $500 a month, not including any of the other mandatory bills I have. Such as Food, Phone(For Emergency & Possible potential employment opportunities), etc. I’ll be homeless as of October 9th 2020 if this LWA doesn’t come before then? God Bless You and Your Family. I Sincerely understand your concern and wish You Only the Best outcome possible.

  21. So are the backpay payments for LWA starting tomorrow Sept. 10th or Monday Sept. 14th? This is the first I am seeing that payments will start earlier than next Monday. Also, does anyone know if everyone will get the back pay on that date or will it be a whole process like the $1,200 stimulus had been?
    And what day each week will LWA payments be made? When we were receiving the extra $600/wk it was a separate deposit but was made same date and time as our regular benefits payments? I don’t understand why it is so hard for PA L&I to give a straight answer instead of such vague details on what to expect! Thanks to anyone that is able to help answer any or all of these questions!!

    Reply
  22. They removed the back pay option from the drop down so I couldn’t file for mine I’m receiving my weekly claim but have not gotten or heard anything about the back pay can anyone help me with this

    Reply
    • You have to email the PUA for them to open your claim up. Look on your dashboard for the email address. It’s listed under the number issues. It’s number 3. It starts with Ucpua. There’s specific information on your dashboard how they want the email.

      Reply
      • I went to my state reps office they were able to help me with my stuff and they sent my information in to their connection to get my back pay from March – July

        Reply
  23. I just received my back pay of unemployment on Tuesday but not the extra 600$ They owe me since June does anyone know if that comes a week later or any info on this

    Reply
  24. my claim is pua and i collected for 11 weeks then the last five been under review in progress how do i fix this it makes no sence and pua hasnt contacted me or responded to me

    Reply
  25. Is anyone on here currently receiving their PUA amount through direct deposit and not by debit card? The website insisted that they no longer do direct deposit but yet they have a direct deposit option.

    Reply
    • I selected direct deposit but received an email from reliacard that I’ll be receiving a card in the mail. I got my first payment via physical check.

      Reply
  26. I filed a regular uc claim and back dated to 3 weeks prior. My claim says processed and i filed my first bi weekly claim. However it did not allow me to file for the 3 previous weeks prior to my application not even for the week in which i initally applied. It only let me apply for the two week period after my claim was filed. Why is it not allowing me retroactive weeks? And what do I need to do to fix this? I know many people are having issues even contacting the unemployment office and actually reaching someone…

    Reply
  27. I know the unemployment systems are stressed throughout the US but here in PA it is so hard to keep your head up. It states that when you file a PUA claim for the first time, the date you enter as last day worked will put you in the category of having backdated payments. Then others say you have to file for each week individually which takes about 30 minutes. Well, the backdate button is no longer available in PA. You have to download a form to withdraw your application. This doesn’t help a person who is homeless, without access to the internet which is posting information from two months ago and the ways to contact the DOL is also overwhelmed. You never get a response.

    Reply
    • The more complicated it is the more people they believe will give up, or just wont be able to complete the process. I applied in February, and JUST got a payment today (August 21st) due to NEVER being able to reach someone, having to fight an employer, not filing something out correctly, not getting responses, an overwhelmed system, the u.e. offices being closed! And to top it off I didnt receive NO retroactive pays for the extra $600 a week! So now I have to call back for that! YOU just have to keep trying. It’s practically like a job to get your unemployment! The one day I redialed the U.C. service center # 54 times and still NEVER got thru that day… ‍♀️, what are ya gonna do.

      Reply
      • I went through the same exact thing you did but you have to keep after them and at the time they were only allowed to do so much for your case before it had to be looked over by the head guy now they have more access to your dashboard so if you get a hold of them what they’ll do is they’ll do it manually I don’t think they were able to do it manually before I mean some stuff they were able to but they didn’t have access to a lot more because they had to send it through the head person but now so just keep trying to get a hold of them and when you do don’t hang up with them until they go in and do it manually and you’ll get it quicker and they’re having trouble with people eye correction if a couple of people in your household are applying for it they do red flag somebody in that household it happened to me and it was me of course but I got it straightened out you have to send them three types of identification and then it would get the ball rolling but make sure you get in touch with somebody they will do it manually trust me it’s very stressing because I’ve had to deal with it for a month but I’m doing okay now she’ll just get in touch with somebody and to stay on the phone till they do it manually and you’ll be fine

        Reply
  28. I just realized that My weekly amount is less than I should be receiving. What should I do to get my weekly amount raised and to get back pay for each week for the difference in the amount?

