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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
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Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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 :)
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For future reference, I recommend following the PA Labor & Industry Twitter/X account (@PALaborIndustry) and checking their website announcements section. They usually post system maintenance schedules a few days in advance. They also have an email notification system you can sign up for that will alert you about planned outages.
Thanks for all the helpful info everyone! I'm new to the PA UC system and had no idea about the scheduled maintenance windows. I was panicking when I couldn't log in this morning thinking something was wrong with my account. Really appreciate @Ian Armstrong sharing the Twitter account info - just followed them so I won't be caught off guard next time. The email notification system sounds like a good idea too. It's reassuring to know there's a grace period for technical issues like this!
Welcome to the PA UC system! Don't worry, we've all been there with the panic when the site doesn't work. @Ian Armstrong definitely gave great advice about following their social media. I d'also suggest bookmarking the PA UC website s'news section since they post maintenance schedules there too. One more tip - if you ever can t'file on your normal day due to technical issues, you can usually file the next business day without penalty. The system tracks these outages so they know it wasn t'your fault. Good luck with your claims!
@CyberSiren Welcome to the community! You picked a rough day to start dealing with PA UC, but you handled it well by asking here. Besides the social media follows that others mentioned, I'd also recommend downloading the UC mobile app as a backup - sometimes it works when the website doesn't. Also, if you ever need to speak to someone urgently and can't get through the regular lines, that Claimyr service @Sofia Price mentioned earlier has been a lifesaver for many people here. The PA UC system can be frustrating but this community is really helpful for navigating the quirks!
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This is exactly the kind of thread I needed to find when I started claiming a few weeks ago! I had the same panic when my first holiday week payment was delayed - spent hours on the PA UC website looking for some kind of notice about processing delays and found nothing. It's crazy how much useful information is just shared through word of mouth in communities like this rather than being clearly posted on the official site. I'm definitely saving this thread and bookmarking the community. It's reassuring to know there's a whole group of people who actually understand how this system works in practice vs. how it's supposed to work on paper. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it makes navigating all this so much less overwhelming!
Absolutely agree! I just started claiming last month and stumbled on this community the same way - frantically searching at 2am when my payment didn't show up on the expected day. It's wild how much critical information isn't communicated officially. Like, they could easily add a simple FAQ section about holiday delays or even send automated notifications when there might be processing delays. Instead we're all here piecing together the real timeline through shared experiences. This thread alone has taught me more about what to actually expect than any official documentation I've read. Really grateful for communities like this that fill in all the knowledge gaps!
Just wanted to add my experience for anyone who might find this thread in the future! I've been claiming PA UC for about 8 months now and have been through several holiday weeks. The pattern is pretty consistent - expect 1-3 business days delay after any federal holiday. What I've learned to do is check the federal holiday calendar at the beginning of each year and mark those weeks in my phone so I know to expect delays. Also, if you're really worried, you can actually call the automated phone line (not the customer service line) and it will tell you the status of your last claim without having to wait on hold. The number is on your determination letter. It won't tell you about timing delays, but at least you can confirm your claim was processed properly. This community has been invaluable for learning these kinds of practical tips that aren't documented anywhere official!
This is such great advice about the automated phone line! I had no idea that was even an option. I've been relying on just checking the website dashboard, but having a phone number to call for claim status without waiting for customer service sounds incredibly useful. Do you happen to remember if the automated system also tells you when payments are actually sent out, or just that the claim was processed? I'm definitely going to look for that number on my determination letter. And the federal holiday calendar tip is brilliant - I'm doing that right now for the rest of the year so I won't be caught off guard again!
The automated line usually just confirms claim processing status - it won't give you payment timing details unfortunately. But it's still super helpful for peace of mind! It basically tells you if your claim went through properly and if there are any issues flagged on your account. For payment timing, we're still stuck relying on community knowledge like this thread. I wish PA would just build holiday delay notifications into their system, but until then, marking those federal holidays is definitely the way to go. Thanks for sharing that tip about the automated line - I'm sure it'll help a lot of people avoid unnecessary stress!
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Logan, your situation really resonates with me - I went through something almost identical about a year ago. My car needed major engine work that would have cost more than I made in two months, and I was facing a 45-minute commute each way to a retail job. Like you, I tried everything - rideshares, asking coworkers about carpooling, even looked into buying a cheap used car but couldn't get financing. The math just didn't work out. I want to echo what others have said about not giving up if you get initially denied. I was denied at first, but I won on appeal because I had documented everything just like you did. What really helped was creating a simple one-page summary showing my daily take-home pay versus transportation costs - it made the financial impossibility crystal clear to the referee. One thing I'd add to your documentation: if you looked at any used cars or considered other transportation options (bike, scooter, etc.), document those too and why they weren't viable. PA UC wants to see that you truly exhausted every reasonable alternative. You're doing everything right by continuing to apply for closer jobs while you wait. The whole process took about 10 weeks for me from initial filing to getting benefits after the appeal, but it was absolutely worth fighting for. Your case sounds very strong - hang in there!
