my mom works for the state (not UC but different department) and she says theres actually a special pandemic backlog team still working on cases from 2020-2021!!! so definitely worth trying!!!!!

I'm dealing with something similar right now! Filed in March 2020, got stuck in "pending review" forever, and just started pursuing it again last month. Here's what I've learned so far: 1. Your claim record is definitely still in their system - I was able to log into my old UC account and see everything from 2020 2. The key is getting to someone who understands pandemic-era claim issues. Regular phone reps might not know the special procedures 3. I found success by calling first thing Monday morning around 8:02 AM - still took 45+ minutes but I got through When I finally talked to someone, they told me there's a specific "COVID Claims Review Unit" that handles these exact cases. They transferred me and I'm now waiting for a callback within 10 business days. The agent said many claims from that period are being successfully resolved, especially ones that were never officially denied. Don't give up! The fact that your sister got benefits in the identical situation is actually strong evidence in your favor. Document everything and be persistent. I'll update if my review comes through!

Keep in mind that even after the hearing, the referee has 14 days to issue a decision, though many come sooner. The entire process from appeal to decision typically ranges from 4-8 weeks depending on current caseload. Document everything and be extremely prepared for your hearing. I'd recommend writing out your key points beforehand so you don't forget anything important when you're nervous during the hearing.

Just went through this process myself - got my acknowledgement letter in February and had my hearing exactly 3.5 weeks later. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier is to start preparing your evidence NOW while you're waiting. I created a simple timeline document with dates, what happened, and who was present for each event. Also gathered my employee handbook, any emails about the layoff, and my termination paperwork. Having everything organized made the hearing so much less stressful. The waiting is the hardest part but use that time productively to build your case. You got this!

UPDATE: For anyone who finds this thread later - the landscape mode trick worked for me! Once I rotated my phone, the options for text/email appeared. Thanks everyone for your help! Claim is finally filed.

Just wanted to add another workaround that worked for me - if landscape mode doesn't work for you, try opening the PA UC site in an incognito/private browsing window. Something about the cached data was interfering with the 2FA buttons loading properly. Had to do this plus clear my cookies, but then the text/email options showed up normally in portrait mode. Hope this helps someone else who's struggling with this mess!

Me too! Finally working properly. Filed mine just now!

still getting errors on my end 😫 gonna try again tonight i guess

Update: Just talked to my cousin and she checked her account. It was indeed the tax withholding! She found where to change it for future payments. Thanks everyone for the help!

Glad your cousin got it sorted out! Just a heads up for anyone else reading this - if you do decide to stop the tax withholding like she did, it's a good idea to set aside about 10-12% of each payment in a separate savings account for taxes. I learned this the hard way when I got a big tax bill the following year. UC benefits are taxed as regular income, so depending on your other income for the year, you might end up owing more than you expect come tax time.