Pennsylvania Unemployment
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Can't reach Pennsylvania Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the PAUC
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the PAUC drops your call
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
PA UC under review after school cafeteria job transferred to new contractor - should I keep calling?
I'm in a weird situation with my PA unemployment and not sure what to do next. I work in a school cafeteria, so summer is always my downtime on UC. Been claiming for 7 weeks without issues, but now my payments suddenly say 'in process' instead of the normal payment date. Found out the school district switched food service contractors, and technically I'm now employed by the new company (same job, same school). I guess this triggered some kind of review on my claim. My UC dashboard says to 'continue filing if unemployed' but nothing's being deposited. I've called like 15 times but can't get through. Will this eventually sort itself out or should I keep trying to reach someone? Getting worried since rent is coming up soon.
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PA UC Website Login Issues - Anyone Else Locked Out Since Saturday?
Is anyone else having trouble accessing the PA UC website? I've been trying to log in since yesterday morning (all day Saturday) and the site either times out or shows an error message. Still having the same problem this morning. I need to file my weekly claim and don't want to miss the deadline. Anyone know if there's scheduled maintenance or if the system is down? Should I just keep trying or is there another way to file my weekly claim?
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I'm having the EXACT same problem!!! Been trying since yesterday morning and NOTHING! This is SO TYPICAL of PA UC!!! My rent is due this week and I NEED this payment to process on time! Why don't they ever WARN us before taking the system down?? Now I'll probably have to wait extra days for my money. I swear they do this ON PURPOSE to save money by delaying our payments!!!
They actually did post a notice about the maintenance, though it wasn't up for long. The system should be back online by tomorrow morning. Your payment shouldn't be delayed as long as you file within the week's filing period. If you're concerned about timing, you can call the PAT system instead of waiting for the website.
Hey everyone, just wanted to update - I just tried again (around 4:30pm Sunday) and was able to get in and file my weekly claim! Looks like the site might be back up now. Still running a bit slow but at least it's working!
Thanks for the update! Just tried it myself and got in too. Claim is filed! What a relief. Wish they'd communicate better about these outages.
PA UC 8 weeks with no determination - mental health deteriorating while waiting
Going on 8 weeks with my PA unemployment claim stuck in limbo with no determination or payments. My mental health is absolutely tanking at this point. I was unexpectedly laid off after 4 years at the same company, which was devastating enough, but now I've been filing my weekly claims religiously with zero dollars coming in. My savings are nearly wiped out. I've applied to 37 jobs in the last month and either get rejections or complete silence. Every morning I check my UC portal hoping for ANY update, and there's nothing but that 'pending' status staring back at me. I've tried calling but can't get through. I'm starting to struggle with basic things like sleeping and eating regularly. How are other people coping while trapped in this PA UC nightmare? Any suggestions for managing stress when you're watching your bank account drain to nothing? Honestly feeling desperate here.
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One thing that really helped me during my 10 week wait was tracking small victories. Every job application I submitted, every networking call I made, every time I learned a new skill on YouTube - I wrote it down in a journal. It helped me see I was still moving forward even when UC was stalled. Also, be sure you're checking your spam/junk email folders! My ID verification request went to spam and I missed it for 3 weeks which delayed everything. And don't forget to check your dashboard for any Action Items - sometimes they don't send emails about those at all.
Just checked my spam folder and found nothing, but I'm going to start that journal idea tomorrow. You're right that focusing on what I HAVE accomplished might help with the feeling of being stuck.
@OP - After I used that Claimyr service I mentioned, the agent told me my issue was that my former employer had contested my claim saying I quit (I was laid off). Once I explained what happened, the agent was able to make notes in the system and escalate it for review. The payments started 3 days later. Do you know if your employer might be contesting your claim?
That's a good point. I parted on decent terms with my employer, but who knows what they told UC. I need to actually talk to someone to find out what's happening. Thanks for the follow-up info about your situation.
PA UC paper check delay this week? Anyone else waiting longer than usual?
I'm getting worried because my husband's PA unemployment paper check usually arrives like clockwork on Thursday, but nothing came yesterday. It's now Friday morning and still nothing in the mail. His claim status shows 'payment issued' on the website since Tuesday. Has anyone else who gets paper checks noticed delays this week? Should we be concerned or is the postal service just running behind? This is the first time in his 6 weeks of claiming that it's been late.
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Here's the official situation: The Pennsylvania Treasury Department experienced a processing delay that has affected unemployment compensation paper checks issued between Monday and Wednesday this week. This is confirmed on their website under System Alerts (though it's not prominently displayed). If your payment status shows "payment issued," your check has been processed and is in the mail system. Most affected claimants should receive their checks by Monday or Tuesday. In the meantime: 1. Continue checking your mail daily 2. Don't request a replacement check until at least 7 business days have passed 3. Keep filing your weekly claims as scheduled despite this delay 4. Consider switching to direct deposit for faster, more reliable payments If Tuesday comes and you still don't have your check, then you should contact the UC service center for assistance.
Thank you, this is really helpful! We'll keep checking the mail and wait until at least Tuesday before panicking. Appreciate the clear explanation!
PA UC application timing for mass layoff on May 26 - When can I start filing?
Just found out our whole facility is closing down on May 26 and all of us are getting laid off (about 180 workers). Manager handed out the WARN notices yesterday. This is my first time facing unemployment and I'm not sure when I should actually start the application process. Can I apply before my last day or do I need to wait until after May 26? I'd like to get everything set up so there's no gap in income if possible. Also, does anyone know if mass layoffs are processed differently by PA UC? Thanks for any advice.
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my cousin works at a place that closed and they all got denied cause the employer said they were fired not laid off even tho the whole place shut down!!! make SURE they put the right reason for separation or you'll have to appeal
This is an important point. When you file, make sure your separation reason is correctly listed as "Lack of Work" or "Layoff" rather than termination. If your employer contests this or provides incorrect information, you may need to appeal, which can delay benefits. The good news is that with a documented WARN Act closure, it's fairly straightforward to prove it was a layoff if you need to appeal.
oh yeah and get ready for the waiting week! your first week u don't get paid!! that really sucked for me cause I didn't know
Pennsylvania actually eliminated the waiting week requirement permanently after the pandemic. There's no longer a waiting week in PA - you can receive benefits for your first week of unemployment if you're eligible. This change was made permanent in state law.
Zara Perez
After reading through this whole thread, I wanted to update that my sister-in-law used that Claimyr service I mentioned above yesterday and said it worked for her too. She had an issue with her benefit year ending and needed to speak to someone. Said she was connected in about 20 minutes. Might be worth trying if you keep having trouble getting through the regular way.
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Justin Evans
AuthorI'm going to try calling one more time Monday morning, and if I still can't get through, I'll check out that service. At this point, I just need to talk to someone ASAP before I fall behind on bills.
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Daniel Rogers
Make sure when you do get through that you ask them to document everything in your file. With contractor changes, sometimes they need supervisor approval to process these claims. Ask if they can flag your case for expedited review based on the documentation you've provided. And definitely keep filing those weekly claims!
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Justin Evans
AuthorI will! I've been keeping detailed notes of all my calls and attempts too, just in case. Thanks everyone for all the help and advice!
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