I'm glad you got your appeal filed! One more recommendation - check your PA UC portal daily while waiting for your appeal hearing to be scheduled. They often post updates there before you receive anything in the mail, and sometimes they request additional information with tight deadlines. Also, while you're waiting, continue your job search activities and document everything. PA requires you to complete and record work search activities weekly (applying to jobs, attending job fairs, etc.). If they decide in your favor, they'll check that you've been meeting these requirements before releasing payment.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year! My employer also claimed I quit when I was actually terminated after medical leave. Here's what helped me win my appeal: 1. Organize everything chronologically - I made a folder with all documents in date order 2. Practice explaining your situation clearly and concisely - you'll need to tell your story during the hearing 3. Don't let your employer's lies rattle you during the hearing - stick to facts and your documentation 4. The hearing officer will ask both you and your employer questions, so be prepared to respond to whatever claims they make My appeal took about 6 weeks total and I did win with back pay for all the weeks I filed. The key was having that termination email - it sounds like you have solid documentation too. Stay strong and don't give up! The system is frustrating but appeals do work when you have proof like you do. Also, definitely keep filing your weekly claims like others mentioned. I almost made the mistake of stopping during my appeal and would have lost weeks of benefits.

This whole thread is so helpful! I'm in week 4 of trying to reach someone about my claim that's been stuck in "under review" status. I've tried calling hundreds of times with no luck. Definitely going to try the 7:59am strategy and look into Claimyr since so many people here had success with it. Also didn't know about the CareerLink offices - there's one about 15 minutes from me so I'll check that out too. It's honestly crazy that we need all these workarounds just to get help with something as basic as unemployment benefits, but I'm grateful for this community sharing real solutions. Will update if I make any progress!

Just wanted to add another tip that worked for me - if you're getting the "high call volume" message, don't hang up right away. Sometimes if you stay on the line for a few minutes, it will actually put you in a queue instead of just disconnecting. I discovered this by accident when I got distracted and left the call going, and suddenly I was talking to an agent! Also, try calling on Wednesdays or Thursdays - seems like Mondays and Fridays are the absolute worst for getting through. The system is definitely broken but don't give up!

This thread is such a perfect example of why I love this community! @Fatima Al-Mansour, I'm so relieved you got this sorted out quickly. The RESEA system issues are absolutely maddening - I went through something similar a few months back where the systems weren't syncing properly. The stress of potentially losing benefits over a technical glitch is just awful. For anyone else reading this who might face RESEA confusion: the advice here about screenshots is golden. Also, if you're exempt, make sure to check both your CareerLink dashboard AND your UC account periodically to catch any discrepancies early. Sometimes these system errors pop up weeks or even months later. The Claimyr service mention is interesting too - I've heard mixed reviews but it sounds like it worked well in this case. Sometimes paying a small fee is worth it when your benefits are on the line and you can't get through the regular phone lines. Thanks for updating us with the resolution - these success stories really help others know there's light at the end of the tunnel!

This whole thread is incredibly helpful! As someone who's been dealing with PA UC for about 6 months now, I had no idea about the RESEA program or that there could be exemptions. @Fatima Al-Mansour I'm so glad you got this resolved quickly - the stress of potentially losing benefits over a system error must have been awful. The documentation advice everyone's sharing here is spot on. I learned early on to screenshot literally everything in my UC account after a friend had issues with disappeared work search entries. It's saved me twice already when I had to prove I submitted things correctly. One thing I'd add for newcomers - if you do have to call UC, try calling right at 8am when they open. I've had better luck getting through in that first hour, though it's still not guaranteed. And definitely keep filing your weekly claims even when there's a pending issue like this, unless they specifically tell you to stop. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community has been a lifesaver for navigating all the UC confusion!

UPDATE??? Did you get your money yet? The suspense is killing me lol. I'm going through something similar and want to know if you found a solution!

Thanks for sharing the resolution! This is super helpful for anyone else dealing with similar issues. It's crazy that they put security holds without any notification - you'd think they'd at least send an email or text letting you know. Good to know that calling the direct customer service line actually works and they can resolve it immediately. Definitely saving that number (888-233-5916) for future reference!

Glad to hear you got it sorted out! For anyone else reading this thread - the key takeaway is that when reopening a UC claim in PA within the same benefit year, there's NO waiting week required. The system just needs time to process (usually overnight). Always report partial hours worked accurately when filing weekly certifications, and you'll get reduced benefits based on earnings. Don't panic if the payment info doesn't show immediately after reopening - that's totally normal!

Just went through this exact same thing last month when my restaurant cut my hours from 40 to 15 per week! The reopening process was confusing at first but once I got through it, everything worked smoothly. The key things I learned: 1) No waiting week when reopening within the same benefit year, 2) The system takes overnight to update after reopening, 3) Be super accurate when reporting your part-time hours and earnings each week. I was stressed about rent too but got my first partial payment within 3 days of filing my weekly certification. Hang in there - it sounds like you're on the right track now!