My PA UC claim stuck 'in review' since September - no payments for 6+ weeks
I'm seriously starting to stress out here. Filed for PA unemployment at the beginning of September after my construction job ended, and my claim has been sitting in 'review' status for over 6 weeks now. Haven't received a single payment yet. I check the dashboard every morning hoping to see some change, but it just says 'currently in review' with no other explanation. I've been filing my weekly claims like clockwork, but they're all showing as 'pending' because of this review status. Are processing times really this long now? Should I try calling them? Anyone know what's normal these days for review timelines? My savings are getting dangerously low and rent is due next week.
17 comments
Tony Brooks
yeah they can sometimes take forever lol. my claim was stuck in review for like 5 weeks last year before anything happened. keep filing your weekly claims tho so when it does finally go through you'll get all that backpay!
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Jade Lopez
•Thanks for the reply. Did you end up having to do anything to push it through? Or did it just randomly update one day? This waiting game is killing me.
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Ella rollingthunder87
Six weeks is definitely longer than average for a standard review. There are a few possible reasons for the delay: 1. Identity verification issues (check if you've completed IDme verification) 2. Employer response discrepancies (your former employer might have contested something) 3. Wages from multiple states or employers creating complications 4. Potential eligibility questions that need manual review You should absolutely try contacting them. The standard review time should be 2-3 weeks max unless there's a specific issue. Make sure you've checked your dashboard for any action items or messages they might have sent.
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Jade Lopez
•I've checked everywhere and there are no messages or action items showing up. I did complete the IDme verification when I first applied. Maybe it is something with my former employer? I worked for two different construction companies this year - could that be complicating things?
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Yara Campbell
I had the EXACT same problem last month. Claim stuck in review for 7 weeks with no explanation. Turns out they had a question about my work history but never actually notified me about it! I wasted weeks waiting for something to happen automatically. I finally got through to someone using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - it's this service that gets you through to an actual PA UC agent without dealing with busy signals. They have a demo video here: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 Took 20 minutes and the agent found that they needed additional info from my employer that was holding everything up. Once they sent the request again, my claim was approved within 3 days and I got all my backpay at once.
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Isaac Wright
•does that claimyr thing really work? ive been trying to call for 2 weeks and cant get past the busy signal
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Yara Campbell
•Yes, it definitely worked for me when nothing else did. After weeks of frustration, I was connected to an actual UC rep who could see exactly what was holding up my claim. Completely worth it considering how much backpay was sitting there waiting.
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Maya Diaz
THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! I've been dealing with PA unemployment for 15+ years (seasonal work) and it's NEVER been this bad before. They're deliberately letting claims sit in review hoping people will just give up and go away. I had a claim last winter that was "in review" for TEN WEEKS with ZERO communication. When I finally got through, they said "oh we were missing one piece of information" that they NEVER ASKED ME FOR!!! It's absolutely CRIMINAL how they treat people who are already struggling. Call them EVERY SINGLE DAY until you get through!!!
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Tami Morgan
•While it's frustrating, I don't think they're deliberately delaying claims. The system is just overwhelmed and understaffed. But I do agree that persistent calling is necessary - the squeaky wheel gets the grease in these situations.
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Rami Samuels
my neighbor works for uc and she says they have huge backlogs right now because of all the manufacturing layoffs in western pa last month. alot of claims need manual review especially if you worked multiple jobs
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Jade Lopez
•That actually makes sense - I did work for two different companies this year. Still frustrating that there's no communication about the delay though. Thanks for the insight.
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Tami Morgan
Here's what you need to do: 1. Continue filing your weekly claims as required - this ensures you'll receive all eligible backpay once approved 2. Check your dashboard specifically for any "Open Issues" - these aren't always obvious and might be hidden in a tab or sub-section 3. Try calling right when they open at 8:00 AM on Monday or Tuesday (typically the least busy days) 4. If your claim involves multiple employers or you worked in more than one county, this often triggers additional review 5. Contact your state representative's office - they have special liaisons to UC who can often get answers faster than you can If you have any wages from out-of-state employers in your base year, that will also significantly extend review time as PA has to verify with other states.
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Jade Lopez
•Thank you for such detailed advice. I hadn't thought about contacting my state rep - that's a great idea. I'll try calling early Monday morning first, and if that doesn't work, I'll reach out to my rep's office. Really appreciate the help!
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Isaac Wright
my claim was in review for 9 weeks!!! and then one day it just randomly switched to approved and i got all my back payments. hang in there
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Maya Diaz
•9 WEEKS?? That's CRAZY! And people wonder why so many folks are struggling. How are we supposed to survive for MONTHS with no income while they "review" our claims? The whole system needs to be rebuilt from scratch!
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Ella rollingthunder87
Just to clarify some information here - the standard processing time for PA UC claims with no issues should be 2-3 weeks. When claims extend beyond that timeframe, it almost always indicates there's a specific issue requiring manual review. The most common are: 1. Wage verification discrepancies (what you reported vs. employer records) 2. Separation reason questions (especially in construction where layoffs might be temporary) 3. Work search compliance verification 4. Multi-employer verification (which appears to be your case) In 2025, PA UC is still dealing with the modernized system rollout from a few years ago, which sometimes creates these delays. But persistently trying to contact them is essential - don't just wait indefinitely.
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Jade Lopez
•Update: I FINALLY got through today after calling for 2 hours straight. You were exactly right - it was stuck because I had worked for multiple employers and there was a discrepancy in my reported wages versus what one employer had on file. The agent was able to override the review and push my claim through since the difference was minimal. She said I should see payments within 3 business days, including all my back weeks. Thank you all for the advice and support!
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