Alert: UC Debit Card Transition

Alert: UC Debit Card Transition

During March 2023, the UC system switched from using ReliaCard to Money Network/My Banking Direct debit cards.

If you receive UC benefit payments by debit card, you should have been sent a Money Network/My Banking Direct card in the mail by April 1, 2023.

This is what the Money Network/My Banking Direct card looks like:

The Money Network/My Banking Direct card will replace your old US Bank ReliaCard.

  • The money on your ReliaCard will not transfer to your new Money Network/My Banking Direct card.

Do not throw away your ReliaCard until you have used all the money on it.

February 28, 2023 was the last day that benefits were loaded onto your ReliaCard.

Benefits began to be loaded onto your Money Network/My Banking Direct card on March 24, 2023. 

To get benefits for weeks ending February 25 through March 25, claimants had two options:

Option 1: Get benefits by check.

To do this, claimants needed to continue filing weekly claims. Their benefit checks were mailed to the address they had on file with the UC system.

Option 2: Option 2: Get benefits on their new Money Network/My Banking Direct card.

To do this, they should not have file weekly claims for weeks ending February 25 through March 25.

Between March 24 to April 1 claimants were able to file weekly claims in the system for the weeks ending February 25 to March 25.  All payments will be loaded onto the new Money Network/My Banking Direct card in April.

If a claimant tried filing for these weeks after April 1, some of the weeks may have “closed.” This means they will have to request backdating for these weeks.

If you did not get the new card you need to:

  • Check that your current address is the one on file with unemployment.

The new Money Network/My Banking Direct card was automatically mailed to the address you had on file with unemployment before March 6, 2023.

If your mailing address is incorrect, you need to:

  1. Update it ASAP to the correct mailing address.
  2. Then, call Money Network’s Customer Service Center (1-888-292-0059). Tell them you need your Money Network/My Banking Direct card mailed to the updated address.

The fastest way to update your address is by directly changing it under the “Edit ” section of your UC portal. 

If you file your claims using the phone system or cannot change your address on your portal, you will need to call the UC Service Center (1-888-313-7284). If you cannot get through to the UC Service Center, you should call PA’s Department of Treasury’s Bureau of Unemployment Compensation Disbursement (877-869-1956).

If your mailing address is correct, you need to: 

  1. Call the UC Service Center (1-888-313-7284) to request a new card be mailed to you.
  2. Your benefits will be mailed to you by check while you wait for your new card.
  • The new Money Network/My Banking Direct card will be mailed in a plain white envelope.

The envelope will have an Omaha, Nebraska return address.

Check all your mail carefully if you are waiting for a card to be mailed to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Login to your UC portal. On the home page, click on the words “View your Personal Profile and Contact Information.”

The UC portal landing page.

On the next page, make sure you are on the “General Information” tab. 

The contact info landing page.

 

Scroll down to the section that says “Residential Address.” If you need to update the address info, type the new address info into the boxes.

Residential address page.

 

Scroll down to the section that says “Mailing Address” If you need to update the address info, type the new address info into the boxes.

Mailing address page.

 

Scroll to the bottom and click “Save.”

 

Bottom of the contact info page where the "save" button is.

If you file your claims in your UC portal, check the “Benefit Summary” page. Under the “Weekly Benefit Certifications” there is a grid that shows you which weeks you filed for, the “Benefit Pay Date,” and the “Payment Number.”

If there is a benefit pay date and a payment number listed for checks that you have not received, you should call PA’s Department of Treasury’s Bureau of Unemployment Compensation Disbursement (877-869-1956). You can ask them about the status of your benefit checks.

If there is not a benefit pay date and a payment number listed, you should contact the UC Service Center (1-888-313-7284). There may be another issue that is keeping you from receiving your benefits.

Claimants who wanted to get their benefits for this time period on their new Money Network/My Banking Direct card needed to file for these weeks between March 24 and April 1. 

If you did not file for these weeks between March 24 and April 1, those weeks are now “closed.” This means you will need to request backdating for those weeks to file claims for them.

Depending on when you last filed for benefits, your claim have gone completely inactive. This means you will need to follow the instructions to “reopen” or “reactive” your claim. During this process you will be asked if you would like to request backdating for the weeks you did not file for.

If your claim is still active, or if you have trouble requesting backdating using the portal, you should email [email protected] to request backdating.

In this email you need to: 

  • Put “Back Date Request” in the subject line. 
  • Include the exact dates of the weeks that you are requesting backdating for.
  • Explain why you had good cause for filing these weeks on time (i.e. between March 24 and April 1).

To get benefits for weeks ending February 25 through March 25, claimants had two options:

Option 1: Get benefits by check.

To do this, claimants needed to continue filing weekly claims. Their benefit checks were mailed to the address they had on file with the UC system.

Option 2: Option 2: Get benefits on their new Money Network/My Banking Direct card.

To do this, they should not have file weekly claims for weeks ending February 25 through March 25.

Between March 24 to April 1 claimants were able to file weekly claims in the system for the weeks ending February 25 to March 25.  All payments will be loaded onto the new Money Network/My Banking Direct card in April.

If a claimant tried filing for these weeks after April 1, some of the weeks may have “closed.” This means they will have to request backdating for these weeks.

Do you have more questions?

Do you need to apply for UC benefits?