My question involves unemployment benefits for the state of: PA
Greetings,
A bit of back ground: I've been at my current employer for that past 11 years doing IT support. About 3-4 years ago I developed massive RSI problems in my wrist, arm, shoulders and now my leg. When it first occurred, I had to take medical leave of about a week or so just so I could use a mouse again and sit at a computer comfortably. Everything I've tried, if it helps at all, is only temporary. Only thing I haven't yet tried is physical therapy which I've just started the other day. Even sitting in a car for periods of time is uncomfortable now because of this.
My employer has been fairly understanding, for the most part, with regards to allowing me to reduce hours, leave early and adjust my work environment as I see fit. I've asked to be allowed to do other tasks that don't require my sitting in front of the puter all day but there really isn't much else to do and the one position that did open up was filled by another employee without even really discussing it with me, as I requested. On the bad days, I've asked to be allowed to work from home (since there is nothing I can't do remotely) and was denied but there are other employees that are able to work from home; so it isn't an unprecedented or unreasonable request. There are days when working from home isn't enough and I just can't sit at computer; on those days I just call off though I try not to do that much.
If physical therapy doesn't help, I'm gonna have to quite and that would be a rather stupid thing to do (I make good money and have excellent scheduling) on my part but I'm out of options. Relief from the pain and discomfort is becoming a higher priority than money.
So, my issue is such: if I have to quite, I"ll never be able to hold a "desk job" in my industry again, at least not for some months of healing and recovery. Which will make finding a job all the more difficult. If it comes to this I plan on applying for UI based on medical reasons. It's not that I won't be able to do other work, like more manual labor or something, I just can't sit at a desk with my hands on a mouse and keyboard for long periods of time, some days not all and if I quite I'm gonna need time to really heal as much as I can.
In your opinion, do you think it likely that the state will consider this good enough and allow UI? I suppose that depends on the people reviewing the case.

