I've been dealing with PA UC phone issues for months and have found a few strategies that help. Try calling multiple numbers - not just the main 888-313-7284 line. Sometimes the employer services line (888-313-7284 option 3) is less busy and they can transfer you. Also, if you have a smartphone, use the redial feature repeatedly for about 30-45 minutes starting right at 8am. I know it sounds crazy but I've gotten through this way several times. The key is persistence - I usually get through within the first hour if I keep redialing consistently. Don't give up after just a few busy signals!

I feel your pain! I went through the exact same nightmare last year when I had an issue with my benefits being stopped. The phone system is absolutely brutal. One thing that helped me was downloading an auto-redial app on my phone so I could set it to keep calling while I did other things. I also found that Tuesdays and Thursdays seemed to have slightly better connection rates than Mondays and Fridays. The message center in your dashboard is slow but they do eventually respond - it took about 8 business days for me to get a reply, but it was actually detailed and helpful. Hang in there, and definitely try that Claimyr service if you're really desperate. The system is broken but you WILL eventually get through!

I went through this exact situation about 2 months ago! My former employer was supposed to call in for my PA UC appeal hearing but never showed up or contacted anyone. The referee waited almost 35 minutes and tried calling them three times before proceeding without them. This absolutely worked in my favor! The referee explained that when employers fail to appear, they essentially abandon their opportunity to present evidence against you or challenge your version of events. Since the burden is typically on them to prove misconduct or policy violations that would justify denying benefits, their absence significantly weakens their position. My decision arrived in exactly 20 days and I won the appeal! The backpay process moved pretty smoothly too - all my retroactive payments hit my ReliaCard about 9 days after I received the decision letter. A few tips from my experience: Keep filing your weekly claims during the waiting period (you'll get paid for all eligible weeks retroactively if you win), watch your physical mailbox instead of constantly checking the online portal (my paper decision arrived 5 days before my online account was updated), and try not to stress too much about the exact timeline - most people seem to get decisions within that 2-3 week window. From what I've observed in this community and my own research, employer no-shows are surprisingly common in PA UC appeals and they almost always result in favorable outcomes for claimants. The waiting is absolutely brutal when you're stressed about rent and bills, but you're likely in a much stronger position than you realize. Stay positive and keep us updated!

I just went through this exact situation about 7 weeks ago! My employer was supposed to appear for my PA UC appeal hearing but completely ghosted it - didn't call in, didn't send anyone, nothing. The referee waited about 25 minutes and made multiple attempts to reach them before moving forward with just my testimony. This definitely worked in my favor! The referee explained that when employers don't show up, they forfeit their chance to present contradicting evidence or dispute your version of events. Since they typically need to prove misconduct or policy violations to justify benefit denial, their absence really hurts their case. My decision came in exactly 18 days and I won the appeal! The backpay hit my ReliaCard about 10 days after I got the decision letter. One thing I learned - don't obsess over the online portal like I did. My paper decision arrived 3 days before my online account showed any updates. Keep filing those weekly claims during the wait because you'll get retroactive pay for all eligible weeks if you win. From everything I've seen in this community, employer no-shows are actually pretty common and almost always result in wins for claimants. The waiting is absolutely torture when you're worried about bills, but based on your situation, you're probably in a really good spot. That 20-minute wait and multiple call attempts from the referee shows they were being thorough, which works in your favor. Hang in there!

This is exactly why I keep telling people that PA UC's phone system is basically designed to fail claimants. I've been helping people navigate this mess for years through my local community center, and the "two call rule" is real but inconsistently applied. Some examiners are more diligent about making that second attempt, others will mark cases as "contact attempted - no response" after just one missed call. Here's what I always tell people: treat EVERY missed call from PA UC like it might be your only chance. The voicemail they left you is actually a good sign - it means they're documenting their attempt properly. But don't wait around hoping they'll call back on a schedule that works for you. The 8am calling strategy mentioned here is solid, but also try calling about 15 minutes before they close (4:45pm). Sometimes you can catch agents who are wrapping up their day and have a few minutes to help. And yes, answer every PA area code during business hours - I've seen UC calls come from 717, 570, 215, 610, and even some random numbers that don't look official at all. It's a broken system that puts the burden on us to work around THEIR limitations, but understanding how it actually operates (vs how it should operate) can save you weeks of stress and lost benefits.