Jordan, thank you so much for sharing your experience - it's incredibly helpful to hear from someone who went through almost the exact same situation! The one-page summary idea is brilliant - I'm definitely going to create something like that to clearly show the impossible math. You're right that I should document other transportation options I considered too. I actually did look at a few used cars online but with my credit and the down payments required, there was no way I could have afforded one quickly enough to save my job. I'll add screenshots of those searches to my file. It's really encouraging to know that your appeal was successful after 10 weeks - even though that sounds like a long time, it gives me hope that persistence pays off. I'm feeling much more confident about my case after reading everyone's advice and success stories here. Thanks again for the detailed guidance!
Logan, I've been following your thread and I'm really rooting for you! Your situation is exactly why the "necessitous and compelling" exception exists - you literally couldn't afford to keep working. I had a friend go through something similar when her childcare costs exceeded her take-home pay, and she won her appeal by showing the financial impossibility just like you're doing. One small thing I'd add to your documentation - if you have any bank statements or pay stubs that show your actual financial situation during that period, those can be really powerful evidence. Sometimes seeing the real numbers in official documents makes even more impact than receipts alone. The waiting is the hardest part, but you've done everything possible to build a strong case. The fact that you tried multiple solutions with your employer before quitting really shows good faith effort. Keep us updated on how it goes - I have a good feeling about your chances, even if it takes an appeal. You've got this!
That's such a good point about including bank statements and pay stubs - I hadn't thought about how official financial documents would add even more credibility to the case. It's one thing to say the math didn't work out, but actually showing your account balance and paycheck amounts during that time period would make it undeniably clear that continuing to work was financially impossible. Logan, if you have online banking or kept your pay stubs from that period, definitely consider adding those to your documentation package. The more official evidence you have showing the financial reality of your situation, the stronger your case becomes. It sounds like you've really built a comprehensive file that demonstrates you had no reasonable choice but to quit - that's exactly what PA UC needs to see for these types of claims.
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When I was on unemployment in 2022 they took money from my PA benefits to repay an old overpayment from like 5 years ago. I just ignored it on my taxes and nothing happened. The IRS has bigger fish to fry than chasing down unemployment repayments lol. But that's just me, maybe do it right if you're worried.
This is not good advice. The IRS increasingly uses automated systems to cross-check tax returns against information returns like 1099-Gs. Ignoring reported income or deductions you're entitled to is asking for trouble, especially when the correct handling actually benefits you financially through either deductions or credits.
Update: I ended up calling Virginia's unemployment office (took forever to get through) and they explained that the 1099-G they sent actually confirms the repayment amount. The agent walked me through which boxes on the form indicate repayment vs. new benefits. I was able to use this info with the "claim of right" provision in TurboTax like several of you suggested. Thanks everyone for the help! For anyone else facing this situation, definitely get documentation from both states involved before filing your taxes.
This is really helpful! I'm dealing with a similar cross-state situation (Maryland took from my benefits to repay Delaware). Quick question - when you called Virginia, did you have to provide any specific reference numbers or documentation to get them to explain the 1099-G? I want to make sure I have everything ready before I spend hours on hold with Maryland UC!
@bf3d16545fc5 Thanks for sharing this update! I'm in a similar boat with cross-state repayments. When you called Virginia, did they email you any written confirmation about how to interpret the 1099-G, or was it just verbal guidance? I'm worried about relying on just a phone conversation if I get audited later. Also, did the claim of right provision end up saving you money compared to just taking it as a regular deduction?
NebulaNinja
UPDATE: I finally got through!!! Used the Claimyr service that someone suggested here and was connected to a UC rep in about an hour. The rep was able to see that my open issue was just waiting for supervisor review - apparently they tried to call me last week but it went to voicemail (I never got a notification they called). He expedited my case and said my payments should be released within 3-5 business days. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your help!
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Isabella Oliveira
•Awesome! Glad it worked out for you. Make sure to keep checking your portal for updates on your claim status.
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Nia Williams
•So happy to hear you got it resolved! This gives me hope - I've been dealing with a similar open issue for weeks. Going to try the Claimyr service too. Thanks for updating us with the good news!
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Arnav Bengali
Congrats on getting through! For anyone else still struggling, I wanted to share another tip that worked for me recently. Try calling right after lunch around 1:15pm on Tuesdays or Thursdays - seems like there's less call volume then. Also, if you get the "all representatives are busy" message, don't hang up immediately. Sometimes if you stay on the line for 2-3 minutes it will actually put you in the queue. The system is weird like that. And definitely make sure your voicemail isn't full - I found out they had been trying to call me back but couldn't leave messages because my mailbox was maxed out. Hope this helps someone!
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