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@Jean Ballard I totally understand your frustration! Based on all the experiences shared in this thread, here's what's been working for people: Try calling 888-313-7284 (not the automated 888-255-4728 number) at exactly 8:00am when they open. Several people have had success with this timing and only waited 10-20 minutes instead of hours. If you can't get through by phone, try filing online very late at night (10-11pm) when there's less traffic on the system. Make sure to clear your browser cache first and use Chrome or Firefox. The PA UC system has been having major issues lately affecting both online and phone filing, so you're definitely not alone in this struggle. Don't give up - document your attempts with screenshots in case you need proof later!
@Jean Ballard I just went through this exact same struggle two weeks ago! The PA UC system has been absolutely terrible lately. Here's what finally worked for me after days of frustration: Set your alarm for 7:58am and call 888-313-7284 right at 8:00am when they open - don't use the automated PAT line (888-255-4728) if you're having system issues. I got through in about 12 minutes using this method and the agent was able to file my weekly claim over the phone immediately. If the early morning call doesn't work, try filing online between 10-11pm when the system is less overloaded. Also make sure you're documenting every attempt with screenshots and noting the times you tried calling - this saved me when I had to prove I was trying to file on time. The whole system is a mess right now but persistence really does pay off!
I'm new to this community but unfortunately dealing with the exact same situation! My PA UC benefits were approved about 2 weeks ago and yesterday I got the dreaded appeal notice from my former employer. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both terrifying and reassuring at the same time. I was completely panicking thinking my payments would stop immediately, so learning that benefits continue during the appeal process is such a relief. My situation is almost identical to yours - I was told it was a "company restructuring" but my supervisor had mentioned some concerns about my productivity a few weeks before the layoff. Now I'm worried they're going to try to twist that into a "fired for cause" situation. I'm definitely going to follow all the advice here about gathering documentation and creating a timeline. Does anyone know roughly how long these appeal processes typically take in PA? I'm trying to plan my finances around the uncertainty. Thank you to everyone sharing their experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in this stressful process!
Welcome to the community! I'm also new here and going through this exact nightmare right now. From what I've gathered reading through this thread, the appeal process in PA can take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple months depending on their scheduling backlog. The good news is that everyone here confirms benefits DO continue while the appeal is pending, which was my biggest fear too. Your situation sounds very similar to mine - they told me "restructuring" initially but I'm worried they'll try to use some earlier performance discussions against me. The key thing I'm learning is that they have to prove the termination was specifically FOR performance issues, not just that performance was mentioned. Since you were officially told it was restructuring, that's your main defense. I'm following everyone's advice about documenting everything while it's still fresh in my memory. We can get through this! The support and practical advice in this community has been a lifesaver.
I'm new to this community but unfortunately in a very similar boat! Just got my appeal notice yesterday after being approved for PA UC benefits following what my employer called a "reduction in workforce." Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea benefits continue during the appeal process, which is honestly keeping me from having a complete panic attack right now. My situation is a bit different because I was actually given a severance package when they laid me off, but now I'm wondering if that will hurt my case somehow? They told me and 6 other people in my department that our positions were being eliminated due to budget constraints, but I'm still terrified they'll try to find some way to claim misconduct. The advice about gathering documentation and creating a timeline is exactly what I needed to hear - gives me something concrete to focus on instead of just worrying. Thank you to everyone sharing their stories, both good and bad. It really helps to know there's a whole community of people who understand what this feels like!
Welcome to the community! I'm also new here and dealing with my first PA UC appeal, so I totally understand that panic feeling. Actually, the fact that you received a severance package might actually HELP your case rather than hurt it - severance is typically given to employees who are laid off through no fault of their own, not to people who are terminated for misconduct. If 6 other people in your department were also eliminated at the same time, that's really strong evidence of a legitimate workforce reduction rather than individual performance issues. Make sure to document how many people were laid off, when it happened, and any communications about budget constraints. The severance paperwork might even explicitly state the reason for termination, which could be valuable evidence. I'm also following everyone's advice about creating that timeline and gathering documents - it's helping me feel more in control of the situation instead of just worrying about things I can't change!
Another strategy that's been working for me lately is using the "press 0" trick during the automated menu. Instead of following the prompts, just keep pressing 0 repeatedly until it connects you to a live operator. It doesn't work every time, but I've had success with it about 30% of the time. The operators can usually help with any type of question or transfer you to the right department. Also, if you do get disconnected while on hold, call back immediately within 5 minutes - sometimes they have a "call back" queue that prioritizes people who just got cut off. Worth a shot when you're at your wit's end!
Thanks for sharing the "press 0" trick! I've been struggling with the PA UC phone system for over a week now and haven't tried that approach yet. The call back queue tip is really interesting too - I had no idea they might prioritize people who got disconnected. I'm definitely going to try both of these methods tomorrow morning along with some of the other strategies people have mentioned here. It's so frustrating that we have to become experts in gaming their phone system just to get basic help with our unemployment claims!
I've been following this thread and wanted to add something that helped me recently. I work part-time at a call center so I understand phone queues pretty well. One thing I noticed with PA UC is that their system seems to reset the queue priorities around lunch time (12-1pm). I've had better luck calling right at 1:05pm when they come back from lunch break - got through twice using this timing. Also, if you're calling from a cell phone, make sure you're in an area with strong signal because even small connection hiccups can drop you from their queue. And here's something weird I discovered - if you get the busy signal, don't hang up immediately. Sometimes if you stay on the line for 30-45 seconds, it will actually connect you to the queue. Not sure why but it's worked for me 3 times now. Hope this helps someone else avoid the nightmare!