Just wanted to add another data point to this conversation - I had almost the exact same situation happen to me last month. Missed their call while I was at a doctor's appointment, and like many of you, I agonized over whether to wait or be proactive. I ended up doing both - tried calling back immediately but couldn't get through the busy signals for 3 days straight. Then they actually DID call me back on day 4, but I was ready for it this time and answered right away. The agent mentioned that my case was flagged for "second attempt" so it seems like they do try to follow the two-call policy, at least sometimes. But here's the key thing I learned: the agent told me that if I hadn't answered that second call, my case would have been decided that same day based on the documents they already had on file. So even though they made the second attempt, there was no third chance coming. The stress of waiting those 4 days not knowing if they'd call back was honestly worse than just dealing with the busy phone lines. Next time (hopefully there won't be one!) I'm definitely going with the proactive approach and using that early morning calling strategy everyone's mentioned. It's ridiculous that we have to game the system like this, but at least this thread gives us the real information we need to protect ourselves.

I'm currently in almost the exact same boat as you! Filed my claim about 2 weeks ago after getting laid off from my warehouse job (crazy coincidence there!), and I'm seeing the identical status situation - overall claim "under review" until January 11th, but my last two weekly certifications show "in progress" while week 1 shows "not applicable." This thread has been absolutely incredible for understanding what's actually happening! Like you, I had zero clue about PA's waiting week policy until reading everyone's explanations here. It's so frustrating that they don't make this stuff clear on their website - we shouldn't have to decode these statuses like we're solving puzzles when we're already stressed about money! What's really giving me hope is reading all these stories from people who got their payments even before their claim reviews were finished. Sounds like that "in progress" status is actually a genuinely good sign that our weekly certs are being processed, not just sitting there doing nothing. I've been obsessively checking the website multiple times a day too (glad we're all doing that together!), and I definitely need to set up those text alerts people mentioned. The bill stress is so real - I've got my own rent due on the 7th and I'm trying to make my last paycheck stretch until something comes through. Thanks for posting this question - it's been amazing to see how many of us are navigating this confusing system together. Fingers crossed we both see some movement soon! Keep us updated if anything changes on your end.

I'm in almost the exact same situation! Filed my claim about 3 weeks ago after being laid off from my factory job, and I'm seeing the identical status pattern - "under review" until January 14th for my overall claim, but "in progress" for my last two weekly certifications and "not applicable" for week 1. This thread has been such a blessing to find! I've been losing sleep over these confusing statuses and had no idea what any of them meant. Reading everyone's experiences here has been way more helpful than anything on the actual PA UC website. The waiting week explanation finally makes sense of that "not applicable" status - wish they would just tell you that upfront! What's keeping me hopeful is hearing from so many people who actually received payments while their claims were still under review. It sounds like "in progress" really is a positive sign that our weekly certs are moving through the system. I've been checking obsessively too (glad that's normal!), and I just set up the text alerts after reading about them here. The financial stress is keeping me up at night - I've got utilities and my car payment due next week and I'm trying to make my last paycheck cover everything. But knowing so many others have been through this exact process and eventually got their payments is really helping me stay sane. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories - this community has been more helpful than any official resource I've found! Hoping we all see some good news soon.

update?? did u ever get this fixed? im having the same issue now and worried

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Been stuck in that work history loop for 4 days and it's driving me crazy. The system just won't save anything I enter. I saw you mentioned Claimyr - is that a legitimate service? I'm hesitant to use third-party services for unemployment stuff but I'm getting desperate. Also wondering if anyone knows roughly how much they charge? At this point I'd rather pay something than waste more days trying to get through on my own.