PA CareerLink login issues preventing my work search activities - anyone else?
Is anyone else having trouble logging into PA CareerLink today? I've been trying since 7AM to log in and complete my work search activities for my weekly UC claim, but the site keeps giving me an error message saying 'unable to process request at this time.' I've tried clearing my cache, using a different browser, and even my phone, but nothing works! My claim week ends tomorrow and I NEED to get these work search activities recorded or my payment might be delayed. Anyone know if the system is down or what I should do? Getting really stressed about this!
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Zoe Christodoulou
ya same here since yesterday actually. tried logging in around 5pm and was getting the same message. still down for me this morning too
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Andre Moreau
•Ugh, thanks for confirming it's not just me. Have you had this happen before? Do they usually fix it quickly?
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Jamal Thompson
This happens like every other month lol. CareerLink is always having issues when we need it most. Last time it was down for 2 days right when my benefit year was ending. Just PA things 🙄
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Mei Chen
•truuuue and then they expect us 2 still get everything done on time or they cut our benefits smh
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CosmicCadet
The CareerLink system is currently undergoing maintenance according to their Twitter account. They posted about it yesterday saying it would be back up by 6 AM today, but obviously that didn't happen. For your weekly claim, you can still document your work search activities separately (keep screenshots of job applications, etc.) and if your payment gets held up, you can explain the situation when you get through to an agent. Just make sure you're still doing the required work search activities even if you can't log them in the system yet.
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Andre Moreau
•Thank you! I didn't even think to check their Twitter. That's really helpful. I've been taking screenshots of my applications just in case, so that's good to know. Do you know if there's any way to manually submit these to UC if CareerLink stays down?
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Liam O'Connor
I never use CareerLink for my work search activities! You don't technically have to use that system. You just need to do your activities and keep records. I just keep a spreadsheet with dates, company names, positions, and website links. Then when I file my weekly claim, I just say YES that I completed my work search requirements. Been doing it this way for 3 months with no issues so far.
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Amara Adeyemi
•This is BAD advice!!! PA UC specifically states on their website that CareerLink is the REQUIRED way to record work search activities. If you get audited you could be forced to pay everything back. Don't listen to this person!!
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CosmicCadet
•Actually, while CareerLink is recommended, it's not strictly required. The PA UC handbook states you need to keep records of your work search activities for two years, but doesn't mandate using CareerLink. Many people use their own tracking methods without issues. That said, CareerLink does make it easier if your claim gets reviewed.
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Giovanni Gallo
If you're still having problems accessing the system tomorrow when you need to file your weekly claim, I'd recommend trying to reach a PA UC representative directly. I was having similar system issues last month and spent hours trying to get through on the phone. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. The agent I spoke with told me to keep detailed records of my work search activities and verified that technical issues with CareerLink wouldn't affect my claim as long as I was actually doing the required activities.
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Andre Moreau
•Thank you - I might need this if the system is still down tomorrow! I've been trying to get through to someone at UC for weeks about another issue on my claim too, so this could help with both problems.
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Jamal Thompson
I just checked and it's back up now! Try logging in again. It's slow but working for me.
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Andre Moreau
•You're right!! Just got in finally. Thanks for the update - gonna add all my stuff right now before it goes down again lol
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Mei Chen
i dont even bother with careerlink anymore tbh. apply directly on indeed and just screenshot everything. much easier than dealing with that garbage site
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CosmicCadet
•While that works for keeping your own records, remember that some employers specifically post jobs through CareerLink that might not be on Indeed or other job sites. You might be missing out on opportunities that could be a good fit.
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Andre Moreau
UPDATE: For anyone who finds this post later - the system is back up now and working fine. I was able to record all my work search activities without any issue. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!
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Malik Johnson
Glad to hear it's working again! I was actually having the same issue yesterday too but didn't think to check here first. This is really helpful info - I'll bookmark this thread in case CareerLink goes down again. Also good to know about keeping screenshots as backup documentation. Thanks for posting about this and following up with the resolution!
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Roger Romero
•Same here! I wish I had known about this community earlier - would have saved me a lot of stress wondering if it was just my computer acting up. Definitely going to keep better backup records going forward. It's so frustrating when these systems go down right when we need them most!
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Dylan Cooper
This is exactly why I always keep a backup spreadsheet of my work search activities! CareerLink seems to go down at the worst possible times. For anyone dealing with this in the future - I've learned to document everything in multiple ways: screenshots of applications, a simple Excel file with dates/companies/positions, and even photos of any paper applications I fill out at career fairs. That way if the system is down when I need to file my weekly claim, I still have proof of my activities. It's a pain to maintain duplicate records, but it's saved me from stress like this more than once!
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Arnav Bengali
•This is such smart advice! I wish I had thought to do backup documentation from the beginning instead of relying solely on CareerLink. Definitely going to start keeping my own spreadsheet now - it would have saved me so much anxiety yesterday when the system was down and my claim week was ending. Do you have any specific template you use for your Excel file or just basic columns like date/company/position?
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