PA UC appeal for separation determination pending 17+ weeks - about to lose my house!
Seriously frustrated right now. I filed my appeal for a separation determination with PA UC back on August 14 and it's been over 17 weeks with absolutely NOTHING. No updates online, no letters, no hearing date... complete silence. I call every week but just get the runaround or can't even get through. My savings are completely gone and I'm literally about to lose my house next month if something doesn't happen soon. Has anyone else waited this ridiculously long for an appeal hearing? What did you do to get movement on your case? I feel like I'm drowning here and UC doesn't care.
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Evelyn Xu
I waited 22 weeks for my appeal last year. Its ridiculous, but unfortunately normal these days. The system is broken!
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Sophia Russo
•22 WEEKS?? How did you survive financially that long without benefits??? I'm already behind on everything...
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Dominic Green
You need to contact your state representative ASAP. Their offices can directly contact UC and often get movement on stalled appeals. They helped me get a hearing scheduled after waiting 12 weeks last year. Call their constituent services line and explain you're facing imminent housing loss - they'll usually prioritize your case.
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Sophia Russo
•Thanks, I didn't even think about contacting my state rep. Do I just google to find their office contact info? Did they need any specific info from you when you called?
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Dominic Green
•Yes, just Google "PA state representative [your area]" and call their district office. Have your claim number, last 4 of your SSN, and the date you filed your appeal ready. They'll have you sign a privacy release form so they can inquire about your case. Usually takes them 1-2 weeks to get a response, much faster than waiting for UC to get to you in the queue.
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Hannah Flores
I was in the exact same boat waiting for my separation appeal. After 15 weeks of NOTHING, I tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) and was able to actually speak to a UC rep in about 20 minutes instead of spending hours redialing. They got me a status update and found out my appeal paperwork had been misplaced!! They fixed it and I got my hearing scheduled for the next week. Check out how it works here: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 - definitely worth it when you're desperate and can't get through on the phones.
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Kayla Jacobson
•I've heard about this service but wasn't sure if it actually worked. Did they just connect you to the regular UC service center?
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William Rivera
call legal aid!! they can sometimes push these things through faster than waiting. most counties have free legal aid 4 people in financial hardship
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Sophia Russo
•Thanks for the suggestion. Do they help with unemployment appeals specifically? I've never used legal aid before.
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William Rivera
•yep! they do unemployment cases all the time. my cousin got help from them last yr when his claim was stuck. google pa legal aid and ur county and they should come up
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Grace Lee
Appeals are taking FOREVER right now!!! I filed mine in July and just had my hearing last week. The referee told me they're extremely backed up and some appeals are taking 6+ months to be scheduled. It's absolutely insane and people are suffering. The whole time you're not getting any benefits either!!!
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Mia Roberts
•Wait what?? 6 MONTHS??? Thats literally criminal. How is anyone supposed to survive that long with no income??
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The Boss
I went through something similar with my appeal that took 4 months to resolve. Here's what I recommend: 1. Call UC every Monday AND Wednesday at exactly 8:00 AM when they open - sometimes you can get through if you're one of the first callers 2. Contact your state representative as mentioned above 3. Send a message through your UC dashboard weekly (yes weekly) asking for status updates 4. Call the appeals office directly at 717-787-5122 (different from regular UC line) 5. Document everything - dates of calls, who you spoke with, etc. Also, regarding your housing situation, contact PA Housing Finance Agency immediately. They have emergency housing assistance that might help while you're waiting for your appeal. Don't wait until you're actually facing eviction.
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Sophia Russo
•This is super helpful, thank you! I didn't know there was a separate appeals office number. I'll try them tomorrow. And I'll definitely look into the housing assistance - I'm about 6 weeks away from foreclosure at this point.
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Kayla Jacobson
I work as an employment counselor and see this all the time with my clients. The appeals backlog is unfortunately at historical highs in PA. The separation determination appeals are particularly backed up because they require more investigation and witness testimony. One thing to note - if you win your appeal, you'll receive all back payments from the eligible weeks, so you won't lose that money permanently. However, I understand that doesn't help your immediate financial situation. In addition to contacting your state representative (which is the most effective approach), also try reaching out to the UC Board of Review directly at 717-787-5122. Sometimes they can give you information about where your case is in the queue that the regular service center staff can't see.
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Sophia Russo
•Thank you for the insight. It's somewhat reassuring to know I'm not alone in this situation, though it's terrible so many people are struggling with the same issue. I'll try the Board of Review number too. Do you know if there's any way to request an expedited hearing due to financial hardship?
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Kayla Jacobson
•Yes, you can request expedited processing due to financial hardship. When you call the Board of Review, specifically mention that you're facing imminent foreclosure and ask if your case can be expedited. They don't advertise this option, but they do have a process for it. You'll likely need to provide some documentation of your housing situation, such as foreclosure notices. Also, when you contact your state representative, make sure to emphasize the housing emergency - that often gets faster results.
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Dominic Green
Just checking back - any updates after trying some of these suggestions? Did you get through to anyone?
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Sophia Russo
•Yes! I've made some progress. I contacted my state rep yesterday and they were super helpful. They already submitted an inquiry to UC on my behalf. I also got through to the Board of Review using that direct number, and they confirmed my appeal is in their system but hasn't been assigned to a referee yet. They took down my hardship information and said they'd flag my case for expedited review. I also applied for the emergency housing assistance program. Still no hearing date yet, but at least things are moving now and I don't feel completely helpless. Thank you all for the advice!
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