I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Filed my claim about 16 days ago, first weekly certification went smoothly, but when I tried to certify today I got hit with that "reopen claim" message. My employer responded to the claim just yesterday, so the timing matches what others have described here. This thread has been absolutely invaluable - I was literally hovering over the reopen button when I found this discussion. The pattern everyone's describing is identical to my situation, and seeing @Genevieve Cavalier's successful resolution by calling gives me so much hope. It's honestly shocking that PA UC hasn't addressed this widespread glitch or at least posted a notice about it. People are already stressed from job loss and then the system throws these scary messages that could potentially mess up their benefits if they follow the wrong advice. Planning to call first thing tomorrow morning. If I can't get through the regular way, I'll definitely try that Claimyr service that multiple people have recommended. Will update this thread once I get it resolved - community knowledge like this is so much more helpful than anything official from the state!

This thread has been such a lifesaver for so many people! I'm dealing with this exact same glitch right now - filed my claim 18 days ago, first certification went perfectly, and today I got that terrifying "reopen claim" message. My employer just responded 3 days ago, which fits the pattern everyone's describing here. I was about to panic and reopen my claim until I found this discussion. The fact that so many people are experiencing identical issues at the same timeframe really shows this is a widespread system bug, not something we did wrong. It's incredibly frustrating that PA UC hasn't issued any official guidance about this known glitch - we shouldn't have to rely on community forums to avoid making costly mistakes with our benefits. Based on everyone's experiences, I'm definitely calling tomorrow morning before doing anything else. If the regular phone lines are jammed, I'll try that Claimyr service that multiple people have recommended. @Genevieve Cavalier thank you so much for updating us on your resolution - knowing that calling got it fixed quickly gives me hope! This community support makes such a difference when dealing with these confusing government systems during an already stressful time.

I just went through this exact situation about 3 months ago! Lost my part-time job at a bookstore (about 12 hours/week) but kept my full-time office job. I was really hesitant to apply because I figured I made too much from my main job, but my friend who works in benefits administration convinced me to try anyway. Ended up qualifying for $29/week in partial benefits. I know that doesn't sound like much, but over the 12 weeks I collected, that was almost $350 that helped cover my monthly car insurance and part of my phone bill. The application process was pretty painless - took maybe 15-20 minutes online, and the weekly certifications are quick once you get the hang of them. One thing I'd add that I haven't seen mentioned much - make sure you understand exactly when your part-time job officially ends. I made the mistake of filing my claim a week too early because I thought my last scheduled shift was my "last day," but technically my employment didn't end until the store's official closure date. Had to call and get that corrected, which was a bit of a hassle with PA's phone system. Definitely worth applying though! Even small amounts can make a difference, and the worst they can do is say no.

I'm actually dealing with something really similar right now! I've been working full-time at a manufacturing plant and picked up a part-time evening job at a local grocery store to help pay down some credit card debt. The grocery store just announced they're closing permanently at the end of next month due to lease issues. This whole thread has been incredibly helpful - I had absolutely no idea that partial UC benefits were even possible when you still have a full-time job! Like most people, I always thought unemployment was an all-or-nothing thing. Reading through everyone's real experiences with actual dollar amounts ($29-52/week range) really helps me understand what to expect. I'm definitely going to apply based on all the advice here. Even if I only qualify for something small like $30-35/week, that would still help cover my monthly internet bill and maybe some groceries. The work search requirement doesn't sound too bad either from what others have described. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this has been way more informative than anything I could find on the official PA UC website! Going to save this thread for reference when I fill out my application.

Just wanted to add my two cents as someone who's been through the PA UC system for about a year now. That first payment anxiety is SO real - I remember checking my bank account every hour! The transaction number really is the key indicator that everything is moving along properly. In my experience with Bank of America, once I see that transaction number, the money hits my account exactly 48 hours later, almost always around 2am. One tip that saved my sanity: download your bank's mobile app if you haven't already and turn on deposit notifications. That way you'll know the instant it arrives instead of constantly refreshing. Also, keep in mind that if there's ever a federal holiday during that 2-3 business day window, it can add an extra day to the timeline. But honestly, PA's UC system is pretty reliable once you get the hang of it. The waiting game gets so much easier after that first payment when you know what to expect!

I'm in the exact same boat as you right now! Filed my first claim last week after getting laid off from my retail job, and I've been refreshing my banking app constantly since seeing that transaction number appear yesterday. Reading through everyone's responses here has been such a huge relief - sounds like the 2-3 business day timeline is pretty standard and that anxious waiting period is totally normal for first-timers. I'm definitely going to set up those push notifications everyone mentioned and start filing on Sundays going forward. It's amazing how much this community helps ease the stress of navigating this system for the first time. Thanks for asking the question I was too nervous to post myself!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress - the waiting without any clear explanation is absolutely maddening! I went through something similar last year and it took about 7 weeks to resolve, but I did eventually get all my back pay. A few things that helped me: 1) Set up a daily routine of checking both online messages AND physical mail - sometimes critical notices only come via regular postal mail, 2) Try calling exactly at 7:59 AM when lines open - I had much better success then, and 3) Keep a simple log of every action you take (calls, emails, documents uploaded) - it became really useful when I finally got through to someone. Also, since you mentioned taking a severance package, that's actually strong evidence in your favor that this was an involuntary separation, not a quit. Companies rarely offer severance for voluntary resignations. Keep filing those weekly claims no matter what - you don't want to lose any weeks once this gets resolved. The uncertainty is brutal when bills are piling up, but most legitimate claims do get resolved eventually!

I'm in the exact same situation right now - filed 4 weeks ago and have been stuck with an "active issue" status with absolutely zero explanation. The anxiety of not knowing what's wrong while bills keep piling up is overwhelming! This thread has been incredibly helpful though. I'm going to try that 7:59 AM calling strategy everyone keeps mentioning since regular calling times have been completely useless. Also planning to contact my state representative's office based on the success stories shared here. @Nora Bennett - so glad you finally got answers! The employer contest situation gives me some insight into what might be happening with my claim too. It's frustrating that we have to become detectives to figure out what PA UC actually needs from us, but at least this community is sharing real solutions. Going to start keeping a detailed log of all my attempts and gather all my employment documentation so I'm ready when I finally get through. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - knowing I'm not alone in this broken system really helps!

I've been dealing with PA UC for over a year now and can confirm this delay is totally normal! What a lot of people don't realize is that "paid" in the portal basically means your claim was approved and the payment was authorized, but there's still the actual money movement that has to happen between different systems. I've tracked my payments pretty carefully and here's what I've noticed: if you file Sunday morning, money usually hits Monday night/Tuesday morning. If you file Sunday evening, it's more likely Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. And if there's ANY kind of holiday or system maintenance (which they don't always announce), add another day. The key thing is once you see "paid" status, you're good - the money WILL come. I know it's stressful when you're counting on it for bills, but try not to stress until it's been 3+ business days. Also pro tip: always check the Money Network website, not just the app - sometimes pending transactions show up there first before they hit your available balance.

This thread is a goldmine of information! I've been filing for about 3 months and have noticed these random delays but never understood why. Reading everyone's experiences makes me feel so much better about the whole process. What really struck me was the pattern about filing times - I always file Sunday afternoons around 3-4pm and have definitely noticed that sometimes my money comes Tuesday instead of Monday. Now I understand it's probably related to processing cutoffs. One thing I'll add from my experience: I've found that if you're really anxious about timing, you can set up text alerts through Money Network. They'll send you a notification as soon as a deposit posts, which has saved me from obsessively checking the app every few hours. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here - this is exactly the kind of real-world info that you can't get from the official PA UC website!