5-month PA UC payment delay for backdated claim - can they really make me wait until October?

That sounds really strange. I've never heard of a 5-month waiting period for regular UC benefits. When I filed in January, I had to wait about 3 weeks before my first payment. Did they mention anything about an "open issue" on your claim? Or did they say if you're approved or if they're still determining eligibility? Sometimes they hold payments while investigating something, but even that shouldn't take MONTHS.

Something doesn't add up here. PA UC typically processes claims within 2-4 weeks. Even with an open issue, 5 months is excessive. Here are some possibilities for what might be happening: 1. There could be confusion about what you're filing for. Did you try to claim benefits for periods BEFORE May 2023 while you were still working? That would be considered backdating and could cause issues. 2. Perhaps there's an employer protest about your claim that's being investigated. 3. The rep might have given you incorrect information. I suggest calling again and specifically asking: "What is the status of my claim?" "Are there any open issues?" "Am I approved for benefits?" and "Why specifically is payment delayed until October?" Get details in writing if possible.

omg the same thing happened 2 my cousin!! they told him october too and he filed in april. they said something bout a "quarterly review cycle" whatever tf that means?? PA UC is such a mess rn

I dealt with something similar last year. The issue was that I accidentally filed for weeks when I was still partially employed. What you need to do is check your "claim history" on the PA UC website. Look at what weeks you actually claimed benefits for. If you claimed for weeks BEFORE your May layoff, that would explain the delay - they have to verify you weren't working for all those weeks, which takes time. If that's the case, you need to call and explain you only want to claim benefits from your actual unemployment date in May 2023 forward. They should be able to adjust your claim.

The PA UC phone lines are IMPOSSIBLE to get through on!!! I tried for 3 weeks straight last month and either got busy signals or was disconnected after waiting on hold for hours. Good luck even getting someone on the phone to fix this mess!

After struggling for weeks with busy signals trying to reach PA UC about my delayed benefits, I finally discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com). It's a service that helps you connect with an unemployment representative without the endless calling and waiting. I was skeptical at first, but they actually got me connected to a PA UC agent in about 20 minutes! You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 For an issue like yours where you need to explain the misunderstanding about your work history dates, being able to actually talk to someone could save you months of waiting.

UPDATE: I just talked to a UC rep about your situation (I had to call for my brother's claim anyway). They said there's currently a special review process for claims where people accidentally file for periods when they were still working. The rep confirmed these are taking until October to resolve UNLESS you call and specifically request an "adjustment correction" to your filing dates. You need to talk to someone in the "claims correction department" which is different from regular customer service. Make sure you ask for that specifically!

Please update us on what happens! I'm curious if you'll be able to get this fixed. The UC system can be so confusing sometimes.

my friend had this same problem!!! they accidentally put the wrong start date for unemployment and had to wait FOREVER to get it fixed. the system is so broke its not even funny

UPDATE: Success! I used the Claimyr service that someone suggested above and actually got through to a PA UC representative. After explaining the situation, she transferred me to the claims correction department. They confirmed I had accidentally filed for benefits during months I was employed. The good news is they're processing an adjustment to my claim RIGHT NOW to correct the dates, and I should receive benefits for May-present within 5-7 business days! No waiting until October! Make sure you're super clear about your employment dates when filing, folks. One mistake can cause months of delays!