    Reply
  29. I still haven’t received any additional $600 yet. I do get my regular Unemployment Benefit every week as of April 13, 2020. Do I have to do anything to receive the FPUC $600?

    Reply
  30. I didnt know that I was able to file for pua untill July 26. I just filed my first weekly certification but there is no option to backdate.

    Reply
  31. How do you see or find your backdate I don’t believe I was ever given a option to claim a end date. With that being said how can I make a back date or get it reset to a date. So another thing Say my max benefit is 7,500 and I get 2,500 first from the bi weekly claim on my card. The remainder 5,000 is the stimulus amount which is that lump sum were all waiting for. The thing is my max benefit is 7,600 I became accepted pua & have done two bi weekly claims. I Called the hotline and explained I never had the option to backdate so they said they would do it to when I was laid off. The next day it appeared on my claim but only x amount of days which would be the remainder of the stimulus pay I I would receive it. So am I getting the max benefit claimed at 7,600 and unable to get the remainder of days up until I was laid of.?

    Reply
  32. I am a gig worker and didn’t know until recently that I was eligible for pua. Can I get back dated money & how?

    Reply
    • Yes. First apply regular unemployment (put your last worked or job loss date back to when you stopped working). The PA DOL will send you a letter denying your regular UI and how to then apply for PuA. Follow those instructions and you will get back pay.

      Reply
      • Hi I’m in PA and I started my claim on 7/13 and put March as the start date do you know why I can’t file the back weeks? I have heard from a few people it won’t let them file the back weeks. I try to call and email no luck

        Thank you

        Reply
        • You have to log into your pua and file for all the back weeks one at a time. They need to know what you made in all those weeks. It will take about 30min to complete it all. Everything will say in progress until they verify everything

        • Thank you but the back date option is not available online it only lets you do one week. I can’t get through to the number.

      • I started receiving benefits around June 8th. they gave me the back pay and then continued to give me weekly benefits up to July 11th. Since then I have received nothing. It just says in progress. I’ve emailed them 3 times, but all they have done is send me an ID#, and then it says to go to the left of the PUA dashboard and click on the my staff resources/guest search ID. the problem with that is it’s nowhere to be found it isn’t even in any drop down menus. This is becoming extremely frustrating! also I don’t know if this holds water but, I’ve talked to 10 other people who are having the same issue and the only thing we have in common is that one of the last two digits is a even number. eight of them have their last number even the other two it is the 2nd to last number is even.

        Reply
        • Similar situation. I was reviving benefits.. now it’s been 5 weeks with no benefits. With in progress next to each week. Impossible to get through on any 800 number I’ve found. But i haven’t gotten any response to my emails I’ve sent. WTH. On top of it my reliacard they insisted on sending stopped working with the funds i actually did receive. How do we get any help or answers who do we contact?

        • Yes, I have the same thing going on for the last 5 payments “in progress” with no payment. This is after I received 21 weeks with no problem. I’m surprised they responded to you at all. I did upload my identity information and and sent to e-verify but to date I have had no response.

          Please let us now if anything changes.

        • I’m having the same issue, I’ve received payments for 19 weeks and now this is the 3rd week of no payments. It says” in progress”, no response to emails, busy signal every time I call, dashboard says “Active” , no explanation anywhere…has anyone heard what is going on if nothing has changed in your claim?

        • I currently am in the same situation. I am on hold right now with Pua trying to figure this out. Been listening to music for 30 mins now. I had a message the same as you. My staff resources/ guest search. WHERE IS THAT? I’m 5 weeks out with (in progress) showing. Sooo frustrating.