This is really helpful insight from someone who actually works with phone systems! The lunch break timing makes total sense - I bet a lot of people don't think to call right after 1pm. I'm definitely going to try staying on the line after getting a busy signal too. It's crazy that we have to learn all these little system quirks just to access basic unemployment services, but I really appreciate everyone sharing what actually works. Going to give the 1:05pm timing a shot tomorrow!
I went through this same transition in PA just a couple months ago! Everyone's advice here is spot-on - you don't need to formally close your claim, just stop filing weekly certifications once you're over the income threshold. One small thing that really helped me stay organized: I created a simple checklist in my notes app with all the key steps from this thread. Things like "report part-time earnings accurately on final cert," "screenshot final certification page," "set reminder to check dashboard in 3 weeks," etc. Having it all in one place made the whole process feel much more manageable. The warehouse industry has been great for steady work lately - sounds like you landed at just the right time! Don't stress about the UC transition, the PA system handles people going back to work all the time. You've got this handled perfectly by asking the right questions upfront.
That's such a smart idea to create a checklist with all the steps from this thread! I'm definitely going to do that - it'll help me feel more organized and confident about the whole process. Having everything laid out like "report part-time earnings accurately," "screenshot final cert page," "check dashboard in 3 weeks" makes it feel so much less overwhelming. This thread has been incredibly helpful and it's great to hear from people who just went through this recently. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience - the warehouse timing does feel perfect with how much hiring is happening right now!
This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a very similar situation - just started a new job and was stressed about how to properly handle the UC transition. Reading everyone's experiences has been so reassuring. One thing I wanted to add that I learned from my own research: if you have any unused vacation pay or final paycheck coming from a previous employer, make sure to report that correctly too when it comes in, even after you've stopped your UC claim. Sometimes people forget about those final payments and it can cause issues later if the state finds out through employer reporting. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - it's amazing how much clearer this process becomes when you hear from people who actually went through it rather than trying to decode the official website!
PrinceJoe
I'm going through the EXACT same thing right now! Just noticed the "missing wages" active issue on my account this morning and I'm completely stressed about it. Like you, I've been collecting for about 5 weeks without any problems and haven't worked a single day since my layoff. Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually giving me some hope though. It sounds like this might be related to quarterly reporting deadlines since so many people are experiencing this at the same time. The fact that most cases seem to get resolved in favor of the claimant is reassuring, even though the wait time is terrifying when you have bills coming up. I'm definitely going to try the Monday 8 AM calling strategy that several people have recommended. In the meantime, I'll keep filing my weekly claims and gather up all my termination paperwork to have ready. Thanks for posting about this - it's helping to know we're not alone in dealing with this issue! Hopefully we can all get through to someone quickly and get this resolved. Please keep us updated on what happens when you call!
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Naila Gordon
•I'm so glad you found this thread helpful! It's been really reassuring for me too to see that so many others are going through the exact same thing right now - definitely makes it seem like this is some kind of system-wide issue rather than something we individually did wrong. The timing with quarterly reports really does make sense. I'm planning to call Monday morning too, so hopefully we'll both have good news to report back. It's scary how much we depend on these payments and how quickly everything can feel uncertain when something like this pops up out of nowhere. But reading about people getting it resolved in one phone call once they actually reach someone is giving me hope. Let's definitely keep each other updated on how the calls go! Good luck to you and everyone else dealing with this right now.
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Sasha Reese
I just wanted to add some perspective as someone who's been through multiple UC issues over the years - the "missing wages" flag is actually one of the more straightforward issues to resolve once you get through to someone. Unlike overpayment issues or work search problems, wage discrepancies are usually pretty clear-cut from the system's perspective. What's likely happening is that PA's system does automated cross-checks between your reported wages and employer quarterly filings, and when there's any timing mismatch or delay in employer reporting, it triggers this flag as a precaution. The good news is that once a human reviews it, they can usually see immediately if it's just a reporting timing issue versus an actual discrepancy. For those calling Monday morning - if you can't get through at 8 AM, try again around 10:30 AM. Sometimes there's a second wave of availability after the initial morning rush dies down. And definitely keep detailed notes of when you call and what you're told - it helps if you need to call back. Hang in there everyone - this really does seem to be affecting a lot of people right now, which suggests it's a system issue that will get sorted out relatively quickly once the backlog clears.
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Andre Rousseau
•This is really helpful perspective, thank you! As someone new to dealing with UC issues, it's reassuring to hear that "missing wages" flags are typically more straightforward to resolve. The explanation about automated cross-checks with employer quarterly filings makes a lot of sense, especially since so many of us seem to be experiencing this at the same time. I'm definitely going to try both the 8 AM and 10:30 AM calling windows you suggested. Having a backup time is smart since I know how hard it can be to get through. I'll also make sure to keep detailed notes of any calls - that's great advice that I wouldn't have thought of. It's really comforting to know this is likely a system-wide issue rather than something individual. Fingers crossed we can all get through and get this resolved quickly!
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