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I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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Update: I finally got through to PA UC yesterday! The agent confirmed I should have answered NO to the school employment question since I'm employed by the staffing agency. They're processing a correction to my WBA and said I should see the additional money (including back payments) within 1-2 weeks. Thanks everyone for your help!
awesome!! glad it worked out for u!
i think they do this on purpose to save money...my brother went thru something similar with construction work at a university and they tried to say he was a school employee too but he wasnt
It's not intentionally deceptive, but the questions can be confusing. The system is designed to identify educational employees who have reasonable assurance of returning to work after scheduled breaks (like summer). Those individuals have different eligibility rules under PA UC law. The problem is that the question "Do you work for a school?" is ambiguous for contractors or staffing agency employees who physically work at schools but aren't employed by them.
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Has anyone had luck getting through by using the chat feature on the website instead of calling? I tried that route once but got disconnected after waiting 40 minutes...
The chat feature is connected to the same queue as phone calls - both are severely understaffed. Your chances aren't much better with chat, unfortunately. And some actions (like overriding a new claim process) usually need to be handled by phone anyway.
UPDATE: I finally got through to someone! Used the Claimyr service mentioned above and got connected in about 35 minutes. The agent confirmed everything you all said - the one-day job triggered a new claim because I earned over 6x my weekly benefit rate. She was able to expedite my claim processing and marked it as a "special handling case" due to it being just temporary work. She said I should see my benefits resume within 7-10 days and YES they will backdate and remove the waiting week requirement since this shouldn't have been processed as a completely new claim. Thanks everyone for the help! This forum saved me from weeks of stress.
That's great news! Glad you got it sorted. This is exactly why it's so important to get through to a real person when these things happen.
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I had the EXACT SAME PROBLEM last year when some glitch showed I refused work (I didn't!!). Anyway I finally got help by going IN PERSON to the CareerLink office. They can't process claims but the lady there helped me get through to someone on their special line. Might be worth a try if you live near one.
Omg I didn't even think about trying CareerLink! There's one about 20 minutes from me. If I still can't get through by Friday I'll try going there in person. Thank you for this suggestion!
UPDATE: I FINALLY GOT THROUGH!!! Used the local service center number that someone suggested above and only had to call 8 times before getting in the queue. Was on hold for 45 minutes but finally talked to someone who resolved my open issue! It was because my former employer incorrectly reported that I quit (I was laid off). The rep fixed it and said my payments should process within 3-5 business days. THANK YOU all for the suggestions and support!
Awesome news! So glad you got it fixed!
Great to hear! For anyone else reading this thread in the future, this is a perfect example of why knowing the specifics of your open issue matters. Employer separation issues are among the most common reasons for payment delays.
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if ur benefit year just renewed u gotta wait anyway... takes like 3 weeks for them to process it even if u talk to someone
Really? That's not what the website says. It says I need to verify employment info before I can continue filing weekly claims. I can't afford to miss 3 weeks of payments!
Quick update on timeframes: Benefit year renewals typically take 7-10 business days to process, not 3 weeks. However, if you have an "open issue" or need to verify employment info, you should absolutely contact them. For your specific situation, I recommend: 1. Send an email to UCHelp@pa.gov with your information 2. Try calling mid-week during off-peak hours 3. If you haven't received a response in 3 business days, consider using a calling service or visiting a PA CareerLink office Keep filing your weekly claims even while waiting for the issue to be resolved. This ensures you'll receive backpay once your issue is fixed.
Thank you so much for the detailed advice. I'll start with the email today and keep trying to call. And good tip about continuing to file weekly - I wasn't sure if I should do that with the open issue.
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dont forget u have to do the work search activities every week!!! u need to apply for 2 jobs and do 1 work search activity EVERY WEEK or theyll stop ur benefits!!
I didn't know about this! So from the very first week I need to be applying for jobs and documenting it? Is there a specific way they want that information reported?
Yes, you need to complete and document work search activities starting with your first week. When you file your weekly certification, you'll be asked if you completed the required activities. You need to keep records of your work search (job applications, networking events, etc.) in case you're selected for an audit. The PA UC system allows you to enter these directly into your dashboard, which I highly recommend doing rather than just keeping separate notes. If your claim gets stuck with an "open issue" status for more than 2 weeks, definitely try to reach a live agent. The chat feature on the PA UC website sometimes works, but phone is usually more effective for resolving complex issues.