        • I think what your looking or if filing as PUA would be under the section services for individuals.. there is a section you can search for certain assistance people or search certain things. So I believe when they stated to the left of dashboard, it’s actually at the top o page after you log in, or at the very bottom. Or before you log in, click the file for weekly benefit and them it bring up a page that will state use as guest access . Can click the guest access or possibly be a part there you can enter your id#.. I’m sure 1 of them 2 ways is what your looking for. If you have not found it already :)

  33. Sorry to follow up when I am claiming my weeks it says the total amount paid out is 0 and that the claim is in progress can somebody please tell me what that means thank you

    Reply
    • That’s what mine is saying then I pressed the number one where it says on the side of the unemployment and it shows you what the reason is mine is something with the UC benefits because I was getting regular unemployment the year ago and they have to do investigate and I guess but and I think I was told they are investigating fried as well that is what I was told I called my local politician and they’re going to look into it for me and see what’s going on because I really need my money and the systems are backed up so they’re malfunctioning I’m guessing

      Reply
  34. Hello my name is Tina Denise I found for PUA July 19 I got an approval letter by email I have been claiming weeks and everything has been fine but all of a sudden an open issue popped up on my dashboard but at the same time my debit card says it is coming can somebody please clear this up for me because I’m losing my mind thank you

    Reply
    • What does the open issue on your dashboard exactly state?? And as long as your money is coming to reliad card then everything should be fine… I know on some claims it will say unresolved issues and all that is, is stating that I read is the unemployment didn’t receive nessasary documents needed . Like if needed sometimes copy’s of proof o identity may be needed being the fraud was happening sometimes they need to verify certain things , 1 point I had a claim on 2015 when reapplying this year they went off all m info from 2015 never sent me a card or went off anything I put down when applying. So my address my phone number and many things were wrong and I had to go call and update and fax over to verify myself . So depending on wat the open issue states is what you need to do if anything at all, being relia card is sending money. Reliacard gets the money from the treasury disbursement department, so if they have your information correct and no issues then therefore your okay

      Reply
  35. HELLO I FILED AND WAS FRONT ELIGIBLE IN MAY FOR PUA AND STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED MY EDD CARD IT SAYS I HAVE UNRESOLVED ISSUES BUT NO CLAIM ISSUES WHY HAVENT I GOT MY CARD OR PAYMENTS IVE BEEN FILING EVERY WEEK

    Reply
  36. Can anyone tell me how long after you receive fraud because of your bank account. How long does it take to start receiving payments? I talked to several reps and they told me to wait for correspondence . That was 3 days AGO! so I sent a copy of my birth certificate and my ss Card, bank statement ID and chime info as well as my new bank account info under the fraud upload documents. I went ahead and did that before I received a correspondence. (spelled wrong) but can someone tell me how long this whole process will take. I applied July 1st got a email telling me I was eligible is that mu approval letter? I’m new to this an need a little advice please.

    Reply
  37. I was laid off the first Time March March 15th. I received the benefits right away by the end of March to the beginning of April I was home until the beginning of June I am a waitress my boss called the whole staff back not knowing the business. when I was first hired I told her about a weekend in June being my son was turning 18 graduating high school and leaving for the armed services so when I got called back I reminded her of that weekend I took the weekend off to spend with my kids and my son before he left my normal day off was a Monday I woke up that Monday from returning away to a text message from my boss at 7 a.m. telling me she no longer needs my services my unemployment was cut off and the 600 pandemic money the minute she called us back I am now 9 weeks without one penny of help and they also emptied my food stamp card at the end of the three months I am about ready to lose everything all my bills told me that I was not eligible for deferred payments or lower interest rates because I didn’t apply for help in March when I didn’t need it I did have a little bit of a savings I went through that show in June when I was called back the $120 I received for unemployment a week and the 540 that I received after taxes for the 600 I was just making my bills 2 then my boss firing me and I live in Pennsylvania where there is a no-fault state. So right now I am 9 weeks without a penny I am back in rent all my bills are behind and I have no food stamps to feed myself or my kids but because my kids are dependents on their dad I can’t get any help for them. I don’t know what to do I am going to lose my whole life because of the government I cry myself to bed every single night and I almost killed myself I don’t know what to do I’m at the end of my rope being a waitress all restaurants are down to 25% so every restaurant is saying they’re hiring but they’re only accepting applications for when they reopen if anyone can lead me to help please I would really appreciate it desperately desperately help need for help!!!!!

