Going to PA UC office in person vs calling - worth the trip?

Went to the Philly office last month. Huge mistake! Waited 4 hours just to be told they cant help with claim issues in person and I needed to call the same number I'd been trying for weeks. Total waste of time!!

The PA UC offices aren't set up to process claims in person anymore. They're mostly for CareerLink services now. In-person staff can't access the same claim processing systems that the phone agents use. Your best option is to keep calling the UC service center at 888-313-7284, but try calling right when they open at 8am. Also, make sure you're still filing your weekly claims while you wait for the issue to be resolved.

I was in the same boat last month with an open issue for 6 weeks! Couldn't get through on phones no matter what time I called. I finally tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have this callback system that somehow gets you in the queue without you having to sit on hold. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. Totally worth it for me since I was about to get evicted without that money coming in.

i tried goin to the office in allentown and it was USELESS!!!! just a bunch of computers to do job search stuff and like 2 people who couldnt help with actual claim problems. they told me to "email" them insted but its been 3 weeks and nothing back lol

The PA Department of Labor redesigned their unemployment system in 2021, and one change was reducing in-person claim services. The offices now primarily function as PA CareerLink centers for job search assistance rather than claims processing centers. For an open issue, you need to reach the UC Service Center specifically. Here's what I recommend: 1. Continue filing your weekly certifications even while the issue is pending 2. Try calling at 7:59am, right before they open at 8:00am 3. Use the chat function on the PA UC website (though it's often backed up too) 4. Contact your state representative's office - they often have direct contacts at UC 5. Check your UC dashboard for any messages or requests for additional information The open issue won't resolve itself without someone reviewing it, so getting through to a representative is essential.

I always love how they tell us to "look for work" and "apply for jobs" when we can't even get our benefits that we WORKED FOR AND EARNED!! How am I supposed to drive to interviews when I can't afford gas?? The whole system is designed to FAIL us! They don't want us to get benefits - that's why they make it impossible to get through on the phones!!! I tried going to the office in Erie and they basically laughed at me and said "we don't do that here." RIDICULOUS!!!!

One thing to note - when you have an open issue, there's often a specific document or verification they're waiting for. Have you checked your UC dashboard messages and your physical mail? Sometimes the system flags something and they send a form that needs to be completed, but people miss it and then sit in open issue status unnecessarily. Worth double-checking your dashboard and mail.

My friend had benefits held up for 2 months with an open issue, finally got through on the phone and it was something ridiculous like they needed to verify her middle initial. Issue resolved in 5 minutes once she actually talked to someone. The system is broken!

I forgot to mention earlier - make sure you're checking both your email AND your UC portal inbox. Sometimes they send messages to one but not the other. Also, check your spam folder. I found out my issue was just that they needed employment verification, but the request went to my spam folder.

Good news is that once the open issue is resolved, you'll get all back payments at once. Make sure you're completing your work search activities each week (applying to jobs, attending workshops, etc.) and documenting them. They can audit those records even after your payments start.

I'm in a similar situation - been waiting 6 weeks with an open issue and getting nowhere with the phone lines. Reading through these responses, it sounds like going to the office really isn't worth the drive since they can't actually help with claims anymore. I think I'm going to try the state representative route that Daniel mentioned - never thought of that before but it makes sense they might have better contacts. Also going to double-check my spam folder just in case. This whole system is so frustrating when you're behind on rent and bills! Keep us posted if you make any progress, Micah.