Called my PA state rep about my stuck UC claim - what happens next?

I went through the same thing in February! My claim was stuck for almost 8 weeks with some mysterious 'open issue' that no one could explain. Called my state rep and they filed an inquiry. It took about 10 calendar days (7 business days) before I got a call from an actual UC examiner who fixed everything on the spot. Payment hit my Money Network card 2 days later. Definitely worth doing - the state reps seem to have a direct line to UC that regular folks don't get access to.

i did this last year didnt help at all lol. they just said theyd look into it but nothing ever happened. ended up fixing itself after like 3 months

Going through your state representative is definitely one of the better options when your claim is stuck. Here's what typically happens: 1. The rep's office submits an official legislative inquiry to PA UC's special handling department 2. By law, UC must respond to these inquiries (usually within 10-15 business days) 3. Your claim gets flagged for priority review by an examiner 4. You'll typically get a call from a UC examiner to resolve the issue Make sure you answer ALL calls, even from unknown numbers, in the next two weeks. UC examiners often call from blocked numbers, and if you miss their call, it can delay things further. One important thing - don't stop filing your weekly claims while waiting for this to resolve! You need to keep certifying each week even if you're not getting paid yet.

I HATE how we have to jump through all these EXTRA hoops just to get what we're entitled to!!! Why should we have to contact our state reps just to get UC to do THEIR JOB??? The whole system is BROKEN by design! They hope we'll just give up and go away!!! I had to call my state rep AND my senator AND file a complaint with the Lt. Governor's office before anyone would help me. This is NOT how government is supposed to work!!!

Have you tried using Claimyr? Before I contacted my state rep, I was trying for WEEKS to get through to an actual UC rep with no luck. Then I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that basically waits on hold for you and calls you when they get a UC agent on the line. Worked great for me - I got through to a real person who could actually see my file and told me exactly what the issue was. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 Might be worth trying while you wait for the state rep route to work. Sometimes talking directly to UC is faster if you can actually get through.

Keep calling the state rep once a week to check on status. The squeaky wheel gets the grease with these offices. Be nice but persistent.

Just a quick tip - when the UC examiner finally calls you, they'll likely need to verify your identity before discussing your claim. Have your driver's license, SSN, and claim confirmation number ready. They might also ask about your previous employer and last day worked. Being prepared with all this info will help the call go smoothly and possibly get your issue resolved in one call rather than needing follow-ups.

My rep actually gave me a reference number for the inquiry they submitted. Did yours give you anything like that? Might be worth calling back to ask for it so you can reference it in future calls.

One more thing I should mention - if your open issue is related to your separation from employment (quit/fired/laid off), having documentation ready will help. Things like separation letters, emails about your departure, or any relevant communication with your former employer. The examiner might ask for these to be uploaded or emailed when they call. Also, don't be surprised if the 'open issue' turns out to be something simple or even a system error. Often these long delays are due to claims being flagged by automated systems and then sitting in queues waiting for human review.