    Reply
  38. Well all I want to know is what are we going to receive now that the $600 is over I have bills to pay rent to pay. I can’t work yet. I am so stressed out anyone know anything about this.

    Reply
    • Hi Brandi if you are talking about no longer getting the 600.00 extra given from April til July you will continue to get the normal weekly amount.Example If u we’re getting 600 awk for regular unemployment plus the 600 a WK stimulus.U will still automatically get ur normal 600 a WK.Hope this helps so make sure to file ur weekly claim

      Reply
  39. I been receiving my benefits since March and this week haven’t received any since I worked only 33 hours last week. I have not received the last $600 or the state and my wife haven’t received any thing since March. We use the same email account and debt card maybe that may be a problem? Can’t get intounch with anyone. I don’t know what else to do.

    Reply
  40. I filed for (PA) pua on 6/9. The claim status states I was issued a payment on 6/13 for benefits backdated to 2/2 for which I was genuinely grateful as I was unaware I would be entitled to benefits since I am not eligible for regular unemployment. I had requested direct deposit but apparently due to ridiculous amounts of fraud, payments were no longer being directly deposited but checks were being issued as well as debit cards. My fiancé never rec’d a check or his debit card. But then got a message from the bank for the debit card that there was unusual activity on his card. The card he never rec’d. The card had clearly been stolen and used for thousands. I am of the unfortunate belief that my payment for lump sum has also been stolen. I rec’d a check for $540 and a debit card with a payment of $715. Clearly impossible to get through to anyone to ask to clarify if check was issued to me, when, and where it was cashed or deposited. I have sent emails explaining this possible theft. I have left messages for the treasury dept. No one has gotten back to my fiancé regarding his theft. It seems to me that the only fraud they are concerned with is the fraud against them. If my deposit would have been made as I had requested, I would have my payment. My understanding is that the direct deposit was stopped because individuals were using information and claims were being made on behalf of people that did not make a claim. The solution to that problem is a lot easier to resolve than my current problem especially with no way to get a response from anyone and no one to get in touch with. Oh, and since those 2 payments I actually rec’d, my claim is now under review and not being paid with no explanation on the dashboard. And I am not being contacted to clarify any possible issue. I have also sent messages to this supposed email address asking if it was because of my stolen payment or if there was an issue but the email that they supposedly respond to within a week has not been responded to in close to a month and my initial emails have gone ignored for well over a month. I am grateful to have been able to get ANY payment however, disgusted that whoever stole from my fiancé and I will never be caught due to this handling or lack thereof!

    Reply
  41. Been unemployed since March 28. I filed for PUA and got approved on may 26th. I have gotten only a total of 4 weeks of the state and fed money. I am still missing over 8 weeks of Retroactive weeks. Everyone I know that has been laid off and accepted have gotten all the retroactive money and the current state and federal money every week. I can’t figure out while I’m getting all new payments but the back dated 9 weeks are so are just forgotten about….

    Reply
      • (From Official site) Eligible, approved claimants who have no issues with their claim will receive their very first PUA payment – whether it’s the backdated lump sum payment or a regular weekly payment – within one week or less after filing their first certification.

        What should I do if I have a question about my claim? How can I reach the PUA staff?

        ​This new website detects error messages or other issues and automatically alerts a member of the PUA team. Once this occurs, our team members will work to resolve the issue and the outcome will be available on that claimant’s PUA website dashboard. Claimants experiencing any errors or issues while filing their weekly certifications should not immediately try to contact the PUA team or open a new claim, but rather should keep a close eye on their dashboard for a message/update.

        Currently, questions about your claims should be emailed to [email protected]. You should expect to receive a response within 7 days. This email address is for PUA questions only. Any emails unrelated to PUA will not receive a response.

