I've been gathering my evidence and I'm going to call the referee office first thing tomorrow to confirm where to send everything. I really appreciate all the advice from everyone! Quick follow-up question - should I dress professionally for a phone hearing? Obviously they can't see me, but I wonder if it helps me feel more prepared?

Hey @Landon Flounder, I just went through this exact same situation about 6 weeks ago! A few things that really helped me: 1. **Double-check that referee address** - I had the same issue with a smudged notice. When I called, they confirmed the correct address and also told me I could email my documents as a PDF attachment as backup (they gave me a specific email for the referee handling my case). 2. **For your separation case** - since your employer is claiming you quit but you say the position was eliminated, definitely submit those email chains! Also include any documentation about layoffs, restructuring, or position eliminations that happened around the same time. I had a similar dispute and the emails were what won my case. 3. **Phone hearing logistics** - They called me exactly at the start time listed on my notice. Make sure your phone is fully charged and you're somewhere quiet. The whole thing took about 40 minutes for me. 4. **Don't panic about dressing up** - it's just audio, but I did find that sitting at a desk with my documents organized in front of me helped me stay focused and sound more professional. You've got this! The fact that you have email evidence puts you in a good position. Just stick to the facts and don't let them rattle you if your employer tries to spin the story.

As someone who's been through the PA UC system multiple times, here's what you need to know about their callback system: 1. The estimated callback times are very approximate 2. They may call up to 4 hours after the scheduled time 3. If they're overloaded, some callbacks get pushed to the next day 4. They'll attempt to call twice if you miss the first one 5. The caller ID usually shows as "Unknown" or "No Caller ID" If you have an open issue that's been holding up payments for 3 weeks, I'd recommend trying to call them directly first thing tomorrow morning (7:30am sharp). That's usually when the lines are least busy.

UPDATE: They finally called at 4:32pm! Almost 4 hours after the scheduled time. The agent was actually really helpful and fixed the open issue right away. For anyone with similar problems - don't give up, and keep your phone nearby all day even if they miss the scheduled time. Thanks everyone for the advice!

I'm in a similar boat - filed in mid-January and still waiting in week 9 with no reviewer assigned. The financial stress is overwhelming! I've been keeping detailed records of all my calls and attempts to get through. One thing that's helped me stay organized is creating a spreadsheet tracking my weekly certifications, work search activities, and every phone call attempt with dates/times. It's also useful if you eventually need to escalate to your state rep or senator's office. The system is definitely broken, but from reading everyone's experiences here, it seems like persistence eventually pays off. Keep filing those weekly certs and don't give up!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - the stress of waiting 10 weeks with no income is unimaginable! I filed my PA UC claim in late January and I'm now in week 8 with the same "in review" status. Like you, when I finally got through to someone last week, they told me it hadn't been assigned to a reviewer yet either. It's honestly criminal how they're treating people who desperately need these benefits. I've been surviving on credit cards and help from family, but that can't last forever. Reading through these comments gives me some hope though - sounds like many people do eventually get approved, it just takes way longer than it should. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service and calling right at 8am. We shouldn't have to jump through all these hoops just to talk to someone about our own claims! Hang in there - you're not alone in this nightmare.

I'm going through something similar right now - my balance is down to about $1,500 and I'm getting really anxious about what happens next. Reading through all these responses is both helpful and scary at the same time! The part about needing 6x your weekly benefit amount in W-2 wages to qualify for a new claim is news to me and honestly pretty alarming. I've been focused on finding a full-time job in my field but maybe I should start looking at temporary or part-time W-2 work just to build up those qualifying wages. Has anyone had luck with temp agencies for this kind of situation? I'm wondering if that might be a good way to get some W-2 income while still having flexibility for interviews.

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea about the 6x weekly benefit amount requirement for a new claim - that's absolutely crucial information that I wish was made clearer when you first file. @Amara Okafor, given what everyone's shared here, it sounds like your best bet might be to start looking for some part-time or temp W-2 work ASAP while you still have a few months left on your benefit year. Even if it's not in your ideal field, getting those qualifying wages could be the difference between having benefits when your year ends versus having nothing. The temp agency suggestion from @Amina Bah sounds really practical - you'd get the W-2 income you need while maintaining flexibility for job interviews in your field. Also definitely keep doing those weekly certifications even when your balance hits zero, as @Ava Martinez explained. This whole situation really highlights how confusing the UC system can be!

This thread is so helpful! I'm in a similar situation - got laid off in February and received $18,000 in severance. PA UC put a hold on my claim for "severance review" but based on what you all are saying, my amount should be well under the $29,450 threshold too. I've been calling for weeks trying to get through to someone who actually knows the rules. Did anyone else have luck with that Claimyr service that was mentioned? I'm getting desperate here - it's been 6 weeks with no payments and my savings are running low.

Just wanted to add my experience for anyone else dealing with this issue. I was laid off in December 2024 and received $25,000 in severance pay. PA UC initially put a severance hold on my claim for "review" that lasted 12 weeks! After reading threads like this one, I realized my severance should have been exempt since it was under the threshold. When I finally got through to a claims examiner (took multiple attempts over several days), they admitted there had been a processing error and my severance was incorrectly flagged as deductible. They removed the hold immediately and I received all my back payments within a week. The key is persistence - don't accept vague answers from general customer service reps. Keep pushing to speak with an actual claims examiner who can review your specific case and the severance calculations. Document everything and have your severance letter/stub ready to prove the exact amount. It's incredibly frustrating that so many people are experiencing the same systematic errors, but there is hope if you keep fighting for the correct determination!