PA UC appeal stuck in limbo since March - no response after 4 months!
Has anyone been stuck in appeal purgatory with PA Unemployment? Filed my appeal back in March after they denied my initial claim saying I didn't have enough base year wages (which is totally wrong btw). It's now July and my dashboard STILL says 'waiting for a response to be written' 😠I've called like 50 times but can't get through to anyone. Bills are piling up and I'm getting desperate. How long did your appeals take? Is 4+ months normal or should I be doing something else? This whole process is driving me insane!
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Dmitry Smirnov
mine took about 7 months before i finally got a hearing date. the system is completely backed up right now. just keep checking your dashboard every week, thats all u can do
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GalacticGuardian
•7 MONTHS??? OMG I can't wait that long! Did you do anything to speed it up?
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Ava Rodriguez
Appeals are taking an unusually long time this year. The average wait time is currently 4-6 months, but I've seen some take up to 8 months. Make sure you've uploaded all your evidence documents through your dashboard. If your appeal involves wage disputes, have your pay stubs and W-2s ready. Also check that your contact information is current so you don't miss the notice when they finally schedule your hearing. In the meantime, continue filing your weekly certifications even though they'll show as "disqualified" until the appeal is resolved. If you win your appeal, you'll receive all back payments for those weeks.
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GalacticGuardian
•Thank you for this info! I didn't realize I should still be filing weekly claims while waiting. I stopped after the first month because it seemed pointless. Will this mess up my appeal or backpay?
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Ava Rodriguez
•Unfortunately, you might not receive payment for weeks you didn't file. PA UC requires continued certification even during appeals. Start filing again immediately, and when your hearing is scheduled, explain to the referee that you weren't properly informed about continuing to file. Some referees will allow backfiling for missed weeks if you have a good reason, but it's at their discretion.
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Miguel Diaz
this happend to me to last year!! my appeal took 5 months and then they scheduled the hearing for when i was on vacation so i missed it lol. had to start ALL OVER AGAIN! make sure ur checking ur mail EVERYDAY cus thats how they told me about my hearing date not through the website
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Zainab Ahmed
I was stuck in the same situation earlier this year with my appeal. After waiting three months with no updates, I discovered Claimyr.com which helped me actually reach a PA UC representative by phone. Their service connects you directly to an agent instead of facing busy signals and hangups. I was able to learn that my appeal was assigned to a referee but was in the backlog. At least knowing this gave me peace of mind. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 Also, definitely keep filing your weekly claims during the appeal process. I almost made that mistake too, but luckily the rep I spoke with told me to keep filing so I could get backpay when my appeal was approved.
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GalacticGuardian
•I've never heard of this before. Does it actually work? I'm willing to try anything at this point because the stress is killing me.
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Zainab Ahmed
•Yes, it worked for me. Got connected to a rep in about 45 minutes instead of spending days trying to get through. The rep couldn't speed up my appeal, but at least confirmed it was in the system and gave me an estimate of when it might be scheduled.
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Connor Gallagher
THE ENTIRE PA UC SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU GIVE UP!!! I waited SIX MONTHS for my appeal hearing and then they had the NERVE to tell me I had insufficient evidence even though I submitted EVERYTHING they asked for!!! Then it took ANOTHER 2 months to get the decision letter! This state is a JOKE when it comes to helping people who've lost their jobs. They WANT you to suffer and give up!!
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Dmitry Smirnov
•this is so true they hoping people just give up and move on
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Ava Rodriguez
•While the system is certainly overwhelmed and slow, appeals do get processed eventually. Make sure you have all required documentation before your hearing and be prepared to clearly explain why the initial determination was incorrect. Organization and preparation make a significant difference in appeal outcomes.
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AstroAlpha
Have you tried contacting your state representative? When my appeal was stuck for months, I reached out to my local state rep's office and they were able to inquire about my case. Within two weeks of their inquiry, I got a scheduled hearing date. Many state reps have staff dedicated to helping constituents with unemployment issues. Worth a try!
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GalacticGuardian
•I hadn't thought of that! How do I find out who my state rep is? Do I just call their office and explain my situation?
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AstroAlpha
•You can find your PA state rep here: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/ Just enter your address and it will show who represents you. Call their office and ask to speak with the staff member who handles unemployment cases. They'll likely have you fill out a consent form allowing them to inquire about your case. It won't guarantee a faster hearing, but it often helps move things along!
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Yara Khoury
my appeal took 4 months then i had the hearing and won but then it took another month to get paid just saying be prepared to wait even after ur hearing
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GalacticGuardian
•Ugh that's so frustrating! Did you have to do anything special to finally get paid after winning?
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Yara Khoury
•nope just more waiting lol. one day the money just showed up on my money network card. no warning or anything
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Dmitry Smirnov
what was ur appeal for? mine was for quitting my job but i had good reason (harassment) so they eventually approved it
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GalacticGuardian
•They said I didn't have enough wages in my base year which is completely wrong. I worked full-time the whole year before filing. I think they missed one of my employers in their calculation.
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Ava Rodriguez
One final piece of advice: Keep a detailed log of all your attempts to contact PA UC about your appeal status, including dates, times, and outcomes. This documentation can be useful during your hearing if the referee questions why you didn't take certain actions. Also, if you have documentation proving your wages for the base year, organize it chronologically and have it ready for your hearing. Appeals for wage record issues have a higher success rate than other types of appeals, especially when you can provide concrete documentation from all your employers during the base year period.
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GalacticGuardian
•Thank you, this is really helpful! I've got all my W-2s and paystubs organized already. I'll start keeping track of my calls too.
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