Thank you so much for all this information. I feel much better prepared now. I'll make sure to file on my last day, set up the IDme verification beforehand, triple-check all my information, and start documenting job searches right away. Hopefully my claim will go through without any major delays!
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Thank you all so much for the advice! I'm going to submit the waiver application today and start gathering all my financial documents. Will update once I hear anything back from them. Fingers crossed they understand this was an honest mistake and not fraud.
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Just wanted to add that once you file, it might take 2-3 weeks to get your first payment. The system is really backed up right now. So don't panic if you don't see money right away.
After reading through all the comments, I think you have good information to proceed. To summarize for you: 1. You do qualify for partial UC benefits with a 35% reduction in hours 2. File online at www.uc.pa.gov and select "lack of work" as your reason 3. Report your earnings accurately each week when filing weekly claims 4. Understand your employer will be notified about your claim 5. Complete and document your work search activities each week 6. Be patient with processing times and payment schedules Good luck with your claim!
Thank you SO much to everyone who replied! I'm filing my claim tonight and feel much more prepared now. Will update if I run into any issues or once I get approved.
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I tried calling PA UC about my overpayment for two weeks straight and kept getting busy signals or disconnected. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that other people here were talking about. They have this thing where they connect you to unemployment quickly - watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2) and it worked exactly like they showed. Got through to someone who explained all my options. Turns out I qualified for a non-fault overpayment which was way easier to deal with. Might be worth trying if you're getting nowhere with the regular phone lines.
how much does that service cost? seems like it would be expensive
I'm definitely going to check this out. I've been trying to call for two days with no luck. Thanks for the recommendation!
Any update on your situation? Did you file the waiver yet?
Yes! I finally got through to someone at UC using that Claimyr service others mentioned. The agent helped me understand my specific situation better - turns out mine is classified as a "non-fault" overpayment which is slightly easier to deal with. I filed the waiver yesterday and also requested a minimal payment plan ($25/month) while they review it. The agent said that should prevent any collection actions for now. Will update when I hear something about the waiver!
That's great to hear! Non-fault overpayments are definitely easier to get waived. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!
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Quick update on my earlier comment - I just remembered that the "Issues and Determinations" section doesn't always show what documents they actually need. Sometimes they send a paper questionnaire to your physical mailing address instead of through the portal. Have you checked your regular mail? They might have sent something there weeks ago with a deadline to respond.
OMG you might be right! I've been checking my email and online portal but not my physical mailbox very often since I get almost everything electronically these days. I'll check today when I get home. Thank you for this tip!
UPDATE: You guys were all so helpful! I checked my mail and found a form they sent 2 weeks ago asking for more details about my layoff. I filled it out and faxed it back today. Also, I managed to get through to someone by calling exactly at 8:00 AM. The rep confirmed they needed that form and said once they receive it, they should make a determination within 5-7 business days. She also verified my wages were sufficient for benefits, so assuming no other issues, I should be approved. Thank you all for your help navigating this confusing system!
Great news! Make sure you continue filing your weekly claims even while waiting for the determination. If approved, you'll only get paid for weeks you properly certified. And once approved, don't forget you need to record your work search activities each week (apply to 2+ jobs and complete 1+ work search activity).
Yes, I've been filing my weekly claims and tracking my job applications. Good to know I'm doing the right things! Will update once I get an official determination.
Keisha Williams
My employer did something similar but it was the other way around - they had me terminated LATER than I actually was. It was a mess because they were trying to claim I was paid for days I wasn't! PA UC is so frustrating sometimes. Document EVERYTHING and be prepared to appeal if needed. The system is designed to be confusing.
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Amina Sy
Just wanted to follow-up - did you hear back yet? Curious how long it took for them to make a decision for you...
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Connor Byrne
•Just got the determination today! Took exactly 8 days. They approved my claim AND used the correct date I provided. So relieved! Thanks everyone for the advice and support!
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Yara Abboud
•Great news! Glad to hear they got it right. Now just make sure you keep up with your weekly claims and work search activities!
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