THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED AGAINST US!! My employer did this exact same thing and the UC office took THEIR SIDE without even looking at my evidence!!! Had to appeal THREE TIMES before someone actually looked at my paystubs! Meanwhile I was living on credit cards for 2 months while they "investigated" what was clearly right there in black and white on my W-2!!! DON'T trust the UC office to do the right thing automatically. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. Send CERTIFIED letters. RECORD phone calls (PA is two-party consent so tell them you're recording). The system is designed to wear you down so you'll give up!!!

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at UC this morning! The rep explained that my former employer is claiming $4,200 of my earnings were actually "expense reimbursements" not wages (they weren't - it was a performance bonus they're now trying to reclassify). I uploaded all my paystubs showing the money was paid as regular wages with taxes withheld. The rep said this should be resolved within 7-10 business days and that I should receive all back payments once it's cleared up. Thanks everyone for your help! This forum has been so much more useful than the official UC website.

good luck gettin thru to anyone lol

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone today! For anyone with the same issue - I used the service that was mentioned above (Claimyr) and got connected in about 20 minutes. The agent was super helpful and updated my dependents info right away. She said since I'm still within the 14 day window, they'll recalculate my WBR with the additional dependents and it will be retroactive to my initial filing date. Thanks everyone for your help!

my sisters claim was under review for 10 weeks then DENIED for no reason!!! she had to appeal and THAT took another 6 weeks!!! PA UC is the absolute worst

Update on my situation - I ended up using the Claimyr service I mentioned (claimyr.com) to get through to someone, asked specifically for a claims examiner as others suggested here, and explained I was facing possible eviction if this wasn't resolved. The claims examiner was able to see my file had just been sitting there waiting for someone to look at it - no actual issues! She processed it on the spot and my payment hit my Money Network card two days later with all back weeks included. Sometimes it really is just about getting to the right person who can actually help.

I work for an organization that assists people with unemployment issues. Here's what you should know about PA UC paper checks: 1. First-time paper checks or first check after switching from direct deposit typically takes 7-10 business days 2. Subsequent checks usually arrive 5-7 business days after payment issue date 3. If it's been more than 10 business days, you can request a tracer 4. The UC office can place a stop payment on the original check and reissue a new one if needed If you're concerned about timing for rent, I'd recommend calling the UC office directly to explain your situation. Sometimes they can expedite a replacement if you have urgent financial need. For future payments, the Money Network card is definitely faster than paper checks.

Just wanted to update everyone - my check arrived today! Took exactly 12 days from when the payment was issued. The postmark shows it was only mailed 3 days ago, so most of the delay was on PA UC's end, not the postal service. Thanks everyone for your help!

If your appeal has been pending for over 4 months, I'd recommend these additional steps: 1. Contact the Unemployment Compensation Board of Review at 717-787-5122 (different from regular UC) 2. Request help from your state representative's office as mentioned above 3. Send a written inquiry via certified mail to the UC Board of Review 4. Continue checking your mail and UC dashboard daily Appeals are processed in the order received, but these steps may help identify if there's an administrative issue with your specific case.

After reading through all the comments, I wanted to mention that when my hearing was finally scheduled, it was by telephone due to the backlog. Make sure your phone number is correct in the system, and be prepared to answer when they call - even if it shows as an unknown or blocked number. They're very strict about being available at the scheduled time, and if you miss the call, it can further delay your case.

This happened to me and it was because I accidentally transposed two numbers when entering my wages. Check if you have a copy of your initial application to see if maybe you made a typo somewhere.

UPDATE: I finally got through to a representative today! Turns out there was a discrepancy between what I reported for my last quarter and what my employer reported. The difference was only about $200 but it triggered an automatic review. The rep was able to verify everything and said my payments should resume with next week's claim. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!

I finally resolved my IDme issue last month after similar frustrations. Here are the exact steps that worked for me: 1. Complete a new IDme verification through their website directly (not through the PA UC portal) 2. After verification, take screenshots of your completed verification and confirmation 3. Email those screenshots to UCHelp@pa.gov with your claim number in the subject line 4. Call the PA UC number at exactly 7:59am (right before they open) - this increased my chances of getting through 5. When connected, ask specifically for a "manual synchronization of IDme verification" It took about 4 days after these steps, but my claim finally processed. Hope this helps someone else stuck in this nightmare!

UPDATE: Finally got through using the Claimyr service mentioned above! After 4 weeks of nothing, I had a PA UC rep on the phone within 45 minutes of trying Claimyr. The rep confirmed my IDme verification was actually complete on their end but hadn't updated in their system. She manually released my claim and my payment should process in 2-3 business days. For anyone else stuck in this mess, getting to an actual human was the only solution. The rep said they're seeing tons of these "stuck in verification" issues and only a live person can fix them. Worth every penny to not spend weeks more waiting!

One more bit of advice for your hearing: if your employer brings up any new accusations during the hearing that weren't part of their initial appeal, you can request a continuance (basically a postponement) so you have time to prepare a response to these new allegations. Judges will typically grant this if the employer tries to introduce completely new reasons for termination during the hearing.

update us after ur hearing please!! good luck!!

When I had this issue I called the PA UC hotline 78 TIMES before getting through!!! The system is such a joke!!! But once I finally talked to someone they fixed my issue in like 5 minutes.

UPDATE: Just wanted to share that completing the IDme verification fixed my issue! Three days after verifying, all my pending weeks were paid at once to my direct deposit (not the card). Thanks everyone for your help - especially the tip about checking my spam folder! For anyone else stuck in limbo, definitely check if you missed an identity verification request.

i also heard they added a callback feature recently where u can leave ur number instead of waiting on hold? anyone tried this yet?

Update: I tried calling the Pittsburgh number at exactly 8:00 AM today and got through after being on hold for about 45 minutes! The rep was able to see that my claim had an "open issue" regarding my job separation reason. She fixed it on the spot and said I should see payments within 2-3 business days. Thanks everyone for your suggestions!