I'm in a similar boat but with a different school role - I was a substitute teacher last year and filed in June too. My claim has been stuck for over 6 weeks now with the same school district issue. What's really frustrating is that subs don't have ANY guarantee of work for the next year, yet they still treat us like we have "reasonable assurance." I've tried calling probably 100 times with no luck getting through. Reading all these responses is actually helpful though - sounds like most people do eventually get approved, it just takes way longer than it should. I'm definitely going to try that live chat option tomorrow at 8am and maybe contact my state rep too. This whole process is such a mess but at least we're not alone in dealing with it!

I was a bus driver for our school district and went through this same nightmare last summer! The "reasonable assurance" rule is so unfair for those of us in non-teaching roles. What really helped my case was getting a letter from HR at the school district explicitly stating that my position was seasonal with no guarantee of rehire. I had to be pretty persistent with the district office to get that letter, but it made all the difference when the examiner finally reviewed my claim. Also, I found that filing an appeal right away (even before they make a decision) can sometimes speed up the initial review process because it shows you're serious about fighting it. Took about 7 weeks total but I did get approved with full back pay. Don't give up!

Hey Sofia! I just went through this exact situation in February and wanted to share my timeline. My employer also no-showed for my PA UC appeal hearing, and I was worried about the same things. Here's what happened in my case: - Decision letter arrived 11 days after my hearing (including one weekend) - Payment processed 5 business days after the decision was posted online - I got the full backpay amount in one lump sum (about $3,200 in my case) The no-show definitely helped my case, but like others mentioned, the referee still reviewed all the documentation carefully. Make sure you have everything organized - wage stubs, termination letter, any emails or texts related to your separation. One thing I wish someone had told me: double-check that your direct deposit info is still current in your account. Mine had expired and I didn't realize it until after I won, which delayed my payment by another week while they reissued it. Keep filing those weekly claims and try to stay patient. I know it's stressful when you're counting on that money, but it sounds like you have a strong case. Good luck!

I went through almost the identical situation back in November! My employer was a complete no-show to my PA UC appeal hearing and I was sweating bullets about the same timeline questions you have. Here's what happened in my case: - Got my decision letter exactly 10 business days after the hearing - Payment hit my account 3 days after the decision showed "approved" online - Received all $5,100+ of backpay in one deposit (with taxes withheld as I had selected) The employer not showing definitely worked in my favor, but the referee still asked me tons of detailed questions and wanted to see all my documentation. Make sure you have copies of everything - your termination paperwork, any correspondence with your employer, etc. One heads up: when you do get paid, PA UC sends a separate letter breaking down exactly how they calculated your backpay. Don't panic if the math looks confusing at first - they include waiting weeks, partial weeks, and all sorts of adjustments that can make it hard to follow. Also, keep checking your dashboard obsessively like the rest of us! The status usually updates there 1-2 days before you get the physical decision letter. Hang in there - sounds like you've got a solid case with them not even bothering to show up!

guys i just got my first payment after 8 weeks!!! don't lose hope!!!

I'm in a similar situation - filed 5 weeks ago and still radio silence! It's so stressful not knowing what's happening. I've been certifying every week like I'm supposed to, but my claim status just says "pending" with no explanation. Has anyone had luck with the online chat feature, or is calling really the only way to get a human? I'm getting desperate here 😫

Just as a follow-up since I've now had a chance to test the chat feature myself - it does work, but there are some quirks. The biggest thing I noticed is that it seems to work much better on Chrome than on Safari or Firefox. Also, if you have any browser extensions for ad blocking or privacy, they might interfere with the chat function. I had to temporarily disable my extensions to get it working properly.

I can confirm the chat feature is real and working for some people! I just tried it this morning around 8:30am and got connected to an agent after about 20 minutes. They were able to help me understand why my weekly certification was being held up. The agent explained that certain identity verification issues can now be resolved through chat instead of requiring a phone call. A few things I learned from my experience: - Make sure you have all your documents ready before starting the chat (they might ask for photos of your ID or wage statements) - The chat window will show "Agent is typing..." but sometimes there are long delays between responses - don't panic and close the window - They can't help with appeals or complex eligibility determinations, but basic account issues seem to be fair game For anyone who doesn't see the chat option, the agent told me they're gradually expanding access throughout 2025. She said to keep checking back every few weeks as more claim types get added to the system.

For your immediate rent situation - call PA UC and explain the situation. There's a hardship provision where they can sometimes issue emergency funds while the fraud investigation is ongoing. You'll need to document the hardship (like an eviction notice or late rent warning). Not everyone qualifies, but it's worth asking about.

This is such a stressful situation! I went through something similar last year and wanted to share what helped me get through it faster. In addition to what everyone else mentioned, make sure you're checking your ReliaCard account online daily - sometimes they post updates to your fraud case that they don't tell you about over the phone. Also, if you have any text messages or emails from ReliaCard about your recent payment, save those as proof of when the legitimate deposit was made vs when the fraudulent transactions occurred. The timeline matters for their investigation. And definitely take Grace's advice about mentioning Regulation E - that's what finally got my case escalated to someone who actually helped me instead of giving me the runaround. Hang in there, it will get resolved!