        A new phone line will be available soon as well

        Reply
        • I never even got to apply for my back payments I didn’t know how and now that I’m trying to get ahold of somebody I can’t the number that they have is doesn’t work at all I’ve been trying for two three months now and nobody is answering me nobody’s answering my emails nobody’s answering nothing I didn’t get my unemployment this week it says it’s in progress there’s no there’s shouldn’t be no issues nothing changed at all I haven’t worked since 2018 it’s there’s proof there I don’t know what the holdup is but like I said all the young kids that haven’t worked a day in their life and all the drug addicts they all got their money they got back money and they’re getting money I worked 33 years of my life I can’t work because of all that’s going on and I only got five weeks I’m in a situation I don’t have a car I just don’t understand all this it’s not fair I’m struggling and now I’ll be struggling again because I didn’t get nothing I’m trying so hard to understand system but it’s not that easy

        • well I have tried everything I can possibly try to get ahold of someone to help me I am without a job I need a vehicle I’ve been waiting for my back pain can’t get it something about investigating wage attached something-or-other I have not worked in a long time I can’t work because of this going on here I don’t have a vehicle I have worked 33 years of my life and I am fighting and I mean fighting to get this money to survive well excuse me but I’m going to be truthful here they drug addicts drug dealers and the young people that have not worked a day in her life as walking around with pocket full of money I’ve worked all my life and here I sit with hardly anything because I can’t get ahold of anybody nothing on the dashboard is any helpful phone numbers are not helpful you can’t get ahold of anybody or anything I’m at my Wit’s end as well I wish somebody would get something straightened out here and now it’s the end of July it’s ending and I’m still broke don’t have a vehicle and don’t know what I’m going to do

        • My online pua account was hacked amd my username,password,security questions and 4 digit pin to file my weekly claims wear all changed….what do i do to get my account back so yhay i can receive my weekly benefits,its been a terrible struggle without any of my payments and I’ve tried email and phone numbers with no help r success getting in contact with anyone and i desperately need my benifits i am greatly sick with no financial help?

        • I’ve emailed that email address and still have no response back I emailed back on August 22nd and yes it states a response in 7 days but I have got no reply back yet from them. And I emailed because your not bale to call and get thru. So when and even tho it states they will return email they don’t

        • How long does it take to get a email back about backdate. It’s been two weeks and can’t talk to no one because the phones don’t work I live in Pa I have no open issues and my family have the virus and I’m scared I can’t afford to go anywhere and I’m on a side different from my family. We are so behind I know everyone is but tell me something.

      • I need to know what’s going on with my pandemic unemployment I requested a backdate and stay calling I need my money now

        Reply
        • Keep calling themwhen you get them on the phone you tell them you want it done manually make sure you have your photo ID driver’s license social security card and possibly a bank statement to verify it’s you they will do it manually it happened to me right now they have more access than they did before or just drive to your local or the unemployment office go right to their office if you can

    • I applied for pua as well and the option are to file for the back pay was there but I didn’t quite understand it so I didn’t do it I was afraid I messed things up then I start receiving the regular payments but it seems like they’re always messing with me and I depend on that I work 33 years of my life and I didn’t get my brakes rub pay I didn’t even get to apply for it and everybody around me that hasn’t worked a day in the life has gotten everything and I worked 33 years of my life and I can’t get it I’m very disturbed about this and now my weekly benefit is in progress and I didn’t get it yet I don’t understand what is going on but I’m right here with you and I don’t know how to go about filling out the necessary paperwork to get my back-pay there is no options anymore and nobody’s will respond to my emails for my phone calls they say about the number but the number does not work nobody can get it so I don’t know what’s going on either

      Reply
        • It may be because they’re cutting everybody I got an audit it and you have to make sure you have written proof of why you’re not working and it has to be 100% make sure it has to deal with covid-19 because if it doesn’t they’re going to make you pay all that money back I collected it all the way to the end now and now they’re threatening me I was due to start working I do private duty and I didn’t get to go to any clients because of the outbreak and I have to prove written proof of that and if I don’t I have to pay all that money back I worked all my life I’m 56 and I was only able to claim you see benefits for 6 months out of almost 40 years of working where is that fair it’s not fair and now I’m going to be an even more debt because now I can’t get that and I’m having a hard time finding the job and they don’t seem to care it has to do all of covid-19 taking care of someone that has called in 19 not going to work because you have not have it or the person that you’re working for are working with has to have it and if not then you’re in trouble I don’t understand how this works but non-sufficient work history from what I’m understanding with that is if you didn’t work much you can get pua but I worked all my life and I’m getting hassled something’s wrong here

