Can't reach anyone at PA UC - stuck in processing since December 2025

mine was stuck in processing for nearly a month too!!! the system is so broken its not even funny anymore. try calling right when they open thats what i did

I was in the exact same situation last month. The PA UC phone system is completely overwhelmed and it's almost impossible to get through using the regular number. I finally managed to speak with someone using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - it's a service that basically waits on hold for you and then calls you when a representative is available. I was skeptical but they got me through to someone in about 45 minutes after I'd spent WEEKS trying on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. My issue was a verification problem that took the agent about 5 minutes to fix once I actually got through.

A few things to try while you're waiting to get through on the phone: 1. Double-check your PA UC portal to make sure all your documents are properly uploaded. Sometimes claims get stuck in processing because of missing documentation. 2. Check if there's an "Open Issues" section in your portal. This would indicate what's specifically holding up your claim. 3. Try contacting your state representative's office - they often have direct lines to UC and can help move things along. 4. Make sure you're still filing your weekly claims even while your initial claim is processing. If your claim gets approved, you'll get backpay for those weeks, but only if you've filed for them. The processing time has been much longer lately due to high volume of claims. Some claims are taking 4-6 weeks to process even without any issues.

The whole PA UC system is DESIGNED to be impossible to reach!!! They WANT you to give up so they don't have to pay benefits!!! I went through this nightmare last year and it took me TWO MONTHS to get my first payment. Keep trying to call but also FILE AN APPEAL even if there's nothing to appeal yet - it forces them to look at your claim!!!

have u tried calling the local careerlink office? sometimes they can help or at least tell u whats going on with ur claim. thats how i found out i had identity verification issue holding up mine

Update on my earlier post - I just wanted to say that I had the same "processing" status that wouldn't change. When I finally got through to someone, it turned out there was an employer verification issue that wasn't showing up in my portal for some reason. The employer hadn't responded to UC's request for information. The agent was able to push it through after verifying my employment details over the phone.

Some technical information that might help: "Processing" status usually means one of the following is happening: 1. Your identity verification is pending - this can take 2-3 weeks even without issues 2. Your employer hasn't responded to the employment verification request (they have 7 business days) 3. Your wages are being verified against quarterly tax reports 4. There's a separation issue that needs review (if there's any question about why you lost your job) Unfortunately, none of these show up as "Open Issues" until a human reviews the claim and codes it properly. Since December is a high-volume period for new claims due to seasonal layoffs, processing times are longer than usual. Did you work for the same employer for all of 2025, or did you have multiple employers? Multiple employers can sometimes slow down the process.

my sister had the same problem and when she finally got through they told her she needed to verify her identity through id.me even though the system never notified her about it! might be worth checking if that's your issue too

Just wanted to add that I was also skeptical about using a service to get through to PA UC, but using Claimyr was literally the only thing that worked after weeks of trying. Not making any money while bills pile up was way more stressful than using a service to get through. Once I actually talked to someone, they resolved my "processing" status in minutes and my payments started the following week.

my claim was stuck for 5 weeks i feel your pain. i just kept calling and eventually got through. if your employer was doing layoffs its probably just backlogged. try calling on tuesday morning thats when i finally got through

One more thing to try: check if your claim is being processed under regular UC or if it might have been routed to the Shared Work program (if your employer participated in partial layoffs). Sometimes claims get misdirected in the system when large layoffs happen. Also, make sure you've set up your payment method (direct deposit or debit card) correctly in the system. Sometimes claims appear as "processing" when actually they're approved but there's a payment method issue. January is historically the slowest month for claim processing due to holiday backlogs and seasonal claim increases. If your separation reason is clearly "lack of work" due to layoff, your claim should eventually be approved without issues once they process it.