As someone who's been on PA UC for about 8 months now, I can confirm that first payment anxiety is totally normal! What really helped me was understanding that the state has to run several verification checks on new claims before releasing that initial payment - things like confirming your employment history, wage records, and banking info. This is why first payments often take 4-5 business days instead of the usual 2-3. Once those checks are complete, your future payments should be much more predictable. Pro tip: I always file my weekly certification on Sunday evening rather than waiting until the last minute, and I consistently get paid by Wednesday morning. The system works, it just takes a bit longer to get you set up initially!

I'm currently going through my first week on PA UC too - filed on Sunday and today is Thursday with no deposit yet. This thread has been such a lifesaver for understanding what's normal! The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking when you're not sure what timeline to expect. It's really helpful to hear from so many people who've been through this same experience. Carmen, glad your payment finally came through on Thursday - that gives me hope that mine might show up today or tomorrow too. I'll definitely be using all the tips people shared here about checking for correspondence, setting up bank alerts, and keeping track of the timing pattern once I get into the routine. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it makes this whole process feel way less scary knowing other people have navigated it successfully!

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.

UPDATE: I tried the Claimyr service that someone recommended here and actually got through to a rep this morning! They said since I have documentation proving my new job starts on Monday, they can remove the RESEA hold. The payments should process within 2-3 business days. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your help.

This is exactly why I hate dealing with PA UC! The RESEA system is such a mess and creates so many unnecessary headaches when people are already stressed about finding work. I went through something similar earlier this year where I had a job lined up but the RESEA requirement kicked in at the worst possible time. The key is definitely getting through to an actual person on the phone - the automated system and online uploads rarely resolve these issues on their own. Once you talk to a rep and explain you have a confirmed start date, they can usually clear it pretty quickly. The hardest part is just getting through to someone! Glad to see you got it sorted out with Claimyr. It's ridiculous that we have to use third-party services to access our own unemployment benefits, but if it works, it works. Good luck with the new job starting Monday!

This is such a frustrating situation and unfortunately very common right now. I went through a similar RESEA nightmare last fall and it took me almost 6 weeks to get everything sorted out. Here's what finally worked for me: 1. Go back to the Career Link office in person with documentation of your original visit (receipt, appointment confirmation, anything). Ask them to print out a "compliance verification" showing you were there on the deadline day. 2. When calling UC, specifically mention that you need to speak with someone about "RESEA technical compliance issues" - this seems to get you transferred to people who actually know about these problems. 3. File a written appeal through your UC portal citing "good cause" for missing the sessions due to system failures. Include any documentation you have. 4. Contact your local state representative's office - they have UC liaisons who can fast-track these cases. I got a call back within 48 hours after contacting mine. The whole system is a mess right now, but you CAN get your benefits restored. Don't give up - you followed the rules and it's their technical problems that caused this. Keep fighting it!

I'm going through almost the exact same thing right now! Been waiting 5 weeks for my RESEA issue to get resolved. The Career Link portal crashed on me THREE times when I was trying to schedule my appointment, and then they marked me as non-compliant. It's so frustrating because we're doing everything we're supposed to do but their broken system is penalizing us. I finally got through to someone at UC last week who told me that they're seeing a massive increase in these technical failure cases. She said the best thing to do is keep detailed records of every error message, every phone call, and every visit. I've started taking photos of my computer screen whenever I get an error. One thing that helped me was emailing my local Career Link office directly (found the email on their website) with screenshots of the portal errors. At least that way I have written proof that I was trying to comply but couldn't due to their system issues. The staff person who responded actually seemed to understand the problem and said she'd add notes to my file. Still waiting for my benefits to be restored but at least I feel like I have better documentation now. This whole RESEA rollout has been a disaster - we shouldn't be losing benefits because their technology doesn't work properly!