      • To do any type o backpawnt youhav etosend email if your on PUA its on your dashboard on main page under clearing like 261 issue thing there’s like a 3 page to that part the 3rd one explains how to request backdate. You have to send an email to them with certain information and explain reason of backdating along with covid reason if you can’t find it I can copy and paste it for you. Just let me know

        Reply
  42. I applied for unemployment on March 15-2020 and I got my first payment On may 20-2020 . But I didn’t get my retro payments from when I started my claim.

    Reply
  43. I applied for benefits or may 24th on june 22nd i got 1 direct deposit for $4 and 8 hours later got another direct deposit of $540 this dont seem right from 5/24 to 6/22. In the past 2 days between myself and 2 other family members we have called 8,000 times total and get busy signal every time.

    Reply
  44. I still haven’t received the additional $600. I get my regular Unemployment Benefit every week, but I still haven’t received the $600. Do I have to do anything?

    Reply
  45. PA Unemployment has dropped the ball…big time. I understand the UC is overwhelmed, most of us are overwhelmed with everything that has gone on. As someone who works two jobs, one self-employed and one W2 this has been even more complicated. My wife is a nurse, my mother is at risk, my child care stopped and my daughters school closed. I made the decision based on those factors to stop my detailing business until we got closer to normalcy. I have lost 70% of my income this quarter. I have been back and forth with UC and PUA and one minute I am eligible and one minute I am not. Telling me that because I still have some income I don’t get anything. I put in two applications for PUA because one was wrong, I called them and said they needed to delete it and their solution was to go apply for UC. In the meantime, they deleted the wrong PUA account and sent me $5500 from it yesterday…$5500 from a claim that doesn’t exist. I have calls into the state rep. Hows your UC/PUA claim going?

    Reply
    • we first filed at the end of March when hubby’s employer shut down because of COVID-19. we got everything rt away. two state unemployment checks and a DD of 1080 for the two weeks of fed and state UC. all in a very timely manner. BUT, after his employer got the PPP loan we cancelled everything as hubby was put back on payroll with regular pay. since that was never extended after June 14th. we had to go back on uc because we are client driven and people are too afraid to travel. also, the company is subsidized by Penndot. Penndot is out of money because the feds are not funding the states. so far we received every state unemployment check we applied for every week. so in my opinion the state is doing a great job. what we haven’t got was the federal unemployment checks of 600 each. i gotta wonder if the feds are dropping the ball? my husband makes more money working than collecting. feds need to fund our state so we can start working again.

      Reply
    • we first filed at the end of March when hubby’s employer shut down because of COVID-19. we got everything rt away. two state unemployment checks and a DD of 1080 for the two weeks of fed and state UC. all in a very timely manner. BUT, after his employer got the PPP loan we cancelled everything as hubby was put back on payroll with regular pay. since that was never extended after June 14th. we had to go back on uc because we are client driven and people are too afraid to travel. also, the company is subsidized by Penndot. Penndot is out of money because the feds are not funding the states. so far we received every state unemployment check we applied for every week. so in my opinion the state is doing a great job. what we haven’t got was the federal unemployment checks of 600 each. i gotta wonder if the feds are dropping the ball? my husband makes more money working than collecting. feds need to fund our state so we can start working again.

      Reply
      • Could you please not use the term “hubby” when discussing general life matters with strangers? It is too intimate for common discourse with others. Its kinda creepy! Conjures images other people don’t want to experience.

        Reply
        • well, after discussing it with my hubby. we came to the conclusion that anyone who considers the word’ HUBBY’ intimate has some serious mental issues and are probably perverted. especially if they are conjuring up images that are, shall we say…. creepy

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