Thanks everyone for all the advice! I'm going to check the box for federal tax withholding. Better to get slightly smaller payments than a big tax bill later. I'll also put a little aside for the PA state taxes since they don't withhold that automatically. Really appreciate all the help!

Good decision @Zoe Walker! I went through the same dilemma last year and chose to have taxes withheld - definitely the right call. One tip: even with the 10% federal withholding, I still owed a little bit at tax time because my regular job earlier in the year had put me in a higher bracket. So maybe set aside just a tiny bit extra if you can, like $10-20 per week, just as a safety buffer. Also keep all your UC documentation organized - you'll get a 1099-G form in January that you'll need for filing. Best of luck with your claim!

I've been using Chime for my PA UC payments for about 6 months now and can confirm what others are saying - Monday mornings are the norm! Usually hits my account between 9-11am. The "2 days early" thing is legit compared to traditional banks. Just make sure you file your weekly claim on Sunday to stay on schedule. The consistency has been a game changer for budgeting compared to my old bank where it was hit or miss between Tuesday-Wednesday.

I've been with Chime for PA UC for about 8 months now and it's been a lifesaver! My payments hit consistently on Monday mornings around 10am, sometimes as early as Sunday evening if I file my claim early on Sunday. Before Chime I had Citizens Bank and it was always Tuesday afternoon at the earliest, sometimes Wednesday. The "2 days early" marketing is actually accurate for UC payments. Just make sure when you switched that your direct deposit info updated correctly in the UC system - you can double check in your payment history to see if it shows your new account. Good luck with your bills on the 3rd, you should be covered with Monday deposits!

UPDATE: I wanted to let everyone know what worked for me. I tried several of your suggestions. The state rep office was helpful but said they had a 2-week backlog of UC cases. I ended up using Claimyr and got through to an agent yesterday! They fixed my issue (turns out my claim had a verification flag that needed to be cleared). My payment is now being processed! Thanks so much to everyone who offered advice - this community saved me from a really bad situation.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - been trying to reach them for over a week about my claim status. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like the state representative route might be my best bet since I can't afford to wait weeks for a dashboard response. @Oliver Zimmermann thanks for the detailed breakdown of options, really helpful! I'm also curious about that Claimyr service @Emma Davis mentioned - has anyone else here tried it successfully? The phone situation is absolutely maddening.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - my claim went to an examiner about 2 weeks ago and I'm still waiting to hear something. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both reassuring and nerve-wracking at the same time! It sounds like the timeline really varies wildly from person to person. @MoonlightSonata your issues don't sound too concerning to me - layoffs and identity verification are pretty standard stuff they deal with all the time. The fact that you responded quickly with all your documentation should work in your favor. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for both of us that we hear something soon. This waiting game is absolutely brutal when you've got bills piling up!

I'm in almost the exact same boat as you! Filed 5 weeks ago with 2 initial issues, got the examiner assignment email last week. It's oddly comforting to know I'm not the only one going through this right now. From what I'm reading here, it sounds like the examiner step is just part of the normal process when there are questions to resolve - not necessarily good or bad, just necessary. The wide range of timelines people are sharing is pretty anxiety-inducing though! I've been obsessively checking my dashboard and making sure my phone volume is always up in case they call. Really hoping both of us (and everyone else waiting) hear something positive soon. This financial limbo is so stressful when you're trying to keep up with rent and bills. Thanks for posting this - it helps to know we're all in this together!

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening! As someone who's been juggling work and childcare costs, I had no idea there was a 92-day job search period for ELRC - that's such a relief to know about ahead of time. @ApolloJackson I'm really glad you got everything sorted out so quickly! Your experience shows how important it is to stay calm and reach out for help instead of panicking. The advice about calling within 10 days and keeping detailed records seems to be the golden rule here. I'm also bookmarking that Claimyr service @Chloe Delgado mentioned - the PA UC phone system sounds like a nightmare to deal with on your own. Thank you to everyone who shared their real experiences - it's so much more helpful than trying to navigate government websites alone!

This thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm currently working at a small restaurant and they've been cutting hours left and right, so I've been really anxious about potentially facing this situation myself. @ApolloJackson I'm so happy everything worked out for you - it must have been terrifying not knowing if your daughter would lose her daycare spot. The advice about the 10-day reporting rule and keeping detailed documentation is so valuable. I had no idea ELRC had a 92-day job search period! That's actually really generous compared to what I was expecting. I'm definitely going to introduce myself to my ELRC caseworker this week so I have that relationship established just in case. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - knowing there's a safety net in place makes the uncertainty of part-time work a lot less scary!