PA UC Appeal timeline - 2 weeks in 'awaiting review' status, when to expect hearing?

I went through this in March. The 'awaiting review' part took about 3-4 weeks for me, then they sent a packet in the mail with my hearing date which was scheduled for about 3 weeks after that. So all in, it was about 7 weeks from filing the appeal to actually having my hearing. The determination came about 10 days after the hearing. Make sure you check your mail carefully - they don't always update the portal but they WILL send important hearing info through regular mail.

Thank you so much! That timeline helps me plan better. Did you do anything during the waiting period or just let it go through the process? I've been checking my portal every day hoping for updates.

my appealz took FOREVER!!!! i waited like 6 weeks just to get the first letter and then another month for actual hearing. the system is totally broken and they dont care about us at all. keep calling them every day thats what i did until someone finally answered and told me what was going on

6 weeks just for the first response?? That's so discouraging. Were you able to get benefits while waiting for the appeal or do they only pay after it's resolved?

The appeal process timing varies quite a bit based on current caseload. While the official PA UC guidance says the review should take 2-3 weeks, in practice I've seen it take anywhere from 3-8 weeks for the initial review. After review, expect another 2-4 weeks until the hearing is scheduled. A few things to know:\n\n1. Make sure you continue filing your weekly certifications during the entire appeal process\n2. Gather all your employment documentation now (pay stubs, W-2s, termination notice)\n3. Write down your recollection of events while it's fresh in your memory\n4. If your appeal involves wage disputes, get wage records from all employers\n\nIf your appeal is successful, you'll receive all back payments for the weeks you certified during the wait.

Thank you for the detailed info! I didn't know I should keep filing weekly claims while waiting - I stopped after getting denied. Should I go back and file for the past weeks too?

I filed an appeal back in February because they said I didn't report some part-time work (which I definitely did report). The waiting is excruciating! I called every day for weeks and got nothing but busy signals. Then I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that connected me to an actual UC rep within about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2\n\nThe rep told me my appeal was still in the queue but at least I knew someone had seen it. My hearing was eventually scheduled about 5 weeks after I filed the appeal. The hearing itself was over the phone and only took about 30 minutes.

Did that Claimyr thing actually work? I've been trying to get through for 3 days straight and just gave up.

anyone else notice how they seem to deny everyone the first time around hoping people just give up and don't appeal? my sister-in-law and two of my cousins all got denied initially for totally different reasons, they all appealed, and ALL of them won their appeals. seems fishy

YESSS!!! this is EXACTLY what they do!!! deny first ask questions later. they hope people give up and dont fight back!!!

My current appeal took about 5 weeks to get past

Thanks for sharing your experience! I guess I should prepare for a longer wait than I expected. Did you win your appeal?

i had my hearing last friday after waiting forever lol. make sure u have ALL ur docs ready and practice what ur gonna say. my hearing was over the phone and the referee person was actually pretty nice which surprised me. they said it takes 10-14 days for them to send the decision but who knows if thats true lol

Was it intimidating? I'm nervous about saying the wrong thing.

@original poster - One thing I forgot to mention - if you're in a real financial hardship while waiting, you should contact your state representative's office. They have liaisons who can sometimes expedite UC cases or at least get you information about your status. I did this during my first appeal (years ago) and they were surprisingly helpful.

This is excellent advice. State representatives have special channels to UC and can sometimes get information when we can't. They can't change decisions, but they can often find out what's happening with delayed cases.

Thank you all for the responses! This is so helpful. I'm going to:\n1. Start filing my weekly claims again (had no idea I needed to keep doing that)\n2. Gather all my employment records \n3. Try to be patient for at least another 2-3 weeks before panicking\n4. Look into contacting my state rep if it goes beyond 5 weeks\n\nSeems like 5-8 weeks total is the normal timeline from what everyone's saying. I really appreciate all the advice!

One final piece of advice - when you do get your hearing notice, it will include instructions about submitting evidence. Follow these EXACTLY and submit everything by the deadline. The referee can only consider properly submitted evidence. Also, be clear and concise during the hearing. Answer only what was asked, and stick to the facts rather than emotions, even though I know this is a stressful situation. If your case is about qualifying wages, make sure you have documentation of all employment during your base year period. Good luck!

Thank you! Yes, my issue is definitely about qualifying wages. I was working at the same place for 18 months before being laid off, so I don't understand why they said I didn't have enough qualifying wages. Hopefully I can get this sorted out at